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Tag Archives: Kids
Camp Au Pair Week #5 – Under the Sea
In honor of Shark Week (see below), next week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Under the Sea.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to creatures who live under the sea can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Under the Sea pinboard.
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 is one to get you started.
Television – The Discovery Channel has an annual Shark Week. This year it will be August 9-16, 2020. Much of the programming will be too scary for younger kids, but for nature-loving tweens and teens, it could be a great way to get them interested in sharks and other ocean animals. Check out 15 JAW-some Activities for Shark Week with lots of fun ideas for kids in grades 5 and up, but a few for younger kids too.
Online Games – NOAA has fun interactive games that help kids learn about sea turtle survival.
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.
- Ocean Animals for Kids
- All About Sharks for Kids
- Learn How to Save Sea Turtles
- Turtle Facts for Kids is a good video to start with for younger kids.
- 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.
Photo: mimisdollhouse.com
Social Distancing: Free Virtual Escape Rooms
Libraries may be closed due to COVID-19, but many librarians are coming up with creative ideas to keep people entertained and promote literacy. One of those creative ideas is free virtual escape rooms. With a variety of themes, some may be fun to do on your own, others as activities with the kids.
Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA created this Hogwarts Virtual Escape Room. She shared this tutorial on how to create your own virtual escape room, which seemed to spark the creativity of many other librarians.
Some amazing librarians all over the country have been busy creating virtual escape rooms with a variety of themes.
- Alice in Wonderland Digital Escape Room – Created by Erin Honeycutt, Children’s Librarian at Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System in Moultrie, Georgia
- Cinderella’s Escape – Created by Stefanie Reed, Youth Services Supervisor at Henika District Library in Wayland, Michigan
- Dog Man Digital Escape Room – Created by a humble School Library Media Coordinator
- Escape from Star Killer Base! (Star Wars) – Created by Richmond Hill Public Library
- Escape the Fairy Tale: Part 1 – Created by Marissa Lieberman, Children’s Librarian at the East Orange Public Library, New Jersey
- Golden Girls Escape Room – Created by Tomeka.
- Hogwarts Virtual Escape Room – Created by Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania
- Marvel’s Avengers: Escape from the Hydra Base! – Created by Richmond Hill Public Library
- North Carolina Escape Room – Created by Shannon Grimes, Outreach Storyteller and Youth Service Assistant at the Davie County Public Library in Mocksville, North Carolina
- Pete the Cat and the Birthday Party Mystery – Created by the Abington Free Library in Abington, Pennsylvania
- Pikachu’s Rescue – Created by High River Library
- Sherlock Holmes Digital Escape Room – Created by Sherlock the Musical
- Space Explorer Training- Digital Escape Room – Created by Morgan Lockard, Adult/Teen Services Librarian at Campbell County Community Library
- Spy Apprentice Adventure – Created by Lauren Rura and Felicia Brock, Adult Service Librarians at Washington-Centerville Public Library in Centerville, Ohio
- The Minotaur’s Labyrinth Escape Room – Created by Karen Liu (Salt Lake County), Teen Librarian at The County Library’s Riverton Branch
Special thanks to the Humboldt County Library in Winnemucca, Nevada for gathering info on many of these escape rooms. Follow them on Facebook for their storytimes and weekly Facebook Live Science Time on Fridays.
Image: Canva.com
Social Distancing: 5 Online Adventures for Kids
Reading, playing, and doing art projects are always great ways to entertain children and keep them physically active and learning. It’s a good idea to limit screen time. But, in this time of social distancing, technology can play an important role in allowing kids to see and connect with the world outside of their homes. Many online resources are popping up to create those opportunities.
Here are five to get you started:
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- Cincinnati Zoo Home Safari (daily at 3pm EST). Resources available here.
- Visit Disneyland & Disney World with these online virtual rides.
- Mo Willems (author of the Pigeon kids books) Lunch Doodles (weekdays at 1pm EST). Each doodle has a printable activity page. The arrow on the right side takes you to the previous day’s doodle video/activity.
- Here is a list of 33 National Parks you can tour online. Maybe start with a virtual tour of Yellowstone National Park.
- Storytime from Space features astronauts reading stories from space.
And if kids have questions about the coronavirus, Live Science has created an ultimate kids’ guide to the new coronavirus that has lots of information and is appropriate for school-aged kids.
