What are some fun things to do with the kids you're nannying for?

I’ve never been a nanny, but I love children. For this one, turn to the girls. Put together a little questionaire and let them ‘think on it’. Then, center your activities around what you glean from their answers.

One key that I find essential, is letting them feel as if they have a voice in all (almost) choices. That steers them positively for the real world. In a few short years, they’ll be making them without guidance.

It’s hard to answer without knowing what the girls are into.

A “girly-girl” might like mixing and using at-home spa products with common kitchen materials (something I have a lot of fun with, myself!), whereas a tomboy might prefer a trip to the batting cages.

A quick search online could show you a lot of free (or nearly so) activities in your area. I know the movie theaters near us have a free G and PG rated movie once a week in the morning, and the local library has a few tween and teen related activities every week (anime club, movie nights, pizza parties, board game tournaments, etc.)

First of all, I’m 13, so I kind of have a different perspective. I love @MissA‘s suggestion of a questionnaire! I love stuff like that. It would help you get to know them, and they might even be surprised at the other one’s answers! You could make it into a game, where they each have a copy of your questions, and they each guess the other’s answers before they say what they actually are. Hope you have fun!

See @ChocolateReigns you belong here. You have great answers! No more questions from you about your place here.

Hmm..
You could always find something interesting for them to watch and have them write down like ten or fifteen facts or something.

You could have them decorate a pot for plants or something with like paint.

I’m horrible at stuff like this haha, sorry.

play video games, read goosebumps, and watch tv?

@janedelila well thanks…If you actually knew me in real life you would understand my reasoning. :)

I love old musical comedies, so I used run and re-run great old musical numbers like “Good Morning” from “Singin’ in the Rain” and encourage the kids to memorize it and perform it. (Watch out for “Make ‘em Laugh,” though – Donald O’Connor runs up the walls!).

You could have like a spa day and pamper them, take them to the pool or a beach. I’m sure they’d like to go window shopping, or you could give them both “makeovers”. You could even do a karaoke night. My little cousin, who is ten, loves listening to music and creating dance routines. You could take them to a carnival or a fair, those were always favorites in my childhood. Or maybe a children’s museum? They always have interesting things going on there. Baking is another option, this one a bit more budget friendly. They may enjoy a trip to the library if they like reading.