Category Archives: Camp Au Pair

Camp Au Pair – Independence Day!

Camp Au Pair is preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July next week!

Feeling creative? Check out the Au Pair in America Pinterest board for some great ideas to get you started!

Virtual Field Trip Options:

  • Perhaps the best-known figure from the American Revolutionary era who wasn’t a president, general or statesman, Betsy Ross (1752-1836) became a patriotic icon in the late 19th century when stories surfaced that she had sewn the first “stars and stripes” U.S. flag in 1776. You can do a virtual tour of the Betsy Ross House.

Videos:

  • Watch the fireworks in Washington D.C.
  • How are fireworks made? Each firework contains small balls of explosives, known as stars, that are responsible for the colorful light displays seen in the sky. They are mixed with gunpowder in a shell, and then wrapped in paper and fitted with a fuse. Did you know gunpowder was invented in China? Check out this cool CNN video about how fireworks are made!

Let’s Learn:

The Declaration of Independence:

 

Books:

  • It’s the night before the Fourth of July and all across the United States people are getting ready for hot dogs and fireworks. Decked in red, white, and blue, a family heads to a parade, hosts a backyard BBQ with friends and family, dodges an afternoon thundershower, and of course, watches a fireworks show. The Night Before the Fourth of July captures all the fun, excitement, and pride of the best summer holiday!
  • Perfect for reading together with a young child, F Is for Flag shows in simple terms how one flag can mean many things: a symbol of unity, a sign of welcome, and a reminder that-in good times and in bad-everyone in our country is part of one great big family.
  • Blue Sky White Stars is an inspiring and patriotic tribute to the beauty of the American flag, a symbol of America’s history, landscape, and people, illustrated by New York Times bestselling and Caldecott-honor winning artist Kadir Nelson.

    Wonderfully spare, deceptively simple verses pair with richly evocative paintings to celebrate the iconic imagery of our nation, beginning with the American flag. Each spread, sumptuously illustrated by award-winning artist Kadir Nelson, depicts a stirring tableau, from the view of the Statue of Library at Ellis Island to civil rights marchers shoulder to shoulder, to a spacecraft at Cape Canaveral blasting off.  This book is an ode to America then and now, from sea to shining sea.

Photo credits:

Camp Au Pair – Kids in the Kitchen

Camp Au Pair is in the kitchen next week! As always, have a discussion with your host family about allergens and any food preferences they may have before beginning. This is a great resource for you to work with collaboratively with your host parentsTrT!

Feeling creative? Check out the Au Pair in America Pinterest board for some great ideas to get you started!

Field Trips:

Visit a local farm, farmer’s market or artisan shop. Some allow you to order online and pick up on site. Check with your host parents first and always practice social distancing as directed by local, state and federal guidelines.

  • Sassafras Creek Organic Farm – Order online Thursday evening for Saturday pick up at the farm in Leonardtown.
  • Trossbach Family Meats – Follow them on Facebook for the weekly order options. Orders must be submitted in advance for Friday or Saturday pick up at the farm in Dameron.

 

Virtual Field Trip Options:

  • Take a virtual trip to the White House kitchen! Start at the 30 minute mark.
  • The American Egg Board has partnered with Discovery Education to bring modern egg farms into today’s classrooms through Virtual Egg Farm Field Trips. Join America’s egg farmers in exploring their farms! See where your eggs come from, then make an egg dish!

Videos:

Resources:

Let’s Create & Learn

Books:

  • Around the World Cookbook for Kids. Featuring more than 50 recipes for kid-friendly dishes from different countries, American Girl Around the World Cookbook will inspire young chefs to taste and learn about new cuisines while perfecting kitchen skills.
  • Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make you a Pie, by Edna Lewis. Edna Lewis was a prominent Black chef who championed the South’s regional cuisine, fresh ingredients, and farm-to-table before it was cool. Illustrations along with stories and songs about Edna and food guide kids through this book. Plus, there are five special recipes sprinkled throughout.
  • The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs.Want to make your own soft pretzels? Or wow your friends with homemade empanadas? What about creating a showstopping pie? Maybe some chewy brownies after school? From breakfast to breads, from cookies to cakes (yes, even cupcakes!), learn to bake it all here. You can do this, and it’s fun!

