Have an old digital camera lying around? Why not make use of it on a rainy day by letting your charges explore their inner photographer!  There are many different ways to manage this sort of activity.  You can direct them to take pictures of their favorite things or have them take pictures of items that begin with a particular letter.  Take it further and create a photo album book using websites such as shutterfly.com and photobucket.com.

The following websites give great ideas on how to create and make an activity such as this one fun for your charges, and also great photo book and scrapbook ideas!    

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/kids-scrapbooking-ideas

http://www.intoscrapbooking.com/scrapbooking-with-kids/simple-scrapbooking-for-kids-the-family-album-approach.html

http://www.digitalphotographybasics.com/kids-guide-to-digital-photography-through-games/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/225899-fun-photography-ideas-for-children/

http://www.make-your-own-photobooks.com/children-story-photo-books.html

http://www.squidoo.com/kidsdigitalcameraphotoactivities

Bonus: turn this great idea into a unique and thoughtful Mother’s day gift!

Have a great photo activity to do with children?  Comment below and let us know!

There are several resources available specifically tailored towards gardening with young one’s, here are a couple of places to start:

Seattle Tilth: Children’s Garden Education Programs–check out this website for Garden Camps for ages 1 through 14 from June through August, also mark your calendar for their upcoming Edible Plant Sales found here.  Their “Maritime Northwest Garden Guide” is also invaluable for figuring out when to plant what and how in the NW climate.

Plan a visit to the Children’s Garden at Magnuson Park to get inspired!  Children ages 5-13 helped design the park, which includes: paths, flower beds, a Starfish border, and Big Blue Whale bed.  Work parties are held regularly Spring through Fall.  Also, check out the Children’s Garden at Marra Farm in South Seattle, where regular gardening and nutrition classes are held for school-age children.

Check out websites like KidsGardening.com or books such as Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots: Gardening Together with Children for more great resources and ideas!

Spring is coming!  What better way to kick off spring than with sharing April’s National Poetry Month with your little ones?  Children’s poetry can be silly and stimulating.  It can help teach children to relate words and feelings more quickly.  Studies show that when children participate in art, it engages their senses and wires the brain for successful learning.  During a child’s early years, this is tremendously important as neural connections are being made at a rapid rate.  Plus poetry is fun! 

In honor of National Poetry Month, King County Libraries will be holding a series of FREE performances by The South Side Dance Force based on the work of local children’s poet Erik Korhel’s new book  The Kid With The Red Juice Mustache and Other Nostalgic Companions with illustrations by Celia Marie Baker.  

This will be a great show to watch, make sure to catch it when it comes to your local King Country Library.

Performance dates below:

Kent Branch- April 6^th at 2pm

Covington Branch- April 7^th at 11am

Sammamish Branch- April 9^th at 3pm

Kenmore Branch- May 14^th at 2pm

When: Wednesday, August 18th from 11am-1pm

Where: Wallingford Playfield,  4219 Wallinford Ave N.

Who: Nannies (with or without charges)

What to Bring: A picnic lunch.  We will provide cupcakes from Cupcake Royale for dessert!

Activities: Scavenger hunt, wading pool (bring appropriate attire) and playground

We will also be announcing our Nanny of the Year at the picnic!

Please RSVP to the agency by August 13th and let us know how many children you are bringing along! We hope to see you all there!

Twin Falls State Park: only 35 miles east of the city, the first mile is flat and has lots of exciting natural features to explore.

Cougar Mountain: located between Newcastle and Issaquah, packing in a quick day-hike doesn’t get much more convenient.  Also, because of the area’s mining history, it’s easy to combine nature hike with history lesson for a well-rounded, educational outing!

Check out Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington & the Cascades at your local library branch for more great ideas, and visit the Seattle Parks & Recreation website for in-city options.

Before embarking, be sure to let someone know where you are going and your plan/route.  Pack a first aid kit, rain gear, water, and snacks!  Have fun!

Check out these farms to plan your next U-pick adventure!  Be sure to call ahead to confirm hours and berry availability, since berries ripen based on the weather (thanks to Parent Map for this great information!).

Remlinger Farms: Carnation, WA

Bryant Blueberry Farm: Arlington, WA

Mercer Slough & Larson Lake Blueberry Farms: Bellevue, WA

To find additional U-pick farms, visit pugetsoundfresh.com, click “Find a Farm” and search for U-pick.

For more information on Urban Foraging and berry types, storage, and picking tips, read this article at ParentMap.com

Check out lists of events from Red Tricycle, and Parent Map.

Earth Day is a great reminder to talk with children about enivronmental issues and how they can help the earth. Below are some links to activities,crafts, and some history about Earth Day.

Learn more about the history here: 

http://earthday.envirolink.org/history.html 

Check out learning activities and crafts here:

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/earth-day/ 

http://earthday.wilderness.org/teachers/

The simplest thing to do tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day is to plant a tree!  Happy Earth Day!

Seattle Area Easter Egg Hunts

• LEAF PLACEMATS: Go for a walk outside to collect colorful fallen leaves of different shapes and sizes. Then arrange them on a sheet of clear contact paper, and add another piece of contact paper on top to seal the placemat together.
• PINE CONE BIRDFEEDER: Go on an adventure to find the perfect pine cone. Attach a piece of string to the top of the pine cone for hanging. Roll the pine cone in peanut butter and then cover in birdseed. Hang it up outside and see what comes to visit!
• APPLE STAMPING: Cut an apple in half, either direction. Dip the halves in paint and use the fruit as a stamp to create designs on a t-shirt or tote bag. This also works great with gourds, potatoes, and other vegetables. ? You can cut other shapes like stars or hearts.
• PUMPKIN PEOPLE: Collect various pumpkins, gourds, and squashes of different shapes, colors, and sizes. Stack pumpkins of different sizes on top of each other like you?€™re building a snowman (use skewers to attach). Get creative?€”use toothpicks to attach different gourds for ears or noses. Use other natural objects like leaves and flowers for the hair, twigs for arms, and nuts for the eyes. Use a knife to carve out holes to attach the decorations, if needed. Also, you can use paint to create clothes and decorate the pumpkins.
• PUMPKIN CARVING: If you carve a pumpkin, it?€™s great to show children all the different textures and uses for each part of the pumpkin: toast the seeds with cinnamon and sugar for a tasty snack, use the pumpkin insides to make sweet bread or pumpkin pancakes.