Tag Archives: child care

Camp Au Pair – Dinosaurs

This 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.

Local Field Trips:

    • Fossil Parks
    • Science Center
    • Science & Natural History Museums

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 – This NPS Paleontology Lab offers a webcam where you can watch paleontologists remove rock from around fossils. The cam is normally working 9 am-5 pm PST, so 12-8 pm our time.

Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about dinosaurs and fossils. Here are a few to get you started.

Movies – The Good Dinosaur, Land Before Time, and Ice Age are all great family movies that fit with this theme. For older kids, consider movies like Journey to the Center of the Earth and Jurassic Park (which is rated PG-13).

Books – Check your kids’ bookshelf for books on dinosaurs.

Photo: krojotak.com

Focus on Play: New Ideas for Some Classic Toys

It is good to offer kids a balance of independent play time and play where you are actively engaging with them. You can make toys they may be bored with, feel new and exciting, by suggesting different ways to play with them. Try some of the ideas below as a starting point.

Play Food/Dishes

  • Teach your host children how to say the names of some of the food and dishes in your language.
  • Using English and/or your language play games where you are ordering food like in a restaurant. Take turns with who will be the waiter and who is the customer.
  • Come up with silly food combinations.  For example: Who wants pickles on their slice of cake?
  • Play a guessing game where the children have to figure out what food you are talking about.  For example: I grow under the ground in the dirt.  People eat me fried, mashed and baked.  What am I? (a potato)
  • Play a game with setting the table using your language to ask for the different items (plate, spoon, etc.)
  • Ask the children to divide the foods up into the different food groups (vegetables, meat, dairy, etc.)

Lego Blocks and Other Building Toys

  • Divide up all of the blocks between the people playing, by taking turns for each person to select block by block.
  • Suggest specific things to build (robots, houses, mountains etc.) and build together.
  • Challenge everyone to use all of their blocks.
  • Sort the blocks by color or shape and make patterns with them (red, blue, red, blue or square, triangle, rectangle.)  You can create a pattern and ask the child to fill in what comes next to continue the pattern.
  • Make the tallest block tower you can and let them knock it down (over and over again, if like most kids, they like destroying things.)

Mr. Potato Head

  • Teach your host children the names of the different parts in your language and play a game asking them to put on the body parts by name.
  • Play Hide and Seek with Mr. Potato Head. Have the children cover their eyes and count, while you hide Mr. Potato Head, then they go looking for him. Switch things up by letting them hide Mr. Potato Head and then you are the one to locate him.
  • Play the same game above, but using Simon Says.  Simon Says is a game where the leader gives commands by saying “Simon says” first. For example, “Simon says, put on the nose.”  The players are only to follow the commands when the leader says “Simon says.”  If the leader doesn’t say “Simon says” first and just says, “put on the nose,”  and the player follows the command, they are out of the game.  Repeat the game multiple times, so all kids get a turn to be the leader at least once.

Photos:  Lisa Maxwell (top) & Tom Smalls (bottom)

Annual Au Pair in America NYC Scavenger Hunt

Group 4x6 - 100 dpi

New York State APIA au pairs about to start the 2014 Scavenger Hunt!

Check-in table t end of the hunt

Check in table loaded with Halloween goodie candy bags for the au pairs who completed the Scavenger Hunt

A wonderful day spent in NYC with hundreds of au pairs from Au Pair in America.  All of these au pairs live on Long Island, in NYC or Westchester.  14 Community Counselors from APIA organized the event and met the au pairs on the steps of the main NYC library.  They had a list of 26 items to find!  1st, 2nd and 3rd prize certificates and prizes awarded.  Also 4 raffle winners for wearing their APIA t-shirt.

1st Place - 4x6 - 100 dpi

1st place finishers with their counselors

2nd Place - 4x6 - 100 dpi

2nd place finishers with their counselor

3rd Place - 4x6 - 100 dpi

3rd place finishers

Raffle winners 4x6 - 100 dpi

Raffle winners

Counselors 4x6 - 100 dpi

APIA community counselors

 

 

Westchester Au Pairs Celebrate Summer

Ice Cream Party 2-7Ice Cream Party 9-17Ice Cream Party 27-40

Pizza Party 2Pizza Party 10Pizza Party 12

The Westchester clusters of Au Pair in America launched summer with a sweet and yummy “Make your own Sundae Ice Cream Party” and concluded with a delicious “All You Can Eat Pizza Party.” Such get togethers are not only great fun, they’re provide opportunities for au pairs from around the county to meet, mix, mingle and forge new friendships.

Above are some event photos and below are the direct links to the albums and slideshows for all the photos from these events. All photos are of high quality and may be downloaded and printed.

June Ice Cream Party Album:  http://s791.photobucket.com/user/MS-APIA/library/2013%20June%20-%20Ice%20Cream%20Party

Ice Cream Party Slideshow:  http://s791.photobucket.com/user/MS-APIA/slideshow/2013%20June%20-%20Ice%20Cream%20Party

August Pizza Party Album:  http://s791.photobucket.com/user/MS-APIA/library/2013%20August%20-%20Pizza%20Party

Pizza Party Slideshow:  http://s791.photobucket.com/user/MS-APIA/slideshow/2013%20August%20-%20Pizza%20Party

Au Pair is America is a program of the American Institute for Foreign Study which has a world-renowned reputation for excellence in the field of cultural exchange since 1964.  Au Pair in America (APIA) was established in 1986 to help American families meet their child care needs; it is the first and largest organization of its kind to be designated by the United States Department of State. Today APIA recruits from more than 60 countries and has placed over 84,000 au pairs in  27 years. More than 175 professional community counselors, with an average of 10 years in the program,  provide support services to host families and au pairs in communities throughout the U.S. What do American families think of APIA? 94% of host families would recommend the program to a friend!

