Nursery - Door Sign

Having worked in Nursery at church for several years, I noticed some recurring issues:

1) Parents who "hang out" in Nursery and don't attend their classes.  Too many adults leads to overcrowding and lots of times the adults end up socializing and ignoring the kids.  Not to mention that parents are missing their classes while we are taking time to provide a service for them so they can attend classes.

2) People coming and opening to door several times each hour (to check on their kids, drop something off, socialize, etc.).  My worry with the door opening is that a little one will slip out unnoticed or get bonked when the door opens.  It is also upsetting and/or distracting to the toddlers, especially if they are missing their parents.  We have windows in the door for parents to peek in because they do have the right to check in at any time.  They don't have the right to be a distraction though.

I put a JPG file up above of our door sign.  Here are the words below in case you'd like to copy and paste it and then reformat it.

Attention Nursery Parents:
Our nursery is so very full with children dear and sweet

We like to teach them lessons and give them snacks to eat

But with so many small ones, it sometimes gets quite loud

With all these little toddlers, it feels like a big crowd.

Every time the door opens, we cause disruption for the kiddos

We kindly ask that parents check on children through the windows.

Thank you for NOT opening the door during our class time.   

If you need something urgently, please KNOCK and we will quietly come to the door.

Also, we ask that no parents stay in the Nursery

unless you have been asked to sub. 

Thanks!  Your Nursery Leaders

Mother's Day "Thumb Bunny" Card

I was searching for a fun and simple gift to make with my nursery kids (age 18 months to 3 years) and I found this idea on-line at http://familyfun.go.com/mothers-day/mothers-day-cards-gifts/mothers-day-cards/thumb-bunny-card-662916/

The card on-line said "Some Bunny Loves You" on the front but I am going to be even more cheesy and put "Thumb Bunny Loves You" for a fun pun!

I will make the cards with the kiddos and then they can give the card to their mommies along with a bag of two cookies each (a cookie for mom and a cookie for the kiddo to eat together).

This could also be modified and used as a Teacher Appreciation card.

Thumb Bunny Card

As every parent knows, kids have a knack for leaving their fingerprints on everything. Now they can use this incredible skill to crank out a whole mess of adorable cards.

Materials Paintbrush
White acrylic paint
Paper plate
Colored card stock
Black and pink markers

Instructions Use the paintbrush to spread a thin layer of paint on the bottom of the paper plate -- this will be your ink pad.

Have your kids dip their thumbs into the paint and print them on the card. Their thumbprint will be the bunny's head. For the ears, have them press down only half of their thumb to make a long, skinny shape.

After the paint dries, they can decorate the face with markers, adding whiskers, eyes, and a nose.

Use a black marker to write "Some bunny loves you!" on the front of the card.

Tips: Even a really young child can make the thumbprints. A parent or an older child can offer to help out with the features and writing.

Nursery - Car Racetrack

I made this "racetrack" for our church nursery and it was a HUGE hit! All the kids gathered around to play with it during toy time.

Here is a picture of my son (older than Nursery age) playing with it after church. It is a lollypop in his mouth, not something else in case you were wondering...

Here's How I Made It:

1) I bought a 10 foot plastic raingutter from Lowes hardware store and cut it in half so that I could make two tracks (one for each nursery).

2) I put tape along the edges to make sure no one got cut. The edges weren't sharp, but I just wanted to be sure to make it really safe since the kids are little.

3) Then we drilled two holes at one end of the racetrack and tied ribbon through it so that we could secure the track to a chair.

I brought some Hot Wheels to church and the kids fell in love with the racetrack. We leave it in the nursery room so that all the wards can share it.

Nursery - List of Activities

I made these to use in Nursery at church. Print on cardstock, cut in half, attach magnets to the back. Then place on the magnetic chalkboard to let kids know what they are doing next.

Poem - Nursery (No Sick Kids Please!)

We posted this outside our nurseries on cute paper. Some people tend to send their children to Nursery or Primary even when they have very snotty noses, a cough or if they were sick the night before. They say "oh, it is just allergies" or "they don't have a fever anymore because I gave them Tylenol" or sometimes they just don't really notice. The Nursery can be a very germy place if standards are not set and maintained. This poem was a light-hearted way of reminding people of the rules. Sick kids need to stay home from church.

We all like to play, have fun and share.
But sharing our germs can be quite unfair.
Children get sick, you know this is true.
At a moment’s notice they’re down with the flu.
So, please keep them home with the sniffles or cough.
Everyone in the nursery will be much better off!