Who says you can’t play with your food! Have fun in the kitchen with your host kids!

Photo credits: Ruth Hartnup {flickr}, USDA {flickr}, soapydishwater {flickr}

Camp Au Pair – Nature Exploration

Now for some fun in nature!!! Get out and explore a bit, collect some treasures along the way! Most of these activities are easily created using items likely already around the house, but you may need to plan ahead a bit to have supplies on hand! Check with your host family about getting supplies to use!

 

So many great ideas! Check them out on the Au Pair in America Pinterest boards here!

Let’s Learn About:

  • The Baltimore Oriole. From their brief taxonomic hiatus to their intense sugar cravings, there’s a lot to know about these brilliant birds.
  • Make hummingbird nectar. Hummingbirds may be some of the smallest birds in the world,  but fluttering those tiny wings can be quite a workout. Flapping away at up to 90 beats per second burns up calories fast; to maintain their momentum, hummingbirds need to eat—a lot! To satisfy their speedy metabolisms, these busy birds consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers per day.
  • Illustrator Johanna Basford teaches us how to draw simple birds.

Focus on History:

Rachel Carson, was a writer, scientist, and ecologist. She had a a life-long love of nature and the living world that Rachel expressed first as a writer and later as a student of marine biology.

Field Trips:

 

Check out Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center. They have a wonderful Fairy Lolly to play in and trails to walk along. Search for the Fairy Houses along the way! This summer, they are hosting an Enchanted Summer at the Garden. Admission is charged.

Historic St. Mary’s City walking trails are open year round.  While the living history portion of the center is by admission, hikers can travel a rustic 3.2 mile path through 700 acres of natural areas without tickets. This trail travels through woods and fields at water’s edge along Milburn Creek and the St. Mary’s River. This hike offers numerous opportunities to discover the native flora and fauna of the tidewater region.

Virtual Field Trip Options:

The Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma: Escape the confines of your home and take a virtual  field trip through Oklahoma’s vast wilderness by clicking through several 360-degree views of the Conservancy’s various preserves. You can also click on features of the landscapes to learn more about the unique prairie ecosystem.

Yellowstone National Park: Experience the main attractions of Yellowstone National Park from the comfort of your home! Feast your eyes on famous sights such as the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs and Mud Volcano. Scientists have also created 3-D models of some of the landscapes and geysers that are not to be missed.

Virtual dives:

You won’t need scuba gear to feel like you’re underwater with these stunning high-res 360-degree views of national marine sanctuaries like the Florida Keys, Monterey Bay and the Olympic Coast. You can even pair your device with a virtual reality headset for the ultimate immersive experience.

Webcams:

National Audubon Society Webcams: Explore a variety of webcam options, from Africa, farms, bears, puffins, wolves, honeybees, and even the Aurora Borealis.

Videos: Check out the cool videos at Bob’s Pennsylvania Wildlife Camera 

Resources:

Consider joining in the Free Forest School near you! Free Forest School ignites children’s innate capacity to learn through unstructured play in nature, fostering healthy development & nurturing the next generation of creative thinkers, collaborative leaders & environmental stewards.

Books:

Check out your library (or Amazon) for great books about the outdoors!

  • Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail.
  • My First Book About Backyard Nature: Ecology for Kids!
  • Hiking Day, by Anne Rockwell. A little girl and her family go hiking up a nearby mountain for the very first time. As they climb up and up the path, they see everything from a friendly toad to a prickly porcupine, tall leafy trees to tiny red berries.
  • Gator, gator, gator, by Daniel Bernstrom. A fearless little girl takes off in search of a giant gator–but she’s not going into that swamp alone! No way! She wants YOU, the reader, to come along. Off you go, peering through the lush landscapes, looking for that gator! But each time you think you see it? Oops! Just a fox. Or some ducks! Or a snake. Maybe you’ll never find the gator, gator, gator…

Photos by: Virginia State Parks {flickr}, rain0975 {flickr}, Nick Goodrum {flickr}, Fred Schroeder {flickr}, Cynthia Chan

Camp Au Pair – Outer Space & Flight!

Get ready to blast off as we explore outer space and flight this week! Ready for some serious fun? How about creating the phases of the moon with Oreo’s, exploring solar system mazes or building a space shuttle with recyclables? Try creating outer space themed lunches and snacks, flashlight constellations and answering the questions on “If I Could Be An Astronaut!”

