Hope Skinner, founder Nanny Shecando

DIY Easter Egg Hunt Carry Baskets

Have your children got a fun Easter Egg scavenger hunt coming up? If they’re involved in a few different activities, such as childcare, kindergarten, playgroup etc., chances are your little ones might have a few on the schedule.

So they’re going to need a cute little carrier to hold their colourfully wrapped chocolate treasures. This Easter Egg Hunt Carry Basket is seriously easy and a great little craft activity to fill in a quiet afternoon.

To Make: Easter Hunt Egg Baskets

Ages: 3+
Time: prep – 15 minutes, assembling – 10 minutes

What You’ll Need:

A plain coloured carrier such as these paper bags
Washi Tape
Ribbon
Glitter glue pens
Masking tape or glue
Easter egg decorations (such as these)

To Make:

1. Make or design your Easter egg decorations. Find ours here.

2. Lay your paper bag carrier on a flat surface.

3. Glue or stick your decorated Easter egg onto the middle of the bag. Variation: you could also paint or have the children draw their own designs onto the bag instead of using a pre-designed Easter egg decoration.

4. Then cut a strip of washi tape to the length of the bag and stick onto the top to create a line of pattern from one edge to the other.

5. Take your ribbon (any colour you like) and tie in a bow. Using double-sided tape (or masking tape doubled over) fasten the bow onto the top right corner of the basket on a slight angle.

6. Now take your glitter glue gun pen and carefully write the words “Happy Easter” onto your Easter egg and leave to dry. Ta-da you have a gorgeous colourful Easter Hunt Egg Basket.

Note:

We did this step last so that it was the final step in the method, meaning we’d have a finished product that would let us see the end result but also let us pack away the craft supplies and tidy up whilst waiting for it to dry. You could also write onto the Easter egg before Step 2 or in advance so that you needn’t be worried about smudging your work.

Easter egg scavenger hunts are such fun for kids. Remember, you don’t have to use chocolate either! #Eastereggs #nannylife

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Pop on your arm and away you go in search of the Easter bunny and his eggs! This basket would also be a cute little party favour bag for an Easter themed party or if you’re giving little Easter gifts to your friends.

>>> Do you have an Easter egg hunt planned for the kiddos?

Washi Tape Easter Egg Bunting

This Easter egg bunting was so much fun to make! The beauty is that you can completely customise your own colours and designs, letting the children have autonomy and control of their designs.

You can make the bunting as long as you like and pop it up on display to decorate your Easter themed space. We plan to use this to decorate our Easter scavenger hunt tent.

To Make: Washi Tape Easter Egg Bunting

Ages: 4+ or Kindergarten
2+ with careful guidance and prep done in advance
Time: prep time – 20 minutes, assembling – 15 minutes

You’ll Need:

Kid-safe scissors
Masking tape, glue, double-sided sello tape or blu tac
Coloured card stock or paper
An Easter egg stencil or shape
4 washi-tape designs
String, about 1 ½ metres in length

To Make:

1. Start by cutting out your Easter egg shapes. We used 4 different coloured cards to create a pattern of alternating colours. For the younger children, you could have your Easter eggs pre-cut. For more info on patterns, see these fun activity sheets.

2. Once you have your Easter eggs, lay them out in a long line and arrange them in a pattern. E.g. blue, yellow, pink, orange, repeat.

3. Cut strips of washi tape and carefully stick onto your line of Easter eggs, arranging the washi tape evenly. Repeat the process with each washi tape leaving an event amount of space between each strip of washi tape. Tip: it’s much quicker to line the eggs up and stick a line of tape onto them all at once, then trimming the edges afterwards.

4. Your eggs will now be stuck onto the surface. Carefully pull them up and then trim the edges so that you once again have individual eggs.

5. Once again, arrange your eggs in a pattern face down (tricky, I know) and pop a dab of glue or double-sided tape onto the middle of each egg at the top.

6. Cut your string down to size, leaving an even amount of space on either side of the eggs to let it hang properly. Then press your sting down onto the sticky tape so that your eggs are not all connected in a line onto the string.

7. Carefully hang your Washi Tape Easter Egg Bunting to decorate your Easter themed space and enjoy the festivities!

Notes:

You’ll want to have a clean surface that the tape can stick to and then be pulled off easily, such as a wooden or plastic table. Paper underneath will not work properly.

In hindsight, it could be easier and less time-consuming to stick the rows of washi tape in lines onto the coloured card and then cut out the Easter egg shapes.

This is a great activity for some cutting practice and hand-eye coordination. Kids love cutting things and it helps children to develop their fine motor skills. Make sure the children use safe scissors and that you’re constantly supervising. Remember to cut in a direction away from your body and always be seated whilst cutting. For more cutting practice see these printables.

