Your Nanny Box
Love your job and the fun that goes together with it when playing with the children, see them develop and grow?
Do they have a favourite toy? A favourite book? Naturally it is great to utilise the material provided by the parents. On the other hand bringing your own material is a great opportunity to introduce the children to something outside the box. You should always discuss with the parents in advance whether they are happy with you bringing own material such as books and games Maybe even collected material for arts and craft such as empty toilet paper roles, old newspapers, magazines and postcards, old gift wrap or a collection from your last visit to the beach including shells and stones.
This box provides a good opportunity to create excitement in the children and can be combined with great stories about treasure hunts, patience (only explore on item per day) and hidden meanings of day to day items which can be changed into castles, costumes and cars.
Whenever you create such a box keep the age of the children in mind and remember to only provide age appropriate items (find a list with age appropriate toys and activities here).
Below is a list than gives you an idea of our favourite items for kids 3 years and older:
- Book “There’s a Hippopotamus on our roof eating cake” by Hazel Edwards
- Old newspaper to build hats, ships and easy origami figures or play “adult reading a newspaper”
- Different natural materials such as stone, bark, wood (ensure that children can’t put the items in their mouth or choke on them)
- Egg cartons to build cars and castles
- Soap bubbles (for the easy distraction and endless chasing games)
- Old clean clothes to use as costumes
Leave your comment below and let us know what you always have with you to fascinate the little ones.
Sonja Winkelmann, Recruiter