Tag: activities for kids

Cool Your Jets! Top Spray Parks in the Seattle Area

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Hi! It’s Casey with Nanny Parent Connection, back with the latest video. I hope you’re all staying cool and hydrated with the incredibly hot weather we have had in the Seattle area over the past couple of weeks.

When the temperatures rise, one of the best ways to cool off is by visiting one of the many fantastic spray parks and water parks we have around the city. Whether you’re looking for a place for your nanny kids to splash around, or just somewhere to relax and enjoy the water yourself, Seattle has plenty of options to offer.

Today, we’re going to take you on a tour of some of the best spray parks and water parks in the Seattle area.

We’ll be highlighting the unique features of each park, sharing their addresses, and giving you all the information you need to plan your next outing.

So grab your sunscreen, water bottle, and let’s dive in!

Click the button below to watch and we hope you find it useful.

Click Here To Watch!

seattle spray parks

Continue reading “Cool Your Jets! Top Spray Parks in the Seattle Area” →

How To Use ChatGPT To Create Custom Stories For Your Kids

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Hi everyone. Laura from Nanny Parent Connection here.

As the days grow shorter, I’m beginning to think about indoor activities for my kids. Today, I am going to teach you how to use ChatGPT to create amazing, customized stories about your kids (or nanny kids).

My kids LOVED the story that I had ChatGPT write about them and your kids will to! There is no limit to the stories that ChatGPT can develop.

Does your child like the Berenstain Bears and superheroes? Build a story where the Berenstain Bears are superheroes with their own specific powers and your child joins them!

Don’t miss this amazing, free “pro tip” that just takes a few moments to set up. Enjoy!

Click Here To Watch!

chatgpt

Continue reading “How To Use ChatGPT To Create Custom Stories For Your Kids” →

Year in Review by Melissa the Princess Nanny (and Member Discount to Ring in 2021!)

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I can’t think of one person who is sad to see 2020 go. It’s been a trying year for us all. Thankfully, a new year brings a fresh start!  Here is a message of hope from a member of the Nanny Parent Connection community “Nanny Melissa” aka, Melissa the Princess Nanny – reminding you all we will get through this together.

It’s the most wonderful time of year again! Then again, with everything 2020 brought, saying that it’s the most wonderful time of this particular year isn’t a big stretch. Last year was a really rough year for many, many people. To top it all off, most of us had a very different holiday season.

My family of four (including our puppy, Princess Buttercup) spent the time quietly at home, away from our loved ones, which we view as just one more sacrifice that we are more than willing to make to get to better times again. That doesn’t necessarily make it easier, though.

“We have been enjoying the beautiful city parks Seattle has to offer while social distancing this year”

 In 2019, I was a busy full-time nanny and homeschooling Mom to a kindergartener. I was cosplaying as a hobby and form of therapy to help me work through my anxiety and PTSD, which led to me performing at kid’s birthday parties as Disney princesses on the weekends. In short, I was busy and it was a promising year!

Continue reading “Year in Review by Melissa the Princess Nanny (and Member Discount to Ring in 2021!)” →

My Secret “Socially Distanced Outings” Around Seattle: Sammamish Animal Sanctuary

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This is the third part in a series of posts that I will be publishing in the coming months about my secret “socially distanced outings” that I have been taking our kids on recently (click here to read my first post and here to read the second post). Yes, we continue to visit places like Carkeek Park and some unique places for bike/scooter riding (more on these later) but with the reopening of local playgrounds and parks, the husband and I have begun to grow a bit uncomfortable with the number of people milling around places like Discovery Park, Seward Park, etc. As many of us have learned, it is very hard to stay six feet away from others on trails, beaches and open areas.

My childhood of climbing trees, fishing, building hay forts, swimming in the river, and riding horses on my family’s farm in Forks, WA couldn’t be more different than how my own children are growing up in Seattle.

I never felt this more than when my son recently asked me if a cow he saw had tusks!!! Needless to say, I love any opportunity I can give them to spend time in a farm setting (and obviously we need to do it more).

Sammamish Animal Sanctuary
Laura (age 10) and her horse Dusty on the family farm in Forks, WA

The Sammamish Animal Sanctuary is a place where neglected animals get a second chance at a happy existence. The animals receive any necessary medical attention, loving care, and in some cases are adopted out.

