At KA Au Pair Agency we want our au pairs to have a great time with their host children and want both of them to have fun together. Here are a few suggestions of games, songs, recipes and activities that you could do with your host children.
Activities for Children
Music
Children of all ages love music. If you play a musical instrument, you might like to play this for your children, you might even teach them how to play a few notes or a simple song. Below you will find a list of action songs and nursery rhymes suitable for young children. There is a Youtube web page attached with each song to show you the actions and so you can learn the tune. For older children, they will often have their favourite songs from the music charts. X-Factor is also a very popular TV programme and can be a big influencer on children's musical taste. It's worth talking to the children in your family and find out what music they like. Children will often sing their favourite songs throughout the day. Try to listen out for what songs they are singing. You could save some of their favourite songs on Spotify and play these songs for them. My kids love Meghan Trainor's All about the bass and will begin singing and dancing whenever it comes on the radio.
Here are a few Irish songs that you might like to try with your kids (you can find all of them on spotify.com)
Molly Malone - the Dubliners
The Fields of Athenry -The Dubliners
Galway Girl - Sharon Shannon and Mundy
Nursery Rhymes and Action Songs
Young children love music and action songs. Here are some of the most popular songs and action songs for young children. They are most suitable for babies and children up to the age of 5 years. When singing these songs to the children you mind, try to do the actions as well and encourage your children to do the actions also.
HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes, and ears, and mouth,
And nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BisOdUvyoEQ
IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT…
If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands (Clap, Clap)
If you're happy and you know it,
Clap your hands (Clap, Clap)
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it*,
If you're happy and you know it,
Clap your hands (Clap, Clap).
If you're happy and you know it
Stomp your feet (Stomp, Stomp)
If you're happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet (Stomp, Stomp)
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet (Stomp, Stomp)
If you're happy and you know it
Shout "hurray"! (Shout "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
Shout "hurray"! (Shout "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Shout "hurray"! (Shout "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
Do all three (Clap, Clap, Stomp, Stomp, "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
Do all three (Clap, Clap, Stomp, Stomp, "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Do all three (Clap, Clap, Stomp, Stomp, "Hur-ray!")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDSCgbSBwKA
ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN LIKE A TEDY BEAR (this is usually done on the palm of the child's hand)
Round and round the garden
Like a teddy bear.
One step, two step,
Tickle you under there!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m2mdzTE-oo
THIS LITTLE PIGGY (this action song can be done with the child's toes or fingers)
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy stayed home.
This little piggy had roast beef.
This little piggy had none.
This little piggy went Wee wee wee, all the way home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiIb7A6byII
OLD McDONALD
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a cow
E-I-E-I-O
With a moo moo here
And a moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo moo
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a pig
E-I-E-I-O
With a oink oink here
And a oink oink there
Here a oink, there a oink
Everywhere a oink oink
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a duck
E-I-E-I-O
With a quack quack here
And a quack quack there
Here a quack, there a quack
Everywhere a quack quack
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a horse
E-I-E-I-O
With a neigh neigh here
And a neigh neigh there
Here a neigh, there a neigh
Everywhere a neigh neigh
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a sheep
E-I-E-I-O
With a baa baa here
And a baa baa there
Here a baa, there a baa
Everywhere a baa baa
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4RNIUrLLH0
THE WHEELS ON THE BUS
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All day long.
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish,
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish"
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish"
All day long.
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep"
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep"
All day long.
The babies on the bus says, "Wah, wah, wah!
Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah!"
The babies on the bus says, "Wah, wah, wah!"
All day long.
The Mummies on the bus say, "Shh, shh, shh,
Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh"
The Mummies on the bus say, "Shh, shh, shh"
All day long.
The people on the bus go up and down
Open and shut, open and shut
The people on the bus go up and down
All day long.
The bell on the bus goes ding, ding, ding,
ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding
The bell on the bus goes ding, ding, ding
All day long.
The door on the bus goes open and shut
Open and shut, open and shut
The door on the bus goes open and shut
All day long.
The driver on the bus says, "tickets, please"
"tickets, please""tickets, please"
The driver on the bus says, "tickets, please"
All day long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTcOFvLnXWk
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCjJyiqpAuU
INCY WINCY SPIDER
Incy Wincy spider climbing up the spout
down came the rain and washed the spider out
out came the sun and dried up all the rain
So, Incy Wincy spider went up the spout again!
http://www.youtube.com/user/kidscamp?v=JHKjmAR0_Zk
RING A RING O’ROSES
Ring-a-ring o' roses,
A pocket full of posies,
A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZdPCCKPDBY
Activities for Children
Music
Children of all ages love music. If you play a musical instrument, you might like to play this for your children, you might even teach them how to play a few notes or a simple song. Below you will find a list of action songs and nursery rhymes suitable for young children. There is a Youtube web page attached with each song to show you the actions and so you can learn the tune. For older children, they will often have their favourite songs from the music charts. X-Factor is also a very popular TV programme and can be a big influencer on children's musical taste. It's worth talking to the children in your family and find out what music they like. Children will often sing their favourite songs throughout the day. Try to listen out for what songs they are singing. You could save some of their favourite songs on Spotify and play these songs for them. My kids love Meghan Trainor's All about the bass and will begin singing and dancing whenever it comes on the radio.
