Activities

Things I have done/do as a nanny/govnerness:

Homemade toys

Fish aquarium

Fishing poles

Doll houses

Puzzle boxes (baby)

Busy boxes (baby)

Small motor skill pillow (baby)

Drums (baby)

Train twist came

Money banks

TV theater box

Letter necklaces

Lacing blocks

Character trinket boxes

Chore boards

Picture schedules

Photo books

Potty for dolls

Felt story characters

Crawl-in-forts from refrigerator boxes

Music toys (tambourines, shakers, rattles, rainsticks etc.)

Magnet characters

Mail box with red flag

Personal tote bags

Activities

Email accounts set up and use for dictation and letters for kids

Internet (safe sites) surfing

Computer learning/typing

Computer games

Board games

Reading all different levels of books

Baking simple recipes

Dictating stories/letters

Crafts

Library book clubs

Library story hours

Biblio/Art/Music therapy (for mood, or problem solving)

Field Trips:

Build a bear

Various pet store visits to see animals

Zoo

Children’s museum

Variety of walks (different neighborhoods/parks/Monon trail)

Variety of parks around Carmel/Indy

Roller blading with stroller

Baby bike rides (if you have a bike with a seat)

Shopping at Kroger for pet food with their own tiny cart! (toddlers)

Pool (YMCA and/or neighborhood)

Mc Ds fun-land

Block Party games/activities (older kids)

White River gardens (displays)

Toy stores to build “dream lists” and just play with stuff

My house (10 flower gardens, mini-tractor rides, tree swing, hammock, 2 bunnies, 2

outdoor cats And 5 baby kittens just born!)

Extra kid related things:

Shop for developmentally appropriate activities

Keep up on baby development on a monthly basis

Keep up with toy rotations for on-going development

Update photo albums

Keep baby books of milestones

Fun and cool girl hairdos

Word and Math games/activities

Tape record kid’s singing, voices for memories

Puree baby foods for baby to try new foods

Have “dance parties” in the play room with music and even friends

Basic piano skills

Basic sign language skills

Learning to read and do math earlier (as early as 18 mos. depending on child)

Hand made toys/furniture when I get the time

Size charts

Chore charts

Photos of cute things they do during the days I am there so parents don’t miss out!

Sort out “too small” clothes

Make lists of kid needs and even kid errands

Buy appropriate developmentally appropriate toys to enhance development

Keep resource files of activities to do with each child’s age/development level

Put together family computer slide shows if they have the software and hardware

(to scan and put the slide show together of family photos with their kids)

Monitor kids progress in developmental areas through monthly “assessments” that

I write down. (milestones, independence, behavior modification)

Talk with children’s teachers about children’s needs and progress and form in-home

“programs” or activities to help a child progress in school as it is needed.

Daily communication through daily log notes that include (what and how much was

Eaten, BMs (for children 3 and under), every activity I did with them, mood,

Nap times, and how long, and any notes of what may be needed in the house

To help kids etc. This is kept throughout the day as things happen, not just

Jotted down at the end of the day.

I keep journals of playdates, each playdate has phone number, parents name,

Directions to their house, and the other child’s personality, and even the

Other child’s parents personality. I write in the dates of each scheduled

Playdate and then write a little journal entry of what they did, and how

It went, and what the other child likes to do best, and what they like to

Eat or don’t eat. (this helps parents be informed and prepared when they

Schedule a playdate during their times with the children.)

I take the children to doctor appointments when needed

I establish on-going communication with: playdate parents, teachers, landscapers,

Plumbers, electricians, real estate agents, housekeepers etc. while parents

Are gone. (though I prefer to know a day ahead of time so I can plan the day

Out better).

I keep the communication log, plus special notes about the children’s schedule

And “quirks”, so in the event a babysitter is needed, the parents have less to

Prepare for the babysitter.

I keep all school things organized into folders/boxes for: school letters, school

Evaluations, homework, and school work sent home to keep. This keeps

Everything all together, and it is easier to monitor childrens’ progress

Maintain children’s calendar’s of: school activities (in and out of school)

Birthday parties, playdates, sports, chores etc.)

I also sometimes bring my bunny over to visit with the kids at their house!

On-going typical EXAMPLES of things I do in each developmental area:

Cognitive:

I ask open-ended questions

I encourage play (play helps problem solving, creativity, role discovering etc.)