Our Pinterest board is FULL of great ideas for you to use to explore outer space from the comfort of your own home! Moon rocks are optional!

Focus on History: They taught the world to fly!

Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where, after four years of scientific experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights on December 17, 1903. With courage and perseverance, these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever. Click on the link above for many wonderful activities for kids!

Bessie Coleman, soared across the sky as the first African American, and the first Native American woman pilot. Known for performing flying tricks, Coleman’s nicknames were; “Brave Bessie,” “Queen Bess,” and “The Only Race Aviatrix in the World.” Her goal was to encourage women and African Americans to reach their dreams. Unfortunately, her career ended with a tragic plane crash, but her life continues to inspire people around the world. Click on her name to learn more about this amazing woman.

Resources:

Virtual Field Trip Options:

Webcams – You can do a google search for websites with webcams which allow you to observe space. Here is one from the International Space Station to get you started.

Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about outer space. Solar System 101 is good for school aged kids. The Planet Song is for toddlers and preschoolers. WALL-E, Zathura, Monsters vs. Aliens & Star Wars are all great family movies that fit with this theme. For older kids, movies like Hidden Figures and the Martian too, both are rated PG-13.

Books –

Amazon has a great list of books on outer space and astronomy.

Photo: AGeekMom; Photo.Resource.Org; Charles Edward Miller

Camp Au Pair – Art Exploration

It’s time for Camp Au Pair! In some areas, summer has started! In other areas, it’s about to start! Weekly, we will be posting Camp Au Pair themes throughout the summer! First up: Art Exploration!  Roll up your sleeves for some artsy fun next week!! Art is a great way to engage with your host kids and have a great time together!

For more great art ideas, check out the Au Pair in America Pinterest board!

The National Art Gallery has a wonderful option for kids. NGA kids interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history. Featuring a variety of art-making tools that encourage exploration and creativity, these computer-based activities are suitable for all ages. You can learn about each program by clicking on the associated thumbnail image. Download the Art Zone or NGAkids App applications to your Macintosh or Windows-based computer, or order the free CDs. There is also an iOS version of the NGAkids App for iPad.

Virtual Field Trip:

  • #MetKids is a digital feature made for, with, and by kids. Explore The Met with our interactive map and watch behind-the-scenes videos that feature kids just like you. With fun facts and creative projects for the galleries or at home, #MetKids has been inspired, tested, and approved by real kids ages 7–12.
  • Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center has several tour options –Educational Wildlife Tiles – Visit the Children’s Overlook in the Demas Family Discovery Garden, and view the ceramic tiles made by Southern Maryland artist, Parran Collery. The tiles feature birds, butterflies, and flowers that can be seen at the Garden.  Tour the first floor    Tour the second floorTour the Garden – Enjoy a walk along our wooded path and discover sculptures from our permanent collection on loan from the Smithsonian and The National Gallery of Art and other surprises along the way. Tour the Garden here.Social Distancing Field Trip:
  • The Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center has reopened their grounds for visitors.Grounds open daily 10am-5pm.  Please note the following:
    • Sculpture Walk & Trails are open!
    • Fairy houses are here! Look for the Nature Wand activity!
    • Fairy Lolly Creative Play Space & Arts Building are closed to the public for the time being.
    • Masks are encouraged, but not required; maintain at least 6′ from other family groups.
    • A staff member will be on duty in the Arts Building during operating hours; to reach them call 410-326-4640.

     

    To continue to serve our community and keep our gates open, we need your support.  Please pay what you can when you visit.  Ways to give are posted on site when you enter. Thank you for very much! For more info click here!

Art work by Sarah, age 7  Chalk drawing photography, Walter (1) {flickr}

Art Exploration

Roll up your sleeves for some artsy fun this week!! Art is a great way to engage with your host kids and have a great time together!

For more great art ideas, check out the Au Pair in America Pinterest board!

The National Art Gallery has a wonderful option for kids. NGA kids interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history. Featuring a variety of art-making tools that encourage exploration and creativity, these computer-based activities are suitable for all ages. You can learn about each program by clicking on the associated thumbnail image. Download the Art Zone or NGAkids App applications to your Macintosh or Windows-based computer, or order the free CDs. There is also an iOS version of the NGAkids App for iPad.