Continue reading “My Secret “Socially Distanced Outings” Around Seattle: Sammamish Animal Sanctuary” →

My Secret “Socially Distanced Outings” Around Seattle: Kubota Garden

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This is the second part in a series of posts that I will be publishing in the coming months about my secret “socially distanced outings” that I have been taking our kids on recently (click here to read my first post in this series). Yes, we continue to visit places like Carkeek Park and some unique places for bike/scooter riding (more on these later) but with the reopening of local playgrounds and parks, the husband and I have begun to grow a bit uncomfortable with the number of people milling around places like Discovery Park, Seward Park, etc. As many of us have learned, it is very hard to stay six feet away from others on trails, beaches and open areas.

Nearly every routine our family had has been thrown off by the COVID-19 pandemic. One silver lining is that we have been challenged to get off our beaten path to find new activities to do and places to go when we are getting “cabin” fever. A few months back I shared my favorite summertime outing that was great for social distancing.

Today, I want to share a fantastic outing in South Seattle: the Kubota Garden.

We went to the Kubota Garden on a cool, gray day recently. I hadn’t been there for nearly 18 years, and it was always a place I had meant to take the kids, and today was the day. We loaded everyone up and headed out for a new adventure – everyone was excited but confused about what kind of “garden” we were going to!

Continue reading “My Secret “Socially Distanced Outings” Around Seattle: Kubota Garden” →

My Secret “Socially Distanced Outings” Around Seattle: Boeing Creek at Shoreview Park

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This is the first part of a series of posts that I will be publishing in the coming weeks about my secret “socially distanced outings” that I have been taking our kids on recently. Yes, we continue to visit places like Carkeek Park and some unique places for bike/scooter riding (more on these later) but with the sunny weather, the husband and I have begun to grow a bit uncomfortable with the number of people milling around places like Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, etc. As many of us have learned, it is very hard to stay six feet away from others on trails, beaches and open areas during sunny afternoons and weekends.

I’ve really been feeling the weight of our world on my shoulders lately, and I know many of you have been too. It’s been a difficult few months as we’ve had to alter nearly every facet of daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly for the time being, outings with the kids are no longer filled with playgrounds, play dates, and trips to the Woodland Park Zoo (although they just reopened!), Seattle Children’s Museum, and Pacific Science Center.

 

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We have been trying to get the kids out and about each day to bike and scooter for some good exercise and fun. Ella Bailey Park in Magnolia has a great space for this, and we’ve been taking advantage of the Stay Healthy Streets frequently as well. The beach has been another life-saver for us (especially Picnic Point Park), and a very popular play destination with the kids!

One silver lining in all of this has been that with many of our usual destinations closed, we’ve made a point to explore some new places. We have found several gems that we have never gone to before. I want to share these with you because I wish I would have found them sooner!

This is the first of my “secret” spots I will be sharing with you. A crucial element to all of these outings is that good social distancing is possible. It’s worth noting that each one I will share with you are kid-approved, and were two enthusiastic thumbs up by my own kids…eight thumbs up total 🙂

Continue reading “My Secret “Socially Distanced Outings” Around Seattle: Boeing Creek at Shoreview Park” →

Coronavirus Outbreak: Free Educational Resources

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Our world is facing scary and unprecedented times with concerns of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Social distancing, school closures, toilet paper hoarding, canceling both major and minor events, and a new genre of internet memes are the new norm across the world.

Many of us are trying to stay as positive as possible during these difficult times.

coronavirus child care

I have seen so many examples of kindness, caring, and compassion all around.

  • More door-holding so the next person doesn’t have to touch the door.
  • Offers to donate food and supplies to those who can’t afford to buy extras.
  • Offers by parents to other parents to swap child care in small groups.

The list goes on and on, and I’m sure this is only the beginning. Thanks to everyone who is in a position to donate, help, and “extend a hand” to those who are in need.

With schools across the United States ordered closed, many parents and care providers are working hard to figure out how they can keep kids busy with academic activities to maintain some form of a regular, structured learning schedule each day.

Pro Tip: Don’t let planning this be too much of a stress on you!  (There are plenty of other things we have no control over presently that we are already stressed about, right?!). It doesn’t have to be all math, science, and history – though there are plenty of ways to make those subject matters enjoyable.

