Weekly Trip to the Library for Nannies and Au Pairs

I Love Dirt!
By Jennifer Ward
Review by Andrea Flagg, Nanny, Co-Founder Nanny Alliance of New York and New Jersey

This is a great book with 52 activities one for each week of the year.

This book breaks out simple things to do each season. The ideas help you to promote the love of the outdoors by exploration, while stimulating the imagination and enhancing the child’s sense of wonder while teaching respect of the outdoors and the creatures who live there.

One of my favorite ideas was the “Snowman Tweet Treat Bird Feeder.” Give the birds in your neighborhood a little helping hand by providing some sweet treats for them during the freezing temperatures.

Snowman Tweet Treat Bird Feeder Instructions: Build a regular snowman. Dangle a pinecone dipped in peanut butter and topped with birdseed, raisins and/or nuts off the branches you use as the snowman’s arms. Before placing a carrot for a nose, shish kebab slices of orange or dried fruit onto it.

No snow, and still want to feed the birds? Place orange wedges, unsalted nuts, seeds, dried fruit and/or raisins in the junctions of tree branches. Once the word is out, you will attract birds of all kinds this winter.

The book teaches nannies and children interesting facts such as, “Why do some birds stay where it is cold all winter without migrating or hibernating like other animals do?” “Why does some snow stick together?” “How are snowflakes made?”

I highly recommend nannies reference this book when planning activities with children this winter.

If you have a book review you would like to share with nannies and au pairs email your book review to Stephanie@BestNannyNewsletter.com.
Check back next Saturday for another trip to the library.