I ask critical thinking questions to get them to solve problems “themselves”

Pattern recognition in daily life and addition activities

Observation skills (with questions and set up situations)

Matching/opposites etc. activities

“Which doesn’t belong” type of activities that get kids to thingk

Creativity:

Crafts with different mediums

Story dictation

Dancing

Singing

Making up songs

Exposure to different types of music (from tribal to classical to pop)

Language:

Modeling proper grammar

New words

I don’t talk “down” to children, I talk to them

Phase out baby language at an appropriate time

I use descriptive words when talking to them

I dictate their stories to see how their mind is connecting with their language skills

I help them advance their reading/dictating levels by advancing story levels

Emotional:

Emotive names

Talking about feelings

Striving to be “big kids”

Praise

Self-esteem raising by teaching independence and problem solving

Biblio/art/music therapy

Academic:

(all done according to developmental level and strengths of each kid)

Combination of concepts and rote memory

ABCs (baby)

Telling time

Adding

Subtracting

Calendar reading

Colors

Graphing

Science concepts (magnets, planets, gravity, gears, biology etc.)

Hand writing

Reading comprehension

Me reading them “how to” or “how and what” books above their reading level but at

Their interest level)

Computer skills (typing, point and click, what buttons do what)

Measuring

Social:

Sharing

Manners

Sibling friendships

Empathy

Carrying on appropriate conversations

Stranger awareness

Playdates

Role playing games (ex: nurse, doctor, house) (15 mos. and up)

Letting them be “big helpers” around the house

Small Motor:

Get appropriate toys/activities for them to use to develop finger skills

Clay

Shoe laces

Peg boards

Coloring

Building activities (legos/duplos, tinker toys etc.)

Crayons, markers (coloring in the lines)

Weaving looms

Twisting off/on sippy cup lids

Squeezing water out of sponges/bottles etc.

Shaving cream play

Finger paints

Physical (Motor):

Dancing

Kid aerobics

Crawling obstacle courses (baby)

Encouraging walking at an early age (baby)

Sport games

Hoola-hoops

Jump ropes

Bikes/trikes

Infants (0-6 mos.):

Eye tracking

Hearing tracking

Baby massage

Varying pitch tones

Different types of music

Varying toys/house areas often to keep up with short attention spans

Motzart music (just in case that theory works!)

Talking to them constantly

Reading them books with colorful picutures

Lots of walks in different areas to vary environment

Lots of baby songs

Grasping games

Reaching games

Squeezing games

Finger plays/songs to develop “cause and effect”

Other cause and effect games

Object permanence games

Baby exercises (I learned in school) (fun, and help with milestones like

Lifting chin, rolling over, sitting up, standing up and walking)

Baby pools

Roller blading baby fast in the stroller for fun

Baby books and photos of milestones and cuteness

Lots of snuggles

Nail trimming

Baths

Crawling obstacle courses

Sensori-motor activities for babies:

Sand

Water

Smell canisters

“Taste tests”

Food rotation (to introduce new foods)

Noodle play

Special tricks I have learned for:

Getting kids to sleep

Potty training

Picky eaters

Etc.


