Yearly Archives: 2022

Camp Au Pair – Bugs & Butterflies

This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is 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.

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:

  • Allow them to search for bugs and butterflies.
  • Observe lightning bugs (also known as fireflies) in the evening. Here is a map showing what people call these little guys in different parts of the country.
  • After it rains, look for earthworms. Not bugs or butterflies, but very interesting creatures you can find in your own backyard.

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.

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.

Movies – A Bugs Life, The Bee Movie, Maya the Bee, and The Ant Bully all fit this theme.

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

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.

Image: minieco.co.uk

Camp Au Pair – Science (STEM)

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

More than 100 crafts, recipes, activities, and experiments related to 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
  • Factory Tour
  • Farm
  • Krispy Kreme Doughnuts*
  • Museum
  • Nature Center
  • Planetarium
  • Science Center
  • Zoo

*Some but not all locations have a viewing area where you can watch the machines used to make them.

Virtual Field Trips

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

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 entire series on Paramount Plus.

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, 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.

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: Backyard Safari

This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Backyard Safari.

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

Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences.

  • Local Zoo

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

Videos – Look for fun videos about African animals on YouTube.

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.

Image: Jumble Tree

Make Plans for Summer Fun with the Kids!

When the kids are out of school on summer break there are soooo many possibilities. But, if you don’t make plans, you will often end up in the house with bored kids getting into trouble and arguing with their siblings.  Make plans!

Having lots of ideas ready can minimize those problems.

Looking for fun activity ideas to get the summer started off right with your host kids?

The Au Pair in America Summer Fun Pinboard is a great place to start. Together, create a Summer Bucket List. Talk with the kids about things they would like to see and do. Even toddlers and preschoolers can contribute to the conversation. Run these plans by your host parents and clear things like how much you may spend and when is best to do some of these activities.

Check back here next week for information on Camp Au Pair in America: a weekly blog series with themes for a summer break filled with fun and new adventures.

Photo: MissMessie (Flickr)

Play Ball! – June 2022

Well, we are sure playing ball now, metaphorically speaking.  Watching a Mariners v Red Sox baseball game with over 110 APIA au pairs was a great kick-off to our first multi-cluster event in over 2 years.  We are coming back stronger than ever in our community of interculturalist community counselors, globally-minded host families and adventurous au pairs.  We had a seventh-inning stretch with a childcare safety quiz tossed in the mix, since we know full well how to play hard and work hard.  A lovely day at the ball park had by all

Here’s to summer and more fun in person together!  Go APIA!

 

 

Strong in our Diversity and Strong in our Selves – May 2022

 

 

What a day!  Sunshine in our hearts and in the sky.  Au pairs from Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Germany, South Africa, China, Panama, Poland, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, and Costa Rica shared their culture and themselves.  German chocolate, Colombian coffee, Costa Rican pura vida, Brazilian sweets, South African handmade shoes, the love of futball, the love of family and the love of self were just a few of the shares.  So proud of this group for living their truths!  They were vulnerable and they were brave and we admire them for it all!  We are the APIA family.  We are diverse and the whole world is stronger for it.

Cougar Mountain Hike – April 2022

Au pairs talked about anxiety with their “counselor” who has a MA, not in counseling, but in International Relations.  New friends were made from South Africa, Peru, Colombia, Germany, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Brazil and forest bathing happened.  Casual and calm on a Saturday as we get back to in-person community bonding.

Sculpture Park Strolling and IWM Celebrating – March 2022

Au pairs met up for a conversation about child safety, a get to know you, a conversation about what it means to be a woman across cultures for International Women’s Month and a stroll through the sculpture park in downtown Seattle.

https://www.globalawareness.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/4ugc2kFTU.mp4

Self Love, Dating and Missing That Special Someone While on Exchange – Feb 2022

Given the surge of omicron, au pairs headed back to zoom.  We met twice last month – early and later on a Thursday night to talk about​self-care, dating safety, and loving from afar (missing that important person from back home.). Below was the self-care piece shared if any are needing this about now:
Next month, we hope to head outside together!…

What Made You a Better Person in 2021? & APIA Tops the Charts – January 2022

Au pairs were asked this and many more questions in our zoom reflections of the year.  Here were some highlights of what was shared:

What were your good moments and gratitudes?  travel, northern lights, snowfall, culture sharing with my host family, learning English…

What did you do right or how did you grow as a person?  learned to say goodbye, improved communication, got the courage to speak up and talk about tough moments…

What are your 2022 plans or mottos for the new year?  “ask myself, ‘why not?'” “stay safe, live more,” make more friends, say yes not no, volunteer, exercise, use social media less, be more generous,…

And speaking of 2022, we are thrilled to report that APIA again has been named the top au pair agency from VeryWell Family.   Proud of our state, regional and national team of dedicated employees!