Tag Archives: winter fun

Snow Days are Here!

Looking for ideas to keep the kids busy on a snow day (when they are home from school for winter weather?)

Here is a simple snow day game plan…

  1. Play in the snow. Do you wanna build a snowman? Here’s a great how-to video.
  2. Come inside and warm up with hot chocolate (don’t forget the marshmallows.)
  3. Make your own play dough.
  4. Play board games or legos together.
  5. Try some Winter Science experiments.
  6. Look for more fun things to do on the APIA Pinterest Boards:
  7. Bake cookies together or make some other fun recipe.
  8. Play in the snow again.
  9. Warm up inside taking turns on the Make a Snowflake Website.
  10. Make a blanket fort.

Stay warm & have fun!

Photo: Yuli Salinas

Snowy Days and Winter Fun!

As we prepare to for winter weather, a few reminders and some fun snow day ideas!  

*If you have school aged kids who will be home due to school closures, this will change your au pairs work hours. Host parents and au pairs should work together to adjust the schedule as needed to stay within the regulations from the Dept. of State.

*Remember, no more than 10 hours per day and no more than 45 hours per work week. Host parents should be cognizant of this and if you are home too, look at having the au pair start late or end early. You can also choose a middle of the day break, but remember, a meaningful break is three hours minimum. The key here is to be flexible and prepared! Always have a back up plan!

*Remember that days on end in the house due to the weather and now more days can be draining. Be empathetic and offer encouragement and ideas. When the roads are safe in your area, suggest she get out for a couple of hours while off duty. This will offer her a chance to have a break and recharge. As parents, we all know the need for that.

*Check out our Pinterest boards for some great ideas on beating the winter blues! Do you want to build a snowman (inside where it’s warm)? Check out the Olaf activity. How about “painting” snow? We can show you how! Make sure you bundle up when heading outside. Don’t forget hot chocolate or tea when you come back in!

For some fun ideas, check out the – APIA Pinterest Board – Winter Fun

Photo by Cynthia Chan

Winter Fun and School Closures

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As we prepare to endure a couple more snow days this week, a few reminders!

*If you have school aged kids who will be home due to school closures, this will change your au pairs work hours. Host parents and au pairs should work together to adjust the schedule as needed to stay within the regulations from the Dept. of State.

*Remember, no more than 10 hours per day and no more than 45 hours per work week. Host parents should be cognizant of this and if you are home too, look at having the au pair start late or end early. You can also choose a middle of the day break, but remember, a meaningful break is three hours minimum. The key here is to be flexible and prepared! Always have a back up plan!

*Remember that days on end in the house due to the weather and now more days can be draining. Be empathetic and offer encouragement and ideas. When the roads are safe in your area, suggest she get out for a couple of hours while off duty. This will offer her a chance to have a break and recharge. As parents, we all know the need for that.

*Check out our Pinterest boards for some great ideas on beating the winter blues! Do you want to build a snowman (inside where it’s warm)? Check out the Olaf activity. How about “painting” snow? We can show you how! Make sure you bundle up when heading outside. Don’t forget hot chocolate or tea when you come back in! For some fun ideas, check out the –

APIA Pinterest Board – Winter Fun!

Winter fun and activities – calendar and ideas!

Each month, Au Pair in America provides a calendar full of helpful information and fun activities for everyone in the family. Here you can find all kinds of ideas for activities, discussions, and historic information! You might also want to check out these ideas from the Au Pair in America Pinterest boards!

Jan 2016 calendar

Do you want to build a snowman?

Snowman slam

Things to do with a bag of craft sticks!

Make a birdfeeder

Make a virtual snowflake

Make a winter boredom buster cup!

SNOW is coming!!!

As we prepare for what looks like our first good snowfall of the season, a few reminders!

*If you have school aged kids who will be home due to school closures, this will change your work hours. Host parents and au pairs should work together to adjust the schedule as needed to stay within the regulations from the Dept. of State. Remember, no more than 10 hours per day and no more than 45 hours per work week. Host parents should be cognizant of this and if you are home too, look at having the au pair start late or end early. You can also choose a middle of the day break, but remember, a meaningful break is three hours minimum. The key here is to be flexible and prepared!

*Winter fun! Check out our Pinterest boards for some great ideas on beating the winter blues! Do you want to build a snowman (inside where it’s warm)? Check out the Olaf activity. How about “painting” snow? We can show you how! Make sure you bundle up when heading outside. Don’t forget hot chocolate or tea when you come back in!

Winter FUN on Pinterest

 

Michelle Tribe

Photo by Michelle Tribe

Snow Day Fun

Looking for something new to do in the snow? We’ve had an unusual amount of  snow already this winter. We’ve had a chance to sled, shovel, snowball fight, make  snow angels and build a snowman, but have you painted the snow yet? So easy and  cheap! Grab a spray bottle (we have some basic ones we use to paint the pavement   in the summer), fill 1/2 to 3.4 with water and add a few drops of food coloring. Deeper  tones are best for quick results. Weaker color will take longer to appear in the snow. Get your snow gear on and head outside with your snow paint in hand! Simply aim and spray away! Watch the magic begin! If you have multiple spray bottles you can make multiple colors and even create a rainbow in the snow!

Joshua Stearns Photo by JCStearns