Westchester Au Pairs Enjoy a Delicious Holiday Dessert Party

Every December, local au pairs put on their baking caps and create wonderful treats to contribute to the dessert table at the annual Holiday Dessert Party for the Westchester clusters of Au Pair in America. This year, the variety of desserts was extraordinary and it was impossible to choose a favorite. Not that that was necessary as everyone wanted to taste everything!

Here’s the link to the Holiday Dessert Party photo album: http://s791.photobucket.com/albums/yy197/MS-APIA/2012%20December%20-%20Holiday%20Dessert%20Party/

Westchester Au Pairs Enjoy an American Thanksgiving

On November 14th, the Westchester Clusters of Au Pair in America gathered for an American-style Thanksgiving Dinner that everyone helped to prepare. Counselors provided four very large roast turkeys (excellently carved by Jim) and lots of Apple Cider, and Au Pairs brought an amazing variety of side dishes. The bountiful and delicious feast was enjoyed by eveyone present as witnessed by the following photos:

 

And here’s the link to all the photos from our Thanksgiving dinner: http://s791.photobucket.com/albums/yy197/MS-APIA/2012%20November%20-%20International%20Thanksgiving%20Dinner/?albumview=slideshow

Luncheon Get Together at Maralyn's

An important part of the Au Pair experience is getting to make friends from around the world, and informal cluster get togethers play an vital role in making it possible for Au Pairs to meet one another. With more than 30 new summer arrivals, Maralyn hosted a welcome lunch at her home. The weather was perfect as everyone gathered in the backyard for a group photo…

Lunch Bunch 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are two of the recipes we enjoyed:

South-of-the-Border Rice and Bean Pie (8 servings)

2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1-2 peppers (red and or green), chopped
Several stalks celery, chopped
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1- 2 tablespoons chili powder (sweet or hot or combination – adjust to your taste)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
2-10 ounce cans beans (I used combination of red kidney and black beans), rinsed and drained
4 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar, Colby, Jack or “Mexican” combination
1 ½ cups milk
4 beaten eggs
¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

In a saucepan, sauté the onion, garlic, peppers and celery in the olive oil until tender, but not brown. Stir in chili powder, cumin and salt. Cook for a minute more. Cool.

Stir in beans, cooked rice, cilantro, cheese, milk, and beaten eggs.

Put a little oil in a 9″X13″ baking dish or spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Spoon mixture into the pan and bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven until the center is set, about 35-45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Can be made ahead and reheated. Can also be frozen.

Chocolate Biscotti

3 Eggs
1 Cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ Cup Oil
Chopped nuts (optional)
Handful (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted.
1 cup chocolate chips (whole, not melted) 

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla till well blended.

Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture, alternating with oil.

Stir in whole chocolate chips and nuts, if desired, and then cut in melted chocolate with a knife.

Form two loaves on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350° for ½ hour.

Cool 10 minutes.

Cut loaves into slices slightly less than 1/2 inch thick. Lay slices on cookies sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Return to ovenand bake for 10-15 minutes.

Who's in Charge?

Au pairs and host parents are most often together with the children at the most stressful times of the day- that is, the morning and at the end of the day.

Getting through the stressful times of the day is best done with a consistent approach. Planning ahead about division of labor and delegation of responsibility, as well as developing routines that both the au pair and the parents will adhere to, is essential.

Another particularly challenging time of day is when the transition is made from parent to au pair or from au pair to parent. Focusing the transition on a particular activity and consistently following that procedure may ease the confusion for the children. For example, Mommy will help you get dressed and then you will go downstairs and the au pair will give you breakfast while Mommy gets ready for her day; or the au pair will give you a bath, and when you are done, she will say goodnight and Daddy will read you a story before bed.

The children benefit when the au pair and parents remember to work cooperatively, keep communication open and exercise authority when necessary.

September is…Baby Safety Month

Enroll in an infant/child CPR and first aid class. This will be a valuable investment of your time.  Ask your counselor for details or visit http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/insurance.asp. Au Pairs receive a copy of the Red Cross Scholarship Form and an Information sheet in their counselor-given “Welcome” packet.

You can also find many safety tips on the Au Pair in America website http://aupairinamerica.com/

In honor of Baby Safety Month, here are some more specific baby tips: 

  • Check the condition and sturdiness of toys. Discard any with sharp edges or those that are broken or falling apart.
  • Check children’s clothing for loose buttons and strings.
  • Is the baby’s pacifier still in good condition? If not, toss it. Never use strings to attach the pacifier to baby’s clothes or crib.
  • Where do you set baby’s carrier when she’s in it? Not on the counter, or any high surface. Babies can wiggle and tip themselves over.
  • Walkers can be dangerous (especially old ones that don’t meet today’s safety standards) because they allow baby to move very quickly and reach things they normally can’t. Never use around stairs.
  • Stroller check. If your stroller is collapsible, be sure latches are secure before putting baby in. Always check that your child’s arms are out of the way when reversing handle directions so they won’t get pinched. Be sure to use that safety strap. Don’t hang overloaded or heavy bags on the handle of the stroller; this may cause it to tip over.
  • Can you name the 12 most common choking foods for kids under five? Popcorn, hot dogs, chunks of meat, raisins, ice cubes, chunky peanut butter, nuts of any kind, hard candy, grapes, raw carrots, potato chips and corn chips. Don’t leave toddlers alone while eating; if they begin to choke you need to be nearby to assist.
  • Get a piggy bank: this is a great place to put coins so they don’t end up on the floor, in the couch cushions and then baby’s mouth.
  • Never leave your child unattended in the bathtub. If the phone rings, let the machine get it.