October is the start of fall and finishes with Halloween. A month that can be packed with fun themed activities. Here are a few that I have done with my host kids this month.
Pumpkin painting
We found some really cool painting sets for pumpkins at Target. They had themed ones like Cinderella and paw patrol. Painting is so much easier than carving, and every one that knows me, knows how clumsy I am, so to save me and the kids from any serious accidents painting was definitely the way to go.
I squirted some paint on the pumpkin and they could spread it out using a foam brush. Side note: it gets messy and pumpkins roll 😅. Then the packet came with some figures that you could stick into the pumpkin, just to give it something extra.
Baking
Pumpkin pie
After 2 weeks of my host kid asking if we could bake a pumpkin pie, I caved and went to buy the ingredients. Normally I would make the whole thing completely from scratch but to keep this as child proof as possible I went with a ready made crust and pumpkin pie mix. It was a quick and easy after school activity and he enjoyed it so much. I let him put the ingredients in the bowl and stir it altogether until it was ready to be put in the crust and in the oven. Pumpkin pie takes a long time so a movie is definitely the way to go to distract them and not have the question every 5 minutes ‘Is it done yet?’ 🤣
It was very yummy and not something we typically eat in Europe so it was nice to have all ingredients on hand and to be able to make a very American dish with my host kid.
Halloween cookies
We also made Halloween cookies, this is not an ad, but Target (again) had so many baking supplies for Halloween. I got cookie cutters and sprinkles and icing. I invited some other children round (Tamar and her host kids) and we were able to have a cookie decorating playdate. Every child was given 2 cookies and the rest was up to them. Did they use too much icing? Yes. Did most of the sprinkles end up being eaten? Yes. But they had so much fun and I think that is the most important part of the whole activity.
Pumpkin patch
I feel that every au pair goes to a pumpkin patch when they are here, mainly because the rest of the world is not as obsessed with pumpkins. It is a fun adventure to do with your host kids and many of them offer hayrides or playing opportunities for the children. And they love it that they are able to pick their own pumpkin to then paint (or carve). It also feels very festive when you are there and something that you need to experience.
Belgian Waffle Recipe
I love baking and cooking and 90% of the time you can find me in the kitchen. This means that most of the time while I was an au pair I was making nice breakfasts for the kids. Let’s be honest, they also did get cereal or oatmeal some mornings. Waffles Being from Belgium (kind…
Healthy Tomato Soup
You might be thinking, isn’t all tomato soup healthy? Well, probably, but this particular recipe is packed with hidden vegetables to make it even more nutritious. I grew up eating this soup, it has been a staple in my parents household for a long time, especially in the winter. It was one of the few…
Time for something new!
If you’ve been following the blog or know me, you know I was an au pair in North Carolina. My term ended in August and my stress level was through the roof of what to do next. This is still my most asked question ever! And I’m guilty of asking other au pairs to 😅.…
Hi Meisje
Weer een superleuke post! Well done!
Groetjes
mama
________________________________ Van: laura smiles Verzonden: maandag 2 november 2020 16:53 Aan: yolandaboudeling@hotmail.com Onderwerp: [New post] Fall Activities to do with Kids
laurasmiles posted: ” October is the start of fall and finishes with Halloween. A month that can be packed with fun themed activities. Here are a few that I have done with my host kids this month. Pumpkin painting We found some really cool painting sets for pumpkins”