Category Archives: Fun Things We Do

DC Regional Cultural Exchange Expo

Please join us for a chance to learn about more than 20 different countries in one day.

 

Au pairs from across DC, Maryland and Virginia will share their cultures through visual displays, games, activities and performances. Children will receive passports and have them stamped as they visit each country. There will also be face painting, children’s activities, photo booth and more.

Admission is FREE.

Date:          Sunday, November 1
Time:          1-3 PM
Location:   Riggs Alumni Center
                   University of Maryland
                   7801 Alumni Drive
                   College Park, MD 20742

 

Questions? Contact Christine Connally at cconnally@aupairinamerica.com

Fall Traditions: Carving Pumpkins

It was great to see so many of you at our Pumpkin Patch Host Family & Au Pair Meeting on Sunday! A treasured fall/Halloween tradition in the United States is pumpkin carving or making “jack-o’-lanterns”. Whether this is your first time decorating a pumpkin or you are a seasoned pro, these videos have a few tips and ideas you may find helpful.

How do I make it safe for the children? If you are carving a pumpkin with your host child(ren), remember to be very careful with them around sharp tools. You can purchase kid-safe pumpkin carving tools that cut without a sharp blade. If you don’t have those, let kids help with all of the tasks that don’t involve a knife such as: picking the pumpkin, scooping out the insides, choosing the design and adding any other decorative touches. You can buy or print pumpkin templates online and school aged kids can use a thumbtack to mark the pattern on the pumpkin. Here you can find a free template and instructions on how to do this.

How long do they last? Carved jack-o-lanterns begin to deteriorate after just a few days outside (depending on the weather). Temperatures over 60˚F (15˚C), rain, and freezing then thawing all make them rot more quickly. So, if you want your pumpkin to be fresh on the big night, don’t carve it more than a few days before Halloween and/or keep it in a cool place. Another way to preserve the jack-o-lantern longer is to coat the cut surfaces with petroleum jelly.

Check out Au Pair in America’s Halloween Fun Pinterest board and our Fall Bucket List for more fall traditions and activities to try.

Here is video readings of one of my favorite pumpkin stories.

Image: Jeff Kramer

Au Pairs Were the Stars of Our Cultural Fair!

Our May au pair cluster meeting was a cultural fair. It was also our host family workshop for this year. The au pairs who participated did an amazing job representing their countries. The host families, au pairs and guests who attended enjoyed learning more about the various countries. Photos and information were displayed for each of the countries. Some played videos, provided snacks and sweets, or played music. Others had activities like crafts or seeing your name written in Japanese writing systems of hiragana, katakana and kanji.

Au Pair in America Cultural Fair

Please join us for a chance to learn about more than a dozen different countries in one day.

Au Pair in America Cultural Fair
Sunday, May 18, 2-3 pm 
Greenbelt Library (Auditorium)
11 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770

Au pairs proudly representing Panama at our last cultural fair.

Local au pairs from countries around the globe, will share their cultures through visual displays, food samples, games and performances. Children will receive passports and have them stamped as they visit each country. Admission is FREE. 

Please Respond HERE

Questions? Contact Christine Connally at cconnally@aupairinamerica.com

Fall Traditions: Carving Pumpkins

It was great to see so many of you at our Pumpkin Patch Host Family & Au Pair Meeting on Sunday! A treasured fall/Halloween tradition in the United States is pumpkin carving or making “jack-o’-lanterns”. Whether this is your first time decorating a pumpkin or you are a seasoned pro, these videos have a few tips and ideas you may find helpful.

How do I make it safe for the children? If you are carving a pumpkin with your host child(ren), remember to be very careful with them around sharp tools. You can purchase kid-safe pumpkin carving tools that cut without a sharp blade. If you don’t have those, let kids help with all of the tasks that don’t involve a knife such as: picking the pumpkin, scooping out the insides, choosing the design and adding any other decorative touches. You can buy or print pumpkin templates online and school aged kids can use a thumbtack to mark the pattern on the pumpkin. Here you can find a free template and instructions on how to do this.

How long do they last? Carved jack-o-lanterns begin to deteriorate after just a few days outside (depending on the weather). Temperatures over 60˚F (15˚C), rain, and freezing then thawing all make them rot more quickly. So, if you want your pumpkin to be fresh on the big night, don’t carve it more than a few days before Halloween and/or keep it in a cool place. Another way to preserve the jack-o-lantern longer is to coat the cut surfaces with petroleum jelly.

