The term “bucket list” was popularized in the 2007 Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman movie. The idea is to make a list of things you want to do before you “kick the bucket” (which is an idiom referring to death.) Even though that sounds kind of morbid, the idea has taken off as something much more positive and people create bucket lists to log the things they want to do at some point in their life.
With that said, a Summer Bucket list is a list of things to do before this summer ends.
Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time. Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game.
Problem: But, my kids don’t want to do anything but watch TV or play video games.
Solution: Instead of saying, “Would you like to (fill in the blank with any activity)? The answer will often be, “No.”
Try this, “Now we are going to (fill in the blank with any activity.) or “Would you rather do _____ or ______?” Make sure both the choices are good options. Your chances of co-operation are greatly increased. Even kids who are reluctant to try new things will usually get in the spirit of things and have fun if you pick a good activity.
Problem: I don’t know what to do with school-age kids.
Solution: Look for ideas online. Google “activities school-age kids” or “activities tweens”. You can also take part in an au pair webinar on this topic. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started.
Cooking
Making things (check craft stores like Michael’s for kits and models that are age-appropriate)
Going to fun places (pottery painting, jewelry making, farms, museums, mini-golf, go-karts)*
Let them teach you to do something they enjoy. Kids this age love being the expert.
Get outdoors and visit local parks.* You can even make a project of reviewing all the local parks (what kind of equipment they have, is there shade, water fountain?) They can write this up and keep it so they remember which ones they want to go to again and which ones to skip in the future.
Let them help you search and plan some activities.
If you have a GPS, try taking them geocaching. Here is a website with all the details.
Use technology to get them off the couch and sneak in some exercise. The phone app Pokémon Go includes activities that are unlocked by taking steps. There are Pokéstops and gyms at many places they might enjoy going for walks like parks, nature trails, walk/bike paths, and downtown areas.
*Always get permission from your host parents before taking the kids places.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. You can start observing nature at any local park or in your own backyard. If you want to take it a step further, Below is a list of other local places to go explore nature. Get permission from your host parents before any outings and check websites before you go for hours and information.
Safety note: When coming inside after you have been outside exploring nature, it’s always a good idea to check the children and yourself for ticks. For more information, take a look at this post.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about nature.
Books – Check your bookshelves and/or stop by your local library and look for books on nature. You can also find many read aloud book videos on YouTube. Here are a few to get you started.
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme will beCars & Trucks.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to all kinds of vehicles can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Cars & Truckspinboard.
Field Trips can be an excellent way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Get permission from your host parents before any outings. Here are a few field trips that go with this theme:
Go kart track (even if they aren’t old enough to drive, watching the cars is fun)
Look for construction areas where the kids can observe big machines in action. Kids should observe from the car or a safe area.
Keep an eye out for the trash truck and let them watch the truck in action.
Go to a drive-through car wash or let the kids make their own car wash at home.
Videos – Mighty Machines & Amazing Big Trucks are kid-friendly video channels showing machinery and big trucks in action. Look for fun videos on YouTube about cars and trucks.
Movies – Here are some movies that fit the cars and trucks theme.
More than 100 crafts, recipes, and activities related to all kinds of bugs, insects, butterflies, and spiders can be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Bugs & Butterflies pinboard.
Field Trips can be an excellent way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Get permission from your host parents before any outings. Check the websites before you go to be sure you understand the hours, costs, and whether advance tickets/reservations are required.
Outdoors – Kids today do not spend enough time outdoors. Take the kids in the backyard or another nature area (approved by your host parents) and do some activities related to this theme:
Allow them to search for bugs and butterflies.
Observe lightning bugs (also known as fireflies) in the evening. Here is a map showing what people call these little guys in different parts of the country.
After it rains, look for earthworms. Not bugs or butterflies, but very interesting creatures you can find in your own backyard.
NOTE: If you are outdoors with the children, be sure to check for ticks when you come back inside. Here is a blog post explaining the health risk ticks can pose and how to find and remove them safely.
Webcams – You can do a Google search for websites with webcams that allow you to observe bugs. Here are some to get you started.
Books – Make a trip to the library and/or check your kids’ bookshelf for books on bugs and butterflies. You may find some classics like The Very Hungry Caterpillar or The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. You can also find books being read aloud on YouTube videos like this one.
Movies – There are lots of movies with insect themes.
The Ant Bully
Antz
A Bugs Life
The Bee Movie
Charlotte’s Web
James & the Giant Peach
Maya the Bee
Miniscule: Valley of the Lost Ants
Wings of Life (documentary)
Videos – You can find many great videos of butterflies and insects on YouTube. Check out these videos for kids about bees and ants. All about Insects covers lots of tiny creatures who crawl and fly. Here are a few videos to get you started.
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Backyard Safari These activities focus on animals you might find in the a variety of environments: jungles, savannahs, safari parks and zoos.