Things I have done/do as a nanny/govnerness: Things I have done/do as a nanny/govnerness: Homemade toys Fish aquarium Fishing poles Doll houses Puzzle boxes (baby) Busy boxes (baby) Small motor skill pillow (baby) Drums (baby) Train twist came Money banks TV theater box Letter necklaces Lacing blocks Character trinket boxes Chore boards Picture schedules Photo books Potty for dolls Felt story characters Crawl-in-forts from refrigerator boxes Music toys (tambourines, shakers, rattles, rainsticks etc.) Magnet characters Mail box with red flag Personal tote bags Activities Email accounts set up and use for dictation and letters for kids Internet (safe sites) surfing Computer learning/typing Computer games Board games Reading all different levels of books Baking simple recipes Dictating stories/letters Crafts Library book clubs Library story hours Biblio/Art/Music therapy (for mood, or problem solving) Field Trips: Build a bear Various pet store visits to see animals Zoo Children’s museum Variety of walks (different neighborhoods/parks/Monon trail) Variety of parks around Carmel/Indy Roller blading with stroller Baby bike rides (if you have a bike with a seat) Shopping at Kroger for pet food with their own tiny cart! (toddlers) Pool (YMCA and/or neighborhood) Mc Ds fun-land Block Party games/activities (older kids) White River gardens (displays) Toy stores to build “dream lists” and just play with stuff My house (10 flower gardens, mini-tractor rides, tree swing, hammock, 2 bunnies, 2 outdoor cats And 5 baby kittens just born!) Extra kid related things: Shop for developmentally appropriate activities Keep up on baby development on a monthly basis Keep up with toy rotations for on-going development Update photo albums Keep baby books of milestones Fun and cool girl hairdos Word and Math games/activities Tape record kid’s singing, voices for memories Puree baby foods for baby to try new foods Have “dance parties” in the play room with music and even friends Basic piano skills Basic sign language skills Learning to read and do math earlier (as early as 18 mos. depending on child) Hand made toys/furniture when I get the time Size charts Chore charts Photos of cute things they do during the days I am there so parents don’t miss out! Sort out “too small” clothes Make lists of kid needs and even kid errands Buy appropriate developmentally appropriate toys to enhance development Keep resource files of activities to do with each child’s age/development level Put together family computer slide shows if they have the software and hardware (to scan and put the slide show together of family photos with their kids) Monitor kids progress in developmental areas through monthly “assessments” that I write down. (milestones, independence, behavior modification) Talk with children’s teachers about children’s needs and progress and form in-home “programs” or activities to help a child progress in school as it is needed. Daily communication through daily log notes that include (what and how much was Eaten, BMs (for children 3 and under), every activity I did with them, mood, Nap times, and how long, and any notes of what may be needed in the house To help kids etc. This is kept throughout the day as things happen, not just Jotted down at the end of the day. I keep journals of playdates, each playdate has phone number, parents name, Directions to their house, and the other child’s personality, and even the Other child’s parents personality. I write in the dates of each scheduled Playdate and then write a little journal entry of what they did, and how It went, and what the other child likes to do best, and what they like to Eat or don’t eat. (this helps parents be informed and prepared when they Schedule a playdate during their times with the children.) I take the children to doctor appointments when needed I establish on-going communication with: playdate parents, teachers, landscapers, Plumbers, electricians, real estate agents, housekeepers etc. while parents Are gone. (though I prefer to know a day ahead of time so I can plan the day Out better). I keep the communication log, plus special notes about the children’s schedule And “quirks”, so in the event a babysitter is needed, the parents have less to Prepare for the babysitter. I keep all school things organized into folders/boxes for: school letters, school Evaluations, homework, and school work sent home to keep. This keeps Everything all together, and it is easier to monitor childrens’ progress Maintain children’s calendar’s of: school activities (in and out of school) Birthday parties, playdates, sports, chores etc.) I also sometimes bring my bunny over to visit with the kids at their house! On-going typical EXAMPLES of things I do in each developmental area: Cognitive: I ask open-ended questions I encourage play (play helps problem solving, creativity, role discovering etc.) I ask critical thinking questions to get them to solve problems “themselves” Pattern recognition in daily life and addition activities Observation skills (with questions and set up situations) Matching/opposites etc. activities “Which doesn’t belong” type of activities that get kids to thingk Creativity: Crafts with different mediums Story dictation Dancing Singing Making up songs Exposure to different types of music (from tribal to classical to pop) Language: Modeling proper grammar New words I don’t talk “down” to children, I talk to them Phase out baby language at an appropriate time I use descriptive words when talking to them I dictate their stories to see how their mind is connecting with their language skills I help them advance their reading/dictating levels by advancing story levels Emotional: Emotive names Talking about feelings Striving to be “big kids” Praise Self-esteem raising by teaching independence and problem solving Biblio/art/music therapy Academic: (all done according to developmental level and strengths of each kid) Combination of concepts and rote memory ABCs (baby) Telling time Adding Subtracting Calendar reading Colors Graphing Science concepts (magnets, planets, gravity, gears, biology etc.) Hand writing Reading comprehension Me reading them “how to” or “how and what” books above their reading level but at Their interest level) Computer skills (typing, point and click, what buttons do what) Measuring Social: Sharing Manners Sibling friendships Empathy Carrying on appropriate conversations Stranger awareness Playdates Role playing games (ex: nurse, doctor, house) (15 mos. and up) Letting them be “big helpers” around the house Small Motor: Get appropriate toys/activities for them to use to develop finger skills Clay Shoe laces Peg boards Coloring Building activities (legos/duplos, tinker toys etc.) Crayons, markers (coloring in the lines) Weaving looms Twisting off/on sippy cup lids Squeezing water out of sponges/bottles etc. Shaving cream play Finger paints .) Physical (Motor): Dancing Kid aerobics Crawling obstacle courses (baby) Encouraging walking at an early age (baby) Sport games Hoola-hoops Jump ropes Bikes/trikes Infants (0-6 mos.): Eye tracking Hearing tracking Baby massage Varying pitch tones Different types of music Varying toys/house areas often to keep up with short attention spans Motzart music (just in case that theory works!) Talking to them constantly Reading them books with colorful picutures Lots of walks in different areas to vary environment Lots of baby songs Grasping games Reaching games Squeezing games Finger plays/songs to develop “cause and effect” Other cause and effect games Object permanence games Baby exercises (I learned in school) (fun, and help with milestones like Lifting chin, rolling over, sitting up, standing up and walking) Baby pools Roller blading baby fast in the stroller for fun Baby books and photos of milestones and cuteness Lots of snuggles Nail trimming Baths Crawling obstacle courses Sensori-motor activities for babies: Sand Water Smell canisters “Taste tests” Food rotation (to introduce new foods) Noodle play Special tricks I have learned for: Getting kids to sleep Potty training Picky eaters Etc.