Check out Au Pair in America’s Halloween Fun Pinterest board and our Fall Bucket List for more fall traditions and activities to try.

Here is video readings of one of my favorite pumpkin stories.

Image: Jeff Kramer

Kayaking Cluster Meeting

On Sunday, we had nice, sunny weather for our first ever Kayaking and Picnic Cluster Meeting at Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Many au pairs went kayaking and canoeing on the scenic Anacostia River. Some stayed back to enjoy the views and conversations with other au pairs.

Bladensburg Waterfront Park offers some of the most reasonably priced kayak and canoe rentals in the DC area. I would definitely recommend it, if you want to try kayaking or canoeing.

Birthday Party Cluster Meeting & Service Project

We had a cluster birthday party for our March meeting. We played birthday party games, sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed cupcakes. We also completed a service project. Everyone brought supplies to create birthday bags to donate to the local food pantry. Each bag contained a cake mix, frosting, candles, and other birthday party supplies.

Fall Traditions: Carving Pumpkins

It was great to see so many of you at our Pumpkin Patch Host Family & Au Pair Meeting on Sunday! A treasured fall/Halloween tradition in the United States is pumpkin carving or making “jack-o’-lanterns”. Whether this is your first time decorating a pumpkin or you are a seasoned pro, these videos have a few tips and ideas you may find helpful.

How do I make it safe for the children? If you are carving a pumpkin with your host child(ren), remember to be very careful with them around sharp tools. You can purchase kid-safe pumpkin carving tools that cut without a sharp blade. If you don’t have those, let kids help with all of the tasks that don’t involve a knife such as: picking the pumpkin, scooping out the insides, choosing the design and adding any other decorative touches. You can buy or print pumpkin templates online and school aged kids can use a thumbtack to mark the pattern on the pumpkin. Here you can find a free template and instructions on how to do this.

How long do they last? Carved jack-o-lanterns begin to deteriorate after just a few days outside (depending on the weather). Temperatures over 60˚F (15˚C), rain, and freezing then thawing all make them rot more quickly. So, if you want your pumpkin to be fresh on the big night, don’t carve it more than a few days before Halloween and/or keep it in a cool place. Another way to preserve the jack-o-lantern longer is to coat the cut surfaces with petroleum jelly.

Check out Au Pair in America’s Halloween Fun Pinterest board and our Fall Bucket List for more fall traditions and activities to try.

Here are video readings of two of my favorite pumpkin stories.

Image: Jeff Kramer

Local Fairs & Maryland Renaissance Festival

What is a Fair?

According to Wikipedia:
A fair (sometimes fayre) is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely.

Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, carnival, fete or fête, county fair, exhibition or state fair, festival, market and show. Flea markets and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

MD fairMaryland State Fair
August 24-September 10, 2023. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road Timonium, Maryland. (410) 252-0200. The Maryland State Fair was named one of the top 50 fairs in North America. This year’s 11-day festival will feature swifty swine racing pigs, live thoroughbred horse racing, bull riding and barrell racing, concerts, agricultural fair tours, games, rides and more.

Prince George’s County Fair
September 7-10, 2023. The Showplace Arena, Water St., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. (301) 404-5566. Carnival rides, live animals displays, family circus, fireworks, live entertainment, food.

Anne Arundel County Fair
September 13-17, 2023. Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Generals Highway, Crownsville, Maryland. (410) 923-3400. Monster truck rides, carnival rides and games, farm animals and exhibits, pig races, antique saw mill, pie eating contest, talent show and much more.

The Montgomery County Fair took place earlier this month.

Renn Fest

Au Pairs enjoying the Renn Fest’s iconic turkey legs.

Maryland Renaissance Festival 
August 26-October 22, 2023.
1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401. Set in a fictional 16th-century English village named Revel Grove, the festival is spread over 25 acres (100,000 m2). The second largest renaissance fair in the United States. Features costumed staff,  food, performances, glass-blowing demonstrations, jousting, crafts and much more.

Tickets must be purchased online before you go and they often sell out, so plan ahead. Bring cash to pay for food, drinks and attractions.