Field Trips can be an excellent way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Get permission from your host parents before any outings. Check the websites before you go to be sure you understand the hours, costs, and whether advance tickets/reservations are required. Search online to see if your area has any of the following:
Local Zoo
Animal Rescue Park
Drive Thru Safari
Webcams – You can do a Google search for websites with webcams that allow you to observe nature.
Explore.org has lots of nature webcams including African Safari
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on animals you might find on a safari or in the zoo. You can also check YouTube for some books on this subject being read aloud.
Movies – There are lots of movies with animal themes.
Back to the Outback
Madagascar 1, 2 & 3
The Jungle Book
The Lion King
The Wild
Zootopia
Videos – Look for fun videos about animals on YouTube. Here are some to get you started.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Get permission from your host parents before any outings. Check the websites before you go to be sure you understand the hours, costs, and whether advance tickets/reservations are required. Search online to see if your area has any of the following:
Pet or outdoor store (Bass Pro Shop) with fish tanks
Aquarium
Zoo
Nature Center
Online Games – NOAA has fun interactive games that help kids learn about sea turtle survival.
Webcams – You can do a google search for aquariums and zoos across the country (and the world) with webcams that allow you to observe sea creatures. Here are a few to get you started.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about sea creatures. There’s more to see than Baby Shark. Movies like Finding Nemo, Dolphin Tale, and the Little Mermaid also go well with this theme.
If your kids are a little older, check out 10 Crazy Facts About Sea Turtles (below).
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on sea creatures. The Rainbow Fish is a classic children’s book, your kids may already own. If not, you can find videos like this of it being read aloud.
Movies – There are lots of movies with under the sea themes.
A Dolphin Tale
Finding Dory
Finding Nemo
Little Mermaid
Moana
Shark Tale
Song of the Sea
Television – There are some episodes of children’s television shows that talk about life under the sea.
The Magic School Bus is a television series that follows Ms. Frizzle and her class as they set off on field trips. Most episodes can be found on YouTube. Here are some episodes that fit this week’s theme.
Just because a child is old enough to occupy themselves, doesn’t mean that they should be expected to do so the majority of the time. Host families have a certain expectation of activity and involvement for their children. Get the kids engaged and active. You can be more fun than the TV or a video game.
Problem: But, my kids don’t want to do anything but watch TV or play video games.
Solution:
Instead of saying, “Would you like to (fill in the blank with any activity)? The answer will often be, “No.”
Try this, “Now we are going to (fill in the blank with any activity.) or “Would you rather do _____ or ______?” Make sure both the choices are good options.
Your chances of co-operation are greatly increased. Even kids who are reluctant to try new things will usually get in the spirit of things and have fun if you pick a good activity.
Problem: I don’t know what to do with school-age kids.
Solution:
Look for ideas online. Google “activities school-age kids” or “activities tweens”. You can also take part in an au pair webinar on this topic. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started.
Cooking
Making things (check craft stores like Michael’s for kits and models that are age-appropriate)
Going to fun places (pottery painting, jewelry making, farms, museums, mini-golf, go-karts)*
Let them teach you to do something they enjoy. Kids this age love being the expert.
Get outdoors and visit local parks.* You can even make a project of reviewing all the local parks (what kind of equipment they have, is there shade, water fountain?) They can write this up and keep it so they remember which ones they want to go to again and which ones to skip in the future.
Let them help you search and plan some activities.
If you have a GPS, try taking them geocaching. Here is a website with all the details.
Use technology to get them off the couch and sneak in some exercise. The phone app Pokémon Go includes activities that are unlocked by taking steps. There are Pokéstops and gyms at many places they might enjoy going for walks like parks, nature trails, walk/bike paths, and downtown areas.
*Always get permission from your host parents before taking the kids places and remember to follow social distancing and mask-wearing protocols.
Making your own ice cream is a fun summer activity to do with the kids. Here is a simple recipe. You can change it up by adding a little chocolate syrup, a few chocolate chips, or using a flavoring other than vanilla.
In a quart size zipper baggie, combine…
1 cup of whole milk or half and half
2 tablespoons of sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a gallon size zipper baggie…
Fill ½ way with ice cubes
Add 1/3 cup of rock salt (if you don’t have rock salt you can use table salt or kosher salt)
Seal the small baggie carefully and place the inside of the large bag. Seal the large bag and shake the bags until you can see the mixture thickening (about 5 minutes.) It will be cold to hold, so you may want to carefully pass it back and forth between yourself and a partner. Remove the small baggie and wipe the top off (to remove salt water,) unzip and enjoy!
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to art can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Art Experiencespinboard.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Get permission from your host parents before any outings and be sure to take all social distancing precautions. Some museums are requiring advanced tickets or have reduced hours due to the pandemic.
American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore is not your typical art museum. You can tell that when you see the school bus covered in mosaic glass or the mural on the sidewalk outside.
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme is 
In a quart size zipper baggie, combine…