Variations:

For a different style, use Easter themed paper or fun patterned paper instead of plain coloured card stock. Or have the children decorate their Easter eggs by drawing or colouring them first. For an early learning component, let the children write the letters for “Happy Easter” onto each Easter egg in the bunting for a spelling, writing and reading activity.

Washi Tape Easter Egg Bunting – a fun easy kids craft! #nannylife #Easter

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Put Yourself On Your Priority List

(To prevent professional burn out) As I write this, I sit in the kitchen of a family I do some date night babysitting for. It’s my second babysitting job for the day. To add to my schedule, at around 8:15 this morning, one of my Mom Bosses called and asked if I could babysit.

I told her that I could the morning, or the afternoon. Those times didn’t work out and as I hung up, I cried from relief. But, as I sit at the kitchen table, after the kids are asleep, she texts me to see if I could babysit tomorrow. I say yes. What’s my problem?! Welcome to the 65 hour work week, with no “weekends.”

As nannies, we spend almost every working hour (and a lot of non working hours) seeing to the needs of other people. We unload people’s dishes, and we fold their laundry. Sometimes we vacuum their homes and we almost always do dinner.

If we don’t set aside the time to put ourselves first, it can begin to seem as though there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Sure we love our nanny kids and our parent bosses, we show them love by doing what we do.

But if we don’t make the time to do something for ourselves, be it a pedicure, or a gym session, or to sit on the couch with a glass of wine and binge watch Grey’s Anatomy, we soon find ourselves stuck in cycle of endless work.

There’s no sun, there’s no light, there’s no break. And you know what? You deserve a break. A caregiver is not all that you are. Whilst being a caregiver is a huge part of your generous personality, it shouldn’t consume your entire existence. Put yourself on your priority list to prevent burnout and to win back some work life balance.

So after working 65 hours one week and 50 the next, I have an appointment for a mani-pedi with a girlfriend. Because I am not just an exhausted and happily overworked nanny, I am a girly girl who likes her nails to be sparkly.

You deserve a break. A caregiver is not all that you are. Carve time for *you*. #nannylife #burnout

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Nannies, I give you permission to take time out for yourself. I give you permission to say no to the 3rd babysit job for the day. I give you permission to protect your weekends and I give you permission to reserve the right to be picky with your jobs.

Mostly, I give you permission to sit on the couch in your pyjamas after a long day and watch trashy tv. It does not make you any less of a responsible nanny, nor any less educated, respectable, or professional. It makes you strong.

>>> So what’s your plan for the weekend? Lots of RnR I hope!

__________

Abby Sneddon is a professional U.S based nanny. She currently works with two gorgeous toddlers in a nanny share arrangement and has a professional background in private Montessori preschools. Abby believes the best way to teach a child is to lead by example and carries this notion through every aspect when it comes to health, wellbeing and fitness, raising well-developed children, and education. Abby blogs at The Nap Time Nanny.

Review: ASG Little Learner Pack

*This is not a sponsored post. I was gifted the ASG Little Learner Pack to review.

Nanny Reviews: ASG Little Learner Pack

Do you have a child that just loves learning? I do. Information hungry, they pump you for answers and hit you hard with the dreaded “why” questions.

When it comes to school, my eldest nanny charge is all over it. She’s the kind that does extra “homework” on school holidays and would rather do Mathletics on the computer on Saturday nights than watch a Disney movie with her sister.

Miss 7, and now Miss 5, get plenty of education time. As their nanny, I strive to foster an environment for learning at all times. I create “school readiness” programs for kindergarteners and develop early learning activities to help the little ones.

But being a nanny to three kids, two early primary age and a toddler, I’m busy. Between running errands, school drop offs and pick ups, toddler classes and meal prep, I don’t always have time to formulate my ideal lesson plans.

The ASG Little Learner Pack has been my saving grace, and a sanity saver. Complete with a book collection, an educational edition Dr Seuss DVD, and access to an online hub of educational activities, we’ve had it covered.

The stories are age appropriate and with a bit of adult assistance, both Miss 5 and 7 have been able to read them. Together we’ve enjoyed expanding on the stories, using them to create games and arts and crafts activities, and additional discussion points to further our learning and understanding.

I was given ASG’s Little Learner Pack to road test recently, and it was a much enjoyed addition to our school readiness activities in the lead up to Miss 5 starting kindergarten this year.

ASG’s Little Learner Pack includes:

> The Cat In The Hat DVD (educational edition)

> Five hardcover children’s books from highly regarded education consultant, Michael E Bernard, featuring stories on how to get along, confidence, resilience, being organised and persistence

> Membership to MY ASG – a members-only website allowing access to even more educational resources

> Special discount offer to join Michael Grose’s Parenting Ideas Club (additional cost)

Perhaps the best part of the DVD was that it was so musical and catchy. The girls are big singers, so we had reinforced learning thrust upon us as they sang the theme song all day, for days on end.