Valentines Day Fun With Your Kids
Valentine’s Day (February 14) is a time of love, friendship, giving, and caring. Americans use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to tell friends and family how much they care. Children usually exchange cards at school.
Are you looking for Valentine’s Day activity, recipe and craft ideas? Look no further… Au Pair in America has a Pinterest pinboard devoted to Valentine’s Day.
Photo: Clever Cupcakes (Flickr)
Camp Au Pair Week #10 – Pirate Adventures
This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Pirate Adventures
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Pirate Adventures pinboard. Since there aren’t that many pirate-themed places to go in our area, this theme is best played out in your own home and back yard. This pinboard features lots of great ideas to bring the pirate theme alive for kids.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences.
- Chesapeake Pirates in Annapolis
- Urban Pirates at National Harbor
Videos – Look for fun videos about Pirates on YouTube.
Movies – Hook, Muppets Treasure Island, Peter Pan, Treasure Planet, Return to Neverland, Veggie Tales the Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything, Treasure Island, Goonies and Pirates of the Caribbean are all movies that fit in great with this theme. Check the ratings to make sure they are age-appropriate for your children.
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on pirates.
Image: Casey Hugelfink
Camp Au Pair Week #7 – Art Experiences
This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Art Experiences.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to art can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Art Experiences pinboard.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Here are a few places to go, that fit this theme:
- National Gallery of Art in DC has resources and programs for kids and families.
- Renwick Art Gallery in DC was featured in this blog post with great information on visiting the museum with kids.
- 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.
Online Art Fun – Here is an article about the best art museum websites with interactive online fun.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about drawing and all kinds of art.
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on famous artists and art.
Image: teachkidsart.com
Camp Au Pair Week #6 – Science (STEM)
This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Science (STEM).
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to all things science, technology, engineering and math can be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Science (STEM) pinboard.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Here are a few places to go, that fit this theme:
- Kid Museum is a hands-on learning space for kids in Bethesda
- Maryland Science Center in Baltimore
- Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
- Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
- Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center
Videos – On YouTube you can find many great videos of with science experiments to do with kids.
Movies – The Lego Movie, Big Hero 6, Wall-E and Hidden Figures all fit the STEM theme.
Webcams – You can do a google search for science websites with webcams. Here is a collection of 22 science webcams from around the world.
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on science, technology, engineering and math.
Image: sweetpaulmag.com
Water Safety Tips for Children
When hot summer weather hits, the pool and beach are popular places to cool off. Here are some tips for host parents and au pairs to keep everyone safe when supervising children around water.
Water Safety Tips
- Never leave a child unattended near water.
- Drowning is silent; keep your eyes on the children at all times.
- If in the pool with a young child, never be more than an arm’s length away.
- Make sure the fence around the pool is closed properly.
- If you have an above-ground pool, remove the ladder when not in use.
- Swim at the beach or lake only when a lifeguard is on duty.
- Children over 4 years old should learn how to swim.
- Designate a specific person to watch the children.
- If boating, always wear a Coast-Guard approved life jacket.
- Keep a phone close by in case there is an emergency.
- If you leave the area for any reason, the kids go with you.
- Consider taking a water safety course.
Here is a video with info on how to spot when someone is in trouble in the water.
Camp Au Pair Week #3 – Dinosaurs
This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Dinosaurs.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to dinosaurs can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Dinosaurs pinboard.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Here are a few places to go, that fit this theme:
- Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has just reopened its Dinosaur Hall after a 5 year, $125 million renovation.
- Laurel Dinosaur Park
- Maryland Science Center in Baltimore
- Smithsonian National Zoo has Dino Summer going on through Aug. 31.
- Calvert Cliffs State Park & Flag Ponds Nature Park both offer a chance for kids to search for fossils and shark teeth.
- Calvert Marine Museum has a Paleontology Exhibit where you can learn about fossils and watch a paleontologist at work.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about dinosaurs. Dinosaurs for Kids is a great video that explains dinosaur history and what paleontologists do.
The Good Dinosaur, Land Before Time and Ice Age are all great family movies that fit with this theme. For older kids, consider movies like Journey to the Center of the Earth and Jurassic Park (which is rated PG-13).
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on dinosaurs.
Photo: krojotak.com