When families welcome an au pair into their home, they not only gain reliable live-in childcare assistance, but also the chance to experience cultural exchange and build a lasting friendship with a young person from overseas. Recognized every year by the United Nations on July 30, the International Day of Friendship is an excellent opportunity for host families to celebrate those connections and enjoy meaningful cultural exchange activities while bonding with their au pair.
Discover six cultural exchange activities families can enjoy with their au pairs on this International Day of Friendship!
1. Enjoy a Friendly Bake Off
Every culture (and household) has some signature baked treats—France is known for croissants, Poland and Ukraine have Babka, and China has mooncakes. What better way to spend International Friendship Day than having a friendly bake off with your au pair?
Divide your family into two teams and have both bake their favorite dessert. For example, your German au pair may bake an apple strudel, while your family makes their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Or, have your au pair teach your children their favorite recipe while they all work together. When delicious treats and meaningful cultural moments are created, everybody wins!
2. Cool Off in the Water
International Friendship Day is celebrated on July 30, smack dab in the middle of summer. If the weather’s right, why not take the whole family and the au pair down to your local waterfront or swimming pool? After all, fun waterside activities are enjoyed worldwide, making it the perfect environment for cultivating strong international bonds between your au pair and family.
Build castles in the sand, splash around in the pool, and enjoy an afternoon of fun waterfront activities. To incorporate some language learning and cultural exchange, play a game of I Spy and have your au pair teach your children the name of various objects in their native language.
3. Do Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts are an amazing way to have fun and express what someone’s friendship means to you. Whether it’s with colored pencils, paper mache, or painting supplies, there are tons of ways to celebrate International Friendship Day with arts and crafts and create moments of bonding with your au pair, such as:
- “My Favorite Things” Gallery: Have everybody draw or paint pictures of their favorite things from their home country, then share and explain their creations with one another.
- “Your Country Through Each Other’s Eyes”: Encourage your children to illustrate what they’ve learned about the au pair’s home country and culture, while the au pair creates their own drawing of what they associate with the United States.
- Flag Drawings: Paint or draw the American flag alongside your au pair’s home country flag. If your family or friends have international ties, include those flags too for a full display of global friendship.
- “Our Story So Far”: Invite your children and au pair to create a joint artwork that tells the story of their time together, highlighting their first meeting, shared adventures, and special moments of bonding along the way.
4. Cook a Global Dinner
Create the perfect recipe for building international friendship by planning and cooking a meal together that features dishes from both your au pair’s home country and your own. Assign everyone a role—from sous chef to taste tester—and learn about the significance of each dish as you cook. Sharing stories behind favorite family meals can open the door to meaningful conversations and new culinary traditions.
5. Create a Music Exchange Playlist
Music brings people together across cultures, making it the perfect way to create lasting international bonds. Sit down with your au pair and children to create a playlist that includes songs from your au pair’s country and your family’s favorite tunes. Play the music throughout the day, during a shared meal, or while crafting. Encourage your au pair to explain lyrics or share memories connected to their songs—and let your kids do the same. It’s a great way to spark conversation, dancing, and cross-cultural discovery.
6. Share Your Favorite Stories
Head to the library and let your au pair and children pick out their favorite books. Your au pair can look for stories from their home country or region, while your children choose their favorite books to share in return. Later that evening, wind down together by reading aloud—your children can read to your au pair, or your au pair can share a beloved story from home. It’s the perfect way to end a day of fun and cultural connections.
Celebrate international friendships and cultural connections during summer—host an au pair with Au Pair in America!
Hosting an au pair is the perfect way to fill your home with cultural exchange and meaningful connections, all while receiving dependable live-in childcare. When you host with Au Pair in America, you gain the trusted support of the world’s most experienced live-in cultural childcare program. We thoroughly screen and train all our au pairs, and our dedicated team will support you throughout your program. Get flexible, dependable, and intercultural live-in childcare with Au Pair in America!