We’re big fans of Dr Seuss here in the nanny life. It’s the rhyming that gets us. So we were pleased to find in the books after we progressed from the DVD, that the theme had subtly continued.

The set of five books have been developed based on the five foundations of the You Can Do It! Education program – organisation, persistence, resilience, confidence and getting along – to help children understand the important elements that are necessary for personal achievement and happiness.

Aimed at children aged 3 to 6 years, I love that the topics within are challenging enough to spur Miss 5 to join her sister and hit me with the hard questions. The books invite her to think deeper about the story, the characters, their feelings and their reasoning behind their actions.

A story about confidence, our favourite book in the set was “The Turning Point”, and received big applause from Miss 5. We learnt new words like “atrocious” and “hesitate”, and giggled sheepishly at the word “jerk” as it popped up unbidden and prompting a further discussion about how to use our “nice words” correctly. She was also pleased to learn that her independence was indeed a good thing, and that learning through discovery was definitely a viable option.

The pack is fun and entertaining, light-hearted and simplistic, making it highly appealing for the targeted age demographic. However, its positive to see that there is a strong foundation of education beneath.

Completing ASG’s Little Learner Pack together, we both really enjoyed the extra bonding time before she started school this year.

Big fans of Dr Seuss here in the #nannylife It’s the rhyming that gets us #drseuss #storytime

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ASG is committed to supporting children’s education – it’s all they do. ASG’sLittle Learner Pack is their latest educational resource marketed to children aged three to six years of age, designed to help children develop socially and emotionally to ready them for the school environment.

For nannies and parents that need some support to help craft learning activities for the early years, the ASG’s Little Learner Pack is the perfect assistant.

>>> Do you craft educational activities for your kids?

*The Australian Scholarships Group is a member owned organisation that assists families to offset the costs and plan for their child’s education. The ASG Little Learner Pack retails at AUD $49.95, which includes GST and delivery, for a $180 value pack. To purchase, simply go online to www.asg.com.au/little-learner

Recipe: Healthy Pear and Banana Bread

(Pear and Banana Bread Recipe) For various reasons, I have a love/hate relationship with food. But even so, I absolutely love to cook. I fell in love with the creative accomplishment at a young age, and buoyed by the likes of Jamie Oliver and Nigella, I happily spent most of my time in culinary heaven doing the hospitality thing.

These days, I don’t always get the time to be adventurous in the kitchen. Between preparing healthy nutritious meals for baby, picky little ones, and then MB and DB, my chef hat is ready to retire by 7pm. Outside of the nanny life, my kitchen and I are lonely houseguests, living with each other but not really knowing each other.

So the midday nap times in the nanny life have become my treasured moments of sanctuary. Whilst the little Mr has his day sleep, I seek refuge in the kitchen and get to work creating meal plans in the search for the elusive meal to suit all ages and food preferences of the family. But mostly, I bake. Baking calms the mind and feeds the soul.

A champion of healthy eating and of the importance for children to have a healthy nutritious and well balance diet, I tend to rework old classics into healthier, lunch box friendly treats. This banana, pear and sultana loaf is a modern take on the traditional butter and sugar loaded banana cake and is a big success with the kiddos.

You’ll Need:

1 large banana, smashed
2 medium-sized pears, smashed
125g butter*
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sultanas
150g wholemeal plain flour
100g coconut flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp all-spice
1 tsp bicard soda
1 tsp salt
5 drops vanilla
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
2 tsp lemon juice

To Make:

1. Combine the milk and lemon juice together and set aside.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and eggs and mix lightly.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flours and mix dry ingredients. Add the fruit and sultanas.

4. Gradually mix the butter mixture into the dry ingredients until well combined, adding the milk and lemon juice mixture.

5. Pour into a medium-sized greased and lined loaf tin and bake for 55 minutes at 180 degrees C.

6. Switch the oven off and leave to sit for another 5 minutes. Then remove from tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

7. To finish, dust lightly with cinnamon or coconut sugar.

*To reduce the amount of butter used, you can half the quantity and then also add 1/2 the amount of pureed apple sauce, prune puree, smashed avocado or a portion of chia seeds soaked in greek yoghurt. To use this method, cream the smaller portion of butter as per usual and then add in the substitutes with the the wet ingredients.

**For a fancy finish, top with chia seeds, slithered almonds or banana chips before placing the loaf into the oven.

Pear and Banana Bread – so good the kids will fight over it! #healthykids #nannylife #recipes

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Slice and portion off the Banana and Pear loaf ready for school lunch boxes, afternoon tea snacks, or slather a slice in nut butter for a quick morning breakfast on the go.

A healthy twist on an old classic, this Pear and Banana bread is so good, it’s almost too good. Better still, I promise you, the kiddos will love it as much as you do!

>>> Do you love to cook? Enjoy reinventing recipes to suit healthier tastes for kids?

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