Here are a few Irish songs that you might like to try with your kids (you can find all of them on spotify.com)
Molly Malone - the Dubliners
The Fields of Athenry -The Dubliners
Galway Girl - Sharon Shannon and Mundy
Nursery Rhymes and Action Songs
Young children love music and action songs. Here are some of the most popular songs and action songs for young children. They are most suitable for babies and children up to the age of 5 years. When singing these songs to the children you mind, try to do the actions as well and encourage your children to do the actions also.
HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
And eyes, and ears, and mouth,
And nose.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BisOdUvyoEQ
IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT…
If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands (Clap, Clap)
If you're happy and you know it,
Clap your hands (Clap, Clap)
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it*,
If you're happy and you know it,
Clap your hands (Clap, Clap).
If you're happy and you know it
Stomp your feet (Stomp, Stomp)
If you're happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet (Stomp, Stomp)
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Stomp your feet (Stomp, Stomp)
If you're happy and you know it
Shout "hurray"! (Shout "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
Shout "hurray"! (Shout "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Shout "hurray"! (Shout "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
Do all three (Clap, Clap, Stomp, Stomp, "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
Do all three (Clap, Clap, Stomp, Stomp, "Hur-ray!")
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Do all three (Clap, Clap, Stomp, Stomp, "Hur-ray!")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDSCgbSBwKA
ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN LIKE A TEDY BEAR (this is usually done on the palm of the child's hand)
Round and round the garden
Like a teddy bear.
One step, two step,
Tickle you under there!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m2mdzTE-oo
THIS LITTLE PIGGY (this action song can be done with the child's toes or fingers)
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy stayed home.
This little piggy had roast beef.
This little piggy had none.
This little piggy went Wee wee wee, all the way home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiIb7A6byII
OLD McDONALD
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a cow
E-I-E-I-O
With a moo moo here
And a moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo moo
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a pig
E-I-E-I-O
With a oink oink here
And a oink oink there
Here a oink, there a oink
Everywhere a oink oink
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a duck
E-I-E-I-O
With a quack quack here
And a quack quack there
Here a quack, there a quack
Everywhere a quack quack
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a horse
E-I-E-I-O
With a neigh neigh here
And a neigh neigh there
Here a neigh, there a neigh
Everywhere a neigh neigh
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old MACDONALD had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a sheep
E-I-E-I-O
With a baa baa here
And a baa baa there
Here a baa, there a baa
Everywhere a baa baa
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4RNIUrLLH0
THE WHEELS ON THE BUS
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All day long.
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish,
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish"
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish"
All day long.
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep"
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep"
All day long.
The babies on the bus says, "Wah, wah, wah!
Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah!"
The babies on the bus says, "Wah, wah, wah!"
All day long.
The Mummies on the bus say, "Shh, shh, shh,
Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh"
The Mummies on the bus say, "Shh, shh, shh"
All day long.
The people on the bus go up and down
Open and shut, open and shut
The people on the bus go up and down
All day long.
The bell on the bus goes ding, ding, ding,
ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding
The bell on the bus goes ding, ding, ding
All day long.
The door on the bus goes open and shut
Open and shut, open and shut
The door on the bus goes open and shut
All day long.
The driver on the bus says, "tickets, please"
"tickets, please""tickets, please"
The driver on the bus says, "tickets, please"
All day long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTcOFvLnXWk
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCjJyiqpAuU
INCY WINCY SPIDER
Incy Wincy spider climbing up the spout
down came the rain and washed the spider out
out came the sun and dried up all the rain
So, Incy Wincy spider went up the spout again!
http://www.youtube.com/user/kidscamp?v=JHKjmAR0_Zk
RING A RING O’ROSES
Ring-a-ring o' roses,
A pocket full of posies,
A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZdPCCKPDBY
Games and Activities:
Here are a few very simple and easy activities that you could try with your children. Feel free to try out some games from your own country also. Children love learning new games so they would be delighted if you showed them some of the games you played as a child.
For Babies:
- Bubbles
- Action songs and nursery rhymes
- Position them in different places so that they can see different things
- Talk to them when you are feeding them or changing their nappy
- Read them books, hold them so they can see the pictures – children are never to young to listen to a story!
For Young Children (Approx. aged 1 to 5):
- Bubbles. Children love bubbles but this game is best played outside, unless you want a sticky floor!
- Nursery rhymes and action songs (see above)
- Baking (see baking section)
- Shape sorting games
- Jigsaws
Playing with water. This can be done in the bath, in the sink (don't forget to use a big water proof apron) or best of all in the garden in a water bath. Tip: if playing with water outside, use luke warm water. The kids will love it!
Playdo. Here is a very simple recipe
http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/no-cook-play-dough-L2119.html
Art activities
For Older Children (aged 6+):
Hangman see www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufw7wr_ZyKc
Sea, land and sky see http://www.playworks.org/blog/game-week-land-sea-air
I spy see: http://www.wikihow.com/Play-the-I-Spy-Game
Secret Den: Children as young as three would love a Secret Den. This can be created in a large empty appliance box, under a table or by constructing a hiding place with blankets and cushions. Eat lunch in the hideout for a special treat. Imagine you are being discovered by pirates, or that your hideout is on a desert island. School age children might enjoy building a hideout themselves (with your help).