Virtual Field Trip:

  • #MetKids is a digital feature made for, with, and by kids. Explore The Met with our interactive map and watch behind-the-scenes videos that feature kids just like you. With fun facts and creative projects for the galleries or at home, #MetKids has been inspired, tested, and approved by real kids ages 7–12.
  • Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center has several tour options –Educational Wildlife Tiles – Visit the Children’s Overlook in the Demas Family Discovery Garden, and view the ceramic tiles made by Southern Maryland artist, Parran Collery. The tiles feature birds, butterflies, and flowers that can be seen at the Garden.  Tour the first floor    Tour the second floor

    Tour the Garden – Enjoy a walk along our wooded path and discover sculptures from our permanent collection on loan from the Smithsonian and The National Gallery of Art and other surprises along the way. Tour the Garden here.

Art work by Sarah, age 7

Three Ways for Au Pairs to Stay Red Cross Ready

Being knowledgeable in basic first aid and CPR is important for au pairs (and anyone else caring for children). Au Pair in America’s commitment to infant/child safety begins before au pairs arrive to the U.S., with pre-arrival training and continue throughout the au pair year.

#1 Training At Orientation

Our orientation includes seminars by American Red Cross instructors who provide hands-on demonstrations in infant/child CPR and safety. Printed materials are provided that reinforce the safety information and can be used to review from time to time.

#2 Enroll in a Red Cross Certification Class

After settling into their host community, all au pairs are encouraged to complete an Infant/Child CPR and First Aid certification program. Au Pair in America will pay for this training through the American Red Cross.

Classes are available through the Red Cross. Au Pair in America will pay for the cost of a class providing an au pair has at least six months left on her visa and is taking one of several approved childcare/child safety-related classes, such as Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. Au pairs should check with their community counselor and host family before signing up. Au Pair in America will register the au pair directly.

To locate a class, visit www.redcross.org/takeaclass. For step-by-step instructions on how to locate a class and have Au Pair in America complete enrollment, click here.

#3 Stay Current on Safety Information

The Official American Red Cross First Aid app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in your hand. Available for iPhone and Android devices, this app gives you instant access to the information you need to know to handle the most common first aid emergencies. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice, it’s never been easier to know first aid. Download the app for free from the American Red Cross website or in your app store.

Photos: Robin Leon

Camp Au Pair – Global Awareness

Wrapping up Camp Au Pair for Summer 2019, let’s focus on global awareness and share some cultural experiences! Most importantly, share you culture with your host family. Incorporate games, books, songs, language, foods, etc into your host family’s lives. Cooking a dish from your family is a great way to share. Discuss similar traditions and ones unique to your family or culture.

Resource –

Use the Global Awareness website for an amazing collection of resources!

Let’s Create & Learn –

Check out –

Photo by {Rona Proudfoot}

Camp Au Pair – Let’s Go Outside!

Summer is winding down, but we still have two more weeks!! Let’s get our creative hats on! This week we have a variety of creative outdoor activities!

Make homemade mud playdough for creative play! Learn some new handclapping songs!  How about a nature scavenger hunt?  Check out this amazing list of 100 things to do this summer for more amazing ideas!

Photo credit: Chalk art – Walter {Flickr}

Camp Au Pair – Kids in the Kitchen

Camp Au Pair is in the kitchen this week! Feeling creative? Try making these adorable palm tree snack plates!

 

Field trips!

  • Make a plan of food creativity! Check out your pantry and fridge first, then plan a trip to the grocery store to get needed items. Have your host kids help prepare the list. Think about the layout of the store, make your list so you can walk around and easily find things.
  • Perhaps part of your food experience week is going out to a local eatery and trying something new or sharing food from your home country.
  • Krispy Kreme has their stores set up so you can watch the donuts being made! Watch

    thedonuts being made, wear a fun Krispy Kreme hat and then eat a fresh, hot donut! Call ahead to get an idea of what time is best. You can even sign yourself up for their rewards program and get a free donut!

  • Visit a local farm or farmer’s market.
  • Check out the Food Network’s kids cooking and baking shows.

Who says you can’t play with your food! Have fun in the kitchen with your host kids!

Photo: Melissa {flickr}, Brewbook {flickr}