  • Bring back the study of home economics with cooking, sewing, nutrition, or money management lessons.
  • Let your kids choose some fun “electives” like music, YouTube Art, or online coding projects.
  • Go out on a family bike ride, hike, or a trip to the beach for physical education and a biology lesson in one!  
  • A lot of learning happens during unstructured play time, too!

free educational resources

There have been so many great, creative and in some cases free educational resources popping up in light of this extended school closure.

While I know this list is not comprehensive, I thought it would be a good idea to try to put some of these in one place to help parents and nannies with ideas to keep school-aged kids busy while they are at home.

Continue reading “Coronavirus Outbreak: Free Educational Resources” →

New Feature Alert: Find Playdates on the CareCalendar!

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During the past week, I have been speaking with members about how the CareCalendar has been working for them. Several members all had the same fantastic idea:

“Could we use the CareCalendar to set up playdates/meetups?”

Yes! That’s a great suggestion and today we launched two new event categories for the CareCalendar: City of Seattle – Playdates and East King County – Playdates.

If you would like to find other parents and/or care providers that are looking to set up playdates, simply visit the CareCalendar by clicking here.

Then, click on All Event Categories and select either “City of Seattle – Playdates” or “East King County – Playdates”. Browse the different playdate postings and if you see one of interest, direct message the other member and set it up!

carecalendar playdates

Or you can post your own playdate by clicking on the pink Add Child Care Event button and then selecting either the City of Seattle – Playdates or East King County – Playdates category.

If members find this new feature useful, we will expand it to the North King County, South King County, Pierce County and Snohomish County areas.

How is the CareCalendar working for you? Do you have a feature idea you’d like to see us implement? Send me an email and let me know!

P.S. Check out this great article about the importance of playdates from CloudMom by clicking here!

 

Seattle’s Seven Favorite Holiday Things

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There is so much to love about the holidays in the Seattle area!

We love finding new ways to create lasting memories and also begin new traditions each year, or find new and unique shops for finding that perfect gift. Some are nice to check out a time or two, and some have become favorite outings or shops that my family looks forward visiting to annually.

This year, I chatted with dozens of NPC members, friends, and neighbors to come up with Seattle’s FAVORITE Holiday Things. I wanted to hear about the traditions, shops, events, and activities that people enjoy this time of year.

So, what are Seattle’s Favorite Holiday Things? Here is what Seattle residents are buzzing about this year:

Favorite Thing #1: Fun with Trains…and Boats!
Santa Train out of Snoqualmie

The Santa Train has been a favorite tradition for families in the area since 1969. Hop on the train at the North Bend Depot for a quaint ride to Snoqualmie. While there, check out the Snoqualmie Depot for a visit with Santa Claus. Our family has gone before and it’s really fun! Enjoy cookies and cocoa or coffee on the Museum’s restored railway kitchen car and visit local shops and attractions before the train ride back to the North Bend Depot.

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Riding Link Light Rail with the Kids: The Best $6.50 Spent!

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The husband takes our kids to Carkeek Park several times a week during the summer to run around, climb on the playground equipment, and dig in the sand. All of our little ones are fascinated by the freight, Sounder and Amtrak trains that go zooming past several times per day. So he came up with a novel idea: a train ride for the kids! Read on to hear about their adventure…

Link Light Rail

Laura is correct – our kids are absolutely fascinated by trains. So I decided to take them on a train ride! Given the fact that our twins are two years old and still require a nap in order to prevent insanity and meltdowns, my #1 goal with this train trip was to have it last no more than three hours “door to door”. Also, I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on tickets.

Unfortunately, we are a bit limited in our area with passenger heavy rail service. We’re stuck with either Amtrak or the Sound Transit Sounder which runs from Everett to Lakewood.

Amtrak

Proposed Route: Everett to Tacoma

Being a native of Seattle, I can recall from an early age hearing adults speak pretty poorly about Amtrak and its service. While I have never ridden an Amtrak train before, I do hear from friends/family that the service is much improved although you do need to be aware of delays and service interruptions.

My initial thought was, “Hey, let’s jump on an Amtrak train from Everett to Tacoma and then come back”. Yeah….that didn’t happen. Here’s why:

Continue reading “Riding Link Light Rail with the Kids: The Best $6.50 Spent!” →