As summer winds down, we’re going to spend a week enjoying Pirate Adventures! Kids are always fascinated by pirates: the sea, the sun, the parrots, the treasure! Here is our Pinterest board with a lot of great Pirate-themed ideas, including field trips where they can practice their Pirate lingo:
Camp Au Pair – Pirate Adventure Week
If your littles need a bit of practice with their Ahoy!s, here’s a video that explains the whole thing:
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Outer Space.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to outer space can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Outer Space pinboard.
Here is a fun one that combines a science lesson, art, and snack time.
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 check hours and admission information on the websites before you go. Here are a few places to go, that fit this theme:
Webcams – You can do a Google search for websites with webcams that allow you to observe space. Here is one from the International Space Station to get you started.
Online Games – NASA has a gallery of free space games for kids.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about outer space. Here are a few to get you started.
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.
Movies – Here are some movies that fit the space theme.
Here are some movies that are PG-13 and may be appropriate for older kids.
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on outer space. You can also find books being read aloud on Youtube. Me & My Place in Space, There Was an Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon, and Mae Among the Stars are a few fun ones to get you started.
Story Time from Space is a YouTube channel with real astronauts reading children’s books aloud.
Photo: alittlepinchofperfect.com
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme will be Cars & Trucks.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to all kinds of vehicles can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Cars & Trucks 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. Here are a few field trips that go with this theme:
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.
Books – Check your kids’ bookshelf for books on cars & trucks. You can also find many read aloud book videos on YouTube. Cool Cars , Little Blue Truck, The Garbage Trucks Are Coming Today, and With Any Luck, I’ll Drive a Truck are a few fun ones to get you started.
Image: funlearningforkids.com
This week’s theme for Camp Au Pair is Cooking with Kids. Even the littlest kids can help shake up a bag of ice cream! And with the heat coming our way, you might be happy to have ideas planned that you can do in the air conditioning. The ideas on the Pinterest board include homemade butter, fun healthy snacks, science-y ideas like the ice cream in a bag, and entire meals kids can make for their families (with a little help from you!)
Nutrition and healthy eating are important for many families. The Pinterest board includes age-appropriate activities to help kids understand how the food they eat affects how they grow and feel.
Field trip ideas include Mill City Museum, where kids can learn about the flour milling industry in Minnesota (the most EXPLOSIVE museum in the world – iykyk,) and a site where you can find farmer’s markets near you. Kids will love being able to choose the vegetables they get for lunch – plus you can always grab a few honey sticks, for kids over 12 months. The big Minneapolis farmers market by the Basilica has music and samples. My kids love it!
Here’s the link to the Pinterest board:
Photo: krojotak.com
Next 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. Get permission from your host parents before any outings and be sure to take all social distancing precautions.
Field Trip Ideas:
Virtual Field Trips:
Toys – Many kids have dinosaur toys already. See what your kids have and think of fun, new ways you can play with these toys with them. Imagine taking a plastic dinosaur and making footprints in play dough to form your own fossils.
Webcam – The Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland offers a webcam where you can watch paleontologists remove rock from around fossils.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about dinosaurs and fossils. Here are a few to get you started.
Movies – Here are some movies that fit the dinosaur theme.
For older kids:
Books – Check your kids’ bookshelf for books on dinosaurs. You can also find many read aloud book videos on YouTube.
Photo: krojotak.com
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Outer Space.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to outer space can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Outer Space pinboard. Here is a fun one that combines a science lesson, art, and snack time.
https://www.opticscentral.com.au/moon-phases-explained-with-oreos
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 check hours and admission information on the websites before you go. Here are a few places to go, that fit this theme:
Webcams – You can do a Google search for websites with webcams that allow you to observe space. Here is one from the International Space Station to get you started.
Online Games – NASA has a gallery of free space games for kids.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about outer space. Here are a few to get you started.
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.
Movies – Here are some movies that fit the space theme.
Here are some movies that are PG-13 and may be appropriate for older kids.
Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on outer space. You can also find books being read aloud on Youtube. Me & My Place in Space, There Was an Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon, and Mae Among the Stars are a few fun ones to get you started.
Story Time from Space is a YouTube channel with real astronauts reading children’s books aloud.
Photo: alittlepinchofperfect.com
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme will be Cars & Trucks.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to all kinds of vehicles can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Cars & Trucks 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. Here are a few field trips that go with this theme:
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.
Books – Check your kids’ bookshelf for books on cars & trucks. You can also find many read aloud book videos on YouTube. Cool Cars , Little Blue Truck, Trash Trucks, and With Any Luck, I’ll Drive a Truck are a few fun ones to get you started.
Image: funlearningforkids.com
Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme will be Bugs & Butterflies.
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. Search online to see if your area has any of the following:
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:
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.
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.
Image: minieco.co.uk
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.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Backyard Safari 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. Search online to see if your area has any of the following:
Webcams – You can do a Google search for websites with webcams that allow you to observe nature.
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.
Videos – Look for fun videos about animals on YouTube. Here are some to get you started.
Image: Jumble Tree