Art Activities
Flip Books: Using small post-it pads, draw a picture on each page that looks just a little bit different than the one on the previous page. When you flip the pages really fast, you can see some action.
Paper Chains: Kids can really get into these: Take many strips (about 2 x 8 inches or 5 x 20 cm) of construction paper (white paper will do too) and staple the first one into a circle. Form the next circle and loop it through the first one. Keep on going until your chain has the desired length. This is a fun project when you use "seasonal" colours, like red and green at Christmas, or orange and black for Halloween.
Make a life-size picture of themselves (for children over 3): Have the child lie down on a strip of wall paper (plain side forward) and draw an outline around the child. Let the child use crayons, markers or paint to put clothes and a face on the picture of themselves. They can then hang this in their room or on their door!
Paper Butterflies: Fold a piece of paper in half. Open the paper and drop small amounts of paint on half of the paper. Fold the paper in half again and rub your hand across the paper to spread the paint colours that are inside the folded paper together. With the paper still folded, cut out the shape of one side of a butterfly. Unfold the paper to see both sides of the butterfly. Allow the paint to dry, then cut out shape of a butterfly the body and add antennae if you wish.
Baking with children
Children of all ages love baking. Remember it doesn't have to be anything complicated, 'chocolate rice krispies buns' are a good bun to begin with. They are super simple and everyone loves them! Remember, its not the end of the world if the product isn't identical to the picture in the cookbook, the most important thing is that the children are involved and are enjoying it.
A little tip: always use bigger amounts than is mentioned in the recipe. You will find that the children might do some taste-testing throughout the making phase!!
CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE
Ingredients:
250g digestive biscuits
150g plain chocolate
150g milk chocolate
150g golden syrup
100g unsalted butter
75g raisins
100g dried apricots, chopped
60g chopped pecans (optional)
Steps:
- Use cling film to line a 20cm shallow, square-shaped tin. Leave extra cling film hanging over the sides.
- Bash the biscuits into pieces using a rolling pin. (Put them in a plastic bag first so they don’t go everywhere!)
- Melt chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the broken biscuits, apricots, raisins and pecans (optional).
- Spoon the mix into the tin. Level the surface by pressing it down with a potato masher.
- Leave to cool, then put the chocolate mixture in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
- Turn out the cake and peel off the cling film. Cut the cake into squares and enjoy!
OAT BISCUITS
Ingredients:
75 grams rolled oats
75 grams self-rising flour
75 grams sugar
75 grams margarine
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon golden syrup
Steps:
1- Grease the baking trays
2- Pour the flour into a bowl
3- Add the sugar and oats and stir with a wooden spoon until it's all mixed well
4- Pour the milk and margarine into a frying pan, and add the butter
5- Mix with a wooden spoon until it is a fairly soft mixture. Turn on the heat and melt the mixture into a liquid, until there are no bumps or lumps in the mixture
6- Once it is 100% liquid without any lumps, pour most of it in the mixing bowl and over the dry ingredients. Note: If you pour all of it, then it will become too sticky
7- Mix thoroughly
8- Take small pieces and roll into golf-sized balls with your hands
9- Place the balls on the greased baking tray and flatten them slightly
10- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the crunches look golden brown
11- Allow to cool for a few minutes on a cooling tray
FRUIT SMOOTHIES
Ingredients:
1 Banana
2 Peaches, sliced
60g Strawberries
125g Vanilla yoghurt
125ml orange juice
Steps:
1- First prepare the fruit. Peel and slice the banana and peaches. Remove the green leaves from the most of the strawberries. Cut the strawberries into slices.
Push strawberry slices and banana onto straws. Put all the other fruit in a blender and whizz. Pour the drink into a tall glass and put a straw into each glass. Enjoy!
'Bonjour!
Mary here. I just wanted to let you know that I've arrived and am safe here with the host family in Brittany. I'm here a week and a half now and everything is going great! The family are really so lovely and the children are very good! The parents are extremely helpful and are helping me so much with the language. I have also started classes and have made new friends from different countries so that is great! It feels like I have been here the whole time. I want to thank you once again, ever so much for all your hard work and help in finding me this family. I will always be extremely grateful! I know it's only the very start but I know I am going to have a great summer, all thanks to you! Thank you so much again, and I hope you have a lovely summer yourself also!'
Mary., Ireland
Mary here. I just wanted to let you know that I've arrived and am safe here with the host family in Brittany. I'm here a week and a half now and everything is going great! The family are really so lovely and the children are very good! The parents are extremely helpful and are helping me so much with the language. I have also started classes and have made new friends from different countries so that is great! It feels like I have been here the whole time. I want to thank you once again, ever so much for all your hard work and help in finding me this family. I will always be extremely grateful! I know it's only the very start but I know I am going to have a great summer, all thanks to you! Thank you so much again, and I hope you have a lovely summer yourself also!'
Mary., Ireland
