A treasure hunt (or scavenger hunt) is a wonderful special idea to fill up an afternoon. This particular treasure hunt was for my charge Max to celebrate his 6th birthday - and needless to say he loved it! Max and his brother spent ages running round the house finding clues and working them out! At the end of the hunt, his prize was his birthday presents; giving the boys some lovely new toys to play with. We even managed to make a display out of the materials used. I really recommend a treasure hunt as an exciting adventure for your kids or charges! A hunt like this can be prepared in just a few hours. I would love for as many of you as possible to give this a try, so please do share it with people you think would enjoy it and let me know if you are successful in making your own scavenger hunt! The theme for our treasure hunt was Harry Potter, Max’s favourite (it was his birthday after all!) I think the concept below would equally suit well for Ancient Egyptians or even for pirates, it’s just a matter of finding the right props. For a scavenger hunt like this you will need: Some paper and a printer (black and white will do) 2 or 3 teabags Some ribbon (mixed colour or same colour, up to you) Some props suitable to your theme Costumes to wear whilst doing the scavenger hunt (if possible!) Some sort of prize! Step one: Write your clues (and print them out) This part takes a little creativity. I tried to make my clues rhyme, but that’s not totally necessary. I think it’s important to keep them a little bit cryptic but not too complicated - bear in mind that if your child doesn’t understand the clue it will take some of the excitement out of the scavenger hunt! I wrote a total of ten clues, which kept the boys busy for a good half hour. I typed out my clues using the Harry Potter type font here: flamingtext.com/logo/Design-Harry-Potter Remember that the clues need to link together! I found that the easiest way was for each clue to direct the boys to a different part of the house. Where needed I also attached props to the clues (again, this isn’t totally necessary). The first clue should probably introduce your charge(s) to the treasure hunt, and the last one should be a congratulatory note to go with the prize. The key is the shoes (a winged key in the shoe closet) For the rest, each clue directed the boys to look for something specific in a room or place in order to find the next one. Where you hide the clues is totally up to your imagination - just make sure they’re in safe, reachable locations. I hid a clue next to a broom in a cleaning room and another close to ‘Moaning Myrtle’s toilet’ (make sure it’s clean!) It’s probably a good idea to write down the number of each clue and where you want to put it on a separate sheet of paper to keep track yourself and make sure all the clues fit together properly, as it can get a little confusing. When you’ve prepared your clues, print them out on separate sheets of paper - I used an A4 sheet for each piece and then ripped them down to size. Step two: Tea stain and dry your clues When all of your clues are written, printed and sized, you can tea stain them. I put two tea bags in a mug, added a little warm water and then poured the tea concentrate onto the clues (both sides) before drying them with a hairdryer. You could also leave them to dry overnight. Step three: Wrap your clues with ribbon I found a bunch of old ribbons from various past birthday gifts, Christmas wrapping and boxes of chocolate. If you haven’t got a variety of ribbons lying around you could just buy a single spool from a craft store and wrap them up in a colour of your choice. I numbered them too to ensure I had them corresponding to the right clue and knew where to put them. Step four: Prepare your props Of course, props that you can find around your house are preferable. However, if your scavenger hunt has a particular theme it may be worth nipping to the toy store to ensure you have a few options. Remember, props are not totally essential - if your clues simply direct your kids to a different room or area to look around then you don’t necessarily need them, but I found they made the whole experience more fun! One of my favourites was the picture frame - try printing a picture from the internet and hide it in a frame instead of the usual photo to make a cunning hiding place (I used ‘The Fat Lady’ from Harry Potter)! Step five: Hide your props and your clues… … And tell any other people in the house not to touch them or tidy them away! Remember the first clue is typically an introductory clue, so leave this somewhere easy to find. For example, I stuck Max’s first clue on the front door so he saw it as soon as he came home from school! Step six: Hide your reward Be sure so hide your reward in a special hiding place if possible; just make sure it’s not too difficult to find! Equally, you may wish to do as I did and put the last ‘clue’ as a congratulatory note with your prize (if you have one). Max’s was easy - it basically said ‘Well done, Happy Birthday, enjoy your gifts’. We attached a load of balloons to it and hid it right back next to the front door to give the scavenger hunt a cyclical structure. Step seven: Ready for action! Have your camera ready to capture some of the magic as it unfolds If it’s appropriate, you may also want to have some costumes hidden together with your first clue. Encourage the kids to dress up and they will really be in the zone. We prepared Harry Potter style glasses, wands and ‘capes’ for the boys which just made the whole experience seem a little more ‘real’. Bonus step: Make a display When we finished our treasure hunt it seemed a shame to throw our clues away so Max and I glued it into a mini display to put up on his playroom door. Do with yours as you wish! You can do your treasure hunt inside or outside - I chose inside as it was cold, but outside would be fun too! Just bear in mind that if your kids have to go and search somewhere muddy you might not want them back inside again until they’ve washed up a bit! So go and give this a try, put some heart into it and your kids will love it. If you enjoyed this idea please share it on Facebook ! We will have more free time activities, crafts and games ideas coming up on the blog next week. Register as a job seeker with Jobs in Childcare to apply for jobs and to receive information on excellent international tutor, nanny and governess vacancies worldwide. If you are an agency then sign up to post on Jobs in Childcare to connect with the best candidates worldwide!

