Category Archives: Host Family Tips

Camp Au Pair – Outer Space

Last week our theme was Under the Sea, so I thought it would be fundfor this week’s Camp Au Pair theme to be 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:

  • Air & Space Museum
  • Planetarium
  • Science Center
  • There is a local field trip section with specific local places

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.

https://youtu.be/libKVRa01L8?si=sdVLyejeg2CYNYM8
https://youtu.be/TWCjZccASJY?si=T2NFfbokx6zxOmQq
https://youtu.be/f_Oyw3t6_0k

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.

  • WALL-E
  • Zathura
  • Monsters vs. Aliens
  • Star Wars  

Here are some movies that are PG-13 and may be appropriate for older kids.

  • Hidden Figures
  • The Martian

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.

https://youtu.be/YT8ODlhpU0U

Story Time from Space is a YouTube channel with real astronauts reading children’s books aloud.

https://youtu.be/VeCxxMZjlFo?si=BtPzujAMsJycxuhH

Photo: alittlepinchofperfect.com

Camp Au Pair – Under the Sea

Next week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Under the Sea.

 

Camp Au Pair – Under the Sea Week!

Shark Week is just around the corner! If you have kids who are fascinated by everything ocean-related, you can find crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to creatures who live under the sea  here on the Camp Au Pair – Under the Sea pinboard.

Local Field Trips – We might be far from an ocean, but there are plenty of local attractions where you and the kids can get up close to sharks, sea turtles, polar bears, and other denizens of the deep. As always, 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. 

  • Pet or outdoor store Sheels (Eden Prairie) Aqualand (Minneapolis, Cannon Falls)
  • Sea Life (Mall of America)
  • Como Zoo (St. Paul) or Minnesota Zoo (Eagan)
  • Make a bathyscope and take it to a local lake. Kids can stand in water and clearly see what’s going on below the surface. (Pro tip – use cheap generic plastic wrap, it’s stronger than the fancy stuff.)

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – NOAA has a lot of fun, interactive and educational activities on their website. They focus on whales, sharks, sea turtles, sea lions and more.

  • Virtual Underwater Dive
  • Online Games
  • Puzzle, Activity & Coloring Sheets

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.

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
  • Moana 2
  • 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.

Bill Nye the Science Guy has episodes on Fish, Marine Animals and more on YouTube.

The Discovery Channel has an annual Shark Week coming up on July 26. 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.

Photo: violetartsensory

Camp Au Pair – Science (STEM)

This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Science (STEM). This includes science, technology, engineering, and math.

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. Get permission from your host parents before any outings. Here are a few places to go, that fit this theme:

  • Airport Observation Area
  • Aquarium – both zoos have great aquarium exhibits, and there’s also Sea Life at Mall of America!
  • Factory Tour – there are several local factories, so call a few and see if they offer tours.
  • Farm – try Gibbs Farm museum
  • Museum – Science Museum of Minnesota, The Bakken, the Bell Museum, and more!
  • Nature Center – The MN Arboretum, Woodlake, Westwood Hills, and a bunch more – just Google “nature center near me”
  • Planetarium – The Bell Museum has one. Check their website for schedules. The Science Museum also has an Omnitheater – not a planetarium, but always has science- related movies on a gigantic screen
  • Zoo – MN Zoo or Como Zoo

Virtual Field Trips

Videos – On YouTube, you can find many great videos of science experiments to do with kids.

https://youtu.be/K0PJ4LiWl8w?si=LQRBBMy4C95_oMBl

The Magic School Bus is a cartoon series with episodes on lots of great science topics. You can find some episodes on YouTube and the full series on Paramount Plus.

https://youtu.be/zC8aXa9s7bo?si=rkMDy-9yhQRisUMi

Bill Nye the Science Guy is science TV series for kids. There is an episode guide on his website with clips and explanations on a wide variety of science topics.

Movies – The Lego Movie, Big Hero 6, Wall-E, Hidden Figures, Robots, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Flubber, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Meet the Robinsons 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.

Remember… Science is learning about how things work through observation and experimentation. Every day is full of opportunities to encourage children’s natural curiosity about the world!

Image: sweetpaulmag.com

Camp Au Pair – Explore the World!

This week we are exploring the world! The nice things about this is that most things can be done indoors, where it’s air conditioned.

Kids are naturally curious about how people live around the world. Here are dozens of ideas to teach them about cultures. 

Field trips include lovely, climate-controlled places like Asia Mall, MIA, Midtown Clobal Marketplace, the Swedish Institute, the German-American Institute, etc. Recipes include things like Agua Fresca and Brigadeiros. Activities have kids pretending to be African animals doing yoga, or making a Carnivale mask. Tons of fun and no sunscreen involved (well, maybe a little.)

Share some pictures of you and your host kids learning about other countries!

Camp Au Pair – Cars and Trucks Week

This is Cars and Trucks Week! I think all kids enjoy playing with their toy cars and trucks, and this will give you lots of ideas to expand on that! From making art by rolling cars through paint, to going to a laser-show car wash, to riding on a restored streetcar, there is something for everyone!

Pinterest Board

You will find a ton of activities here. There is also a section with ideas for car and truck field trips – car washes, auto museums, etc.

Field Trips

  • car washes
  • fire stations – call your closest fire station and ask if there’s a good time to bring kids. 
  • auto museums
  • streetcar rides
  • ‘Touch a Truck” activities
  • car-themed playgrounds
  • car and truck rides at Nickelodeon Universe, Valleyfaire, and Como Town

Virtual Field Trips

Virtual Field Trips

  • Watch vehicles being assembled with virtual auto plant tours from Toyota & BMW.

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.

Garbage Trucks: On Route, In Action!

School Bus Car Wash | Toy Car Wash | Games for Kids & Toddlers

Blippi Go Karts | Learn about Vehicles for Kids

Books

Movies 

Here are some movies that fit the cars and trucks theme.

  • Bumble Bee
  • Bob the Builder Mega Machines
  • Cars, Cars 2 & 3
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • Go Karts
  • Speed Racer
  • The Love Bug
  • Turbo 

 

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Camp Au Pair – Dinosaurs

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:

  • Children’s museum
  • Natural history museum
  • Parks with fossil hunting programs
  • Play spaces with dinosaur areas
  • Science centers

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.

  • Dinosaur
  • Dinosaur Island
  • Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
  • Land Before Time
  • Lego Jurassic World
  • The Good Dinosaur
  • Walking with Dinosaurs
  • We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story

For older kids:

  • Journey to the Center of the Earth
  • Jurassic Park (which is rated PG-13)

Books – Check your kids’ bookshelf for books on dinosaurs. You can also find many read aloud book videos on YouTube.

Photo: krojotak.com

Camp Au Pair – Nature Exploration

This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Nature Exploration.

For our first Camp Au Pair of 2026, we are doing Nature Exploration. Get the kids out into the fresh air and set the tone for the whole summer! We are so lucky to live in the Twin Cities with so much beautiful nature right around the corner.

Crafts, recipes, activities, and games can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Nature Exploration pinboard.

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.

Information about all of the local field trip suggestions can be found in the Local Field Trip section of the Pinterest board.

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.

  • Aviaries such as the one near the Rose Garden in Minneapolis
  • Farms – try Gibbs Farm, Brooklyn Center Historic Farm, or Lyndale Farmstead
  • Nature Preserves like the Arboretum in Chaska or Woodlake in Richfield
  • Parks – there are so many parks around and they have so many opportunities! Three Rivers Park board, Minneapolis Park and Rec, etc.

Virtual Field Trips:

Webcams – You can do a Google search for websites with webcams that allow you to observe nature.

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.

Image: toddleratplay.com

Camp Au Pair – Pirate Adventure Week!

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:

Camp Au Pair – Outer Space

Last week our theme was Under the Sea, so I thought it would be fundfor this week’s Camp Au Pair theme to be 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:

  • Air & Space Museum
  • Planetarium
  • Science Center
  • There is a local field trip section with specific local places

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.

https://youtu.be/libKVRa01L8?si=sdVLyejeg2CYNYM8
https://youtu.be/TWCjZccASJY?si=T2NFfbokx6zxOmQq
https://youtu.be/f_Oyw3t6_0k

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.

  • WALL-E
  • Zathura
  • Monsters vs. Aliens
  • Star Wars  

Here are some movies that are PG-13 and may be appropriate for older kids.

  • Hidden Figures
  • The Martian

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.

https://youtu.be/YT8ODlhpU0U

Story Time from Space is a YouTube channel with real astronauts reading children’s books aloud.

https://youtu.be/VeCxxMZjlFo?si=BtPzujAMsJycxuhH

Photo: alittlepinchofperfect.com

Camp Au Pair – Princesses and Knights

This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Princesses and Knights.

Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to royalty, dragons, chivalry, fairies, and more, can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Princesses and Knights pinboard.

(Note – I recognize the inherent sexism in the title of this week, but I also know that kids really like princesses and knights. I’ll try to come up with a better title for next year.)

I chose this theme now because the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is coming up, and this will help everyone get in the mood. If you haven’t been to the Ren Fest, you’re missing out! This was the original Renaissance Festival, and even though they are found everywhere these days, I really feel this is something to experience!

Culture Sharing – Does your home country have a history of royalty? What about stories of dragons, fairies, things like that? Ancient ruins? You can share what it means with your host kids.

  • 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.
  • Kids Castle in Maplewood is a castle-themed play area for all ages
  • The American Swedish Insitute is a castle-shaped cultural musem in Minneapolis
  • The Witch’s Hat tower in St. Paul is a fun place to visit
  • The Renaissance Festival in Shakopee is the ultimate immersive experience

Online Fun – Here is a great website with lots of chivalry activities including ones for older kids.

Webcams – You can do a google search for castle websites with webcams. Here are a few to get you started:

Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about medieval arts, jousting, and more.

Books – Stop by your local library and look for books on chivalry, castles, dragons, knights, princesses.

Check YouTube for books on medieval topics being read aloud:

Image: teachkidsart.com