We have a fantastic guest blog today written by our lovely Nanny Maryanne ( nannymaryanne.com ). You can find out more about her and how to contact her at the end of the post! As a parent or nanny, have you ever had a gut feeling that your children are playing video games when they could be running in the fresh air looking to make mud pies? Or perhaps their blackberries are clicking away at the dinner table and they are unable to be emotionally present? Well, your gut is spot on, so listen to it! A little goes a long way Don’t get me wrong, a little tv/ tech time is truly awesome. We have so many amazing advances in technology that it would be simply bananas for children not to show interest in it. These days we are able to keep up with family members and friends using technology with a quick press on a button! The benefits of interactive play many ipads and smart devices have are just great! Through participating in these touch screen games and activities they can help develop: Children’s memories Creativity and imagination Dynamic thinking Promotes teamwork skills Problem-solving Education skills However, there is an extremely fine line between a little and a lot. Whether it’s in the car, bus, at home, you name it- screens are popping up in front of children’s faces more than ever before! In attempts to “hush ” our children, we are suddenly left with 2 years olds who can switch on devices and jump into a game back to front but have no desire to jump on scooters and have adventures outside! Do you know what’s happening to your child? Influence on behaviour As a parent or nanny, have you ever noticed your child come off technology suddenly super cranky and emotional? You’ll know when your child has had too much screen time, this is the most common reaction! Just as your child’s little brain is craving to be fed with everything it needs, their emotional wellbeing is also incredibly important to be nourished! Children rely heavily on relationships and human interaction to balance their feelings and communicate. By practising this through human relationships helps children’s understanding of their emotions, and other people’s feeling grow. Games simply do not have the same level of support and understanding we’d give to them. This is why often children will come off games frustrated, angry and grumpy. Try incorporating media literacy into real-life activities I understand in this day and age, many children are fascinated by media and may not show sudden interest for any other activities. So by incorporating this behaviour activity, you can relate to media yet also give your child/teen a break! Movie/book re-enactment! Have your child pick their favourite movie or book and ask them to pretend to be a character from the story. Dress up, use a few home items as props! Perhaps focus on an emotional scene. Ask your child how is their character feeling/what’s happened/how are we going to solve the problem? Now you’ll suddenly be teaching your child a whole lot and having fun at the same time! Influence on the brain If many children only know of an object from their iPads, how can their brains possibly get the full sensory experience? How does your child know if a flower is going to smell good, be soft to touch or the thorns would prick their hands if they have only seen it on a screen? The brain is such an amazing, complex structure. Children’s brains are like little sponges hungry to be filled with all types of information, senses and experiences. A little tech time can be educational but too much of it, and their brains will simply not be stimulated the same way it used to be, even as close as 20 years ago! In 1999 children were spending more than 3 hours a day with televisions and now it’s jumped up to a whopping 7 hours a day! Suddenly, this dramatic dive in physical activity, social interaction, adventure and new senses experienced means our children’s brains are really only half getting what they and their brains truly need! Take your kiddos favourite movie just as we did before and make up the ending! Perhaps encourage a family movie night and after, encourage your children to make a better/more exciting ending! (For ages 2-6) Create a simple sensory tray using things around the house. Perhaps flowers from the garden/ pasta/ rocks/ fussy cushion covers/ jelly. As your kiddo to describe the texture of each and what they see/feel/hear/ taste (if edible)/ and smell. Influence on health and wellbeing Did you know there is a direct link between child obesity and too much screen time? It is completely shocking how little physical activity our children are getting in today’s society! According to guidelines, children need at least 60 minutes a day of exercise and a minimum of 3 days a week. More time sitting than participating in exercise can lead to: Increased risk of developing disabilities Exhibiting violent behaviour Increased blood pressure Obesity Lack of social skills leading to loneliness Delayed language ability Instead of screen time, make a new routine perhaps one night a week which involves one of the following: Family swimming Half an hour meditation try this one (although there are many other amazing guided meditations to try!) A walk in the park after nursery/school Obstacle course (try in your garden and use old cardboard boxes and holla hoops- this can also be great fun!) Family race -try in your garden or at the park (egg and spoon race, three-legged race, bean bag, you name it!) As a nanny or a parent, you can trust your gut. If you have a feeling, it is there for a reason! That on its own will already create an amazing little human! As always please let me know your thoughts on our digital age and whether you agree with me down below! Nanny Maryanne x Many thanks again to Nanny Maryanne for the guest post! You can follow her at facebook.com/nannymaryanne  ,  nannymaryanne.com  or find her on Instagram at @nanny_maryanne where she shares loads of useful tips and techniques! Register as a job seeker   with Jobs in Childcare to apply for jobs and to receive information on excellent international tutor, nanny and governess vacancies worldwide.   If you are an  agency  then sign up to post on Jobs in Childcare to connect with the best candidates worldwide!

Would you like more job offers? Maybe you’re missing out on this easy way to improve your resume! Adding a photograph to your CV is a good opportunity to provide a first impression of yourself as a professional and presentable member of staff, and a good way to help a recruiter remember your application. In this blog post we have two quick ways to use photos that may improve your job application success rate. Firstly, we will look at how to take a great photo to enhance your CV. Secondly, we will consider how to use additional photos that may improve your application: photos that you can send along with your CV, cover letter and or any references or copies of qualifications/ certificates you are sending. A quick disclaimer - There is an ongoing debate (particularly in the UK and USA) about whether including a photo on your CV is ethical. In certain areas/ industries, CVs can be rejected outright if they contain a photo due to discrimination requirements. On the other hand, in countries like Australia, a photo can be required along with a job application. For the purposes of this blog, we are assuming that you are applying for a role where including photos on your CV is acceptable and encouraged. In our experience the majority of families, as private employers, will appreciate the chance to visualise how you might fit into their family. If you believe that including a photo may damage your application, don’t do it! It’s worthing bearing in mind (as noted on City Cv ) that having a link to your LinkedIn profile on your CV is perfectly acceptable. So, let’s talk about the primary photo for your CV first As noted on technojobs.co.uk/ , a CV photo is a great way to make your CV stand out. So, if you do chose to include a photo on your CV, use these tips to make the photo an opportunity for you to show your best side and put your best foot forward for this first step. We recommend preparing and taking a photo specifically for your CV rather than trying to find a Facebook photo you’ve already got that’s suitable for this purpose. Time to commit to being a professional!   1. Dress sensibly Our general advice on this is to dress as if you are preparing for your first day at work. Presumably not a suit and tie for most childcare positions, but a smart, clean shirt, a polo, a t-shirt or a smart blouse should be fine, ideally in fairly neutral colours. As a general rule try to avoid anything garish, clothes that look worn or have holes in them and any particularly loud slogans or outlandish images. Likewise, try to move hair off your face and keep your hair tidy! 2. Smile Remind everybody that you will be pleasant to work with and that hiring you will be a pleasant experience by showing your positive side. Try to smile as genuinely as possible (it may help to have a friend tell a joke) and remember to brush your teeth! 3. Frame and positioning Show your potential employer that you have a bit of common sense by positioning yourself in the centre of a frame and not too close to the camera (think passport photo-style headshot). Try to frame yourself in a setting that is easy on the eyes - preferably inside, against a neutral colour white or cream wall. Avoid busy backgrounds, mirrors, or anything that may confuse the image - we have seen some photos that were obviously taken in nightclubs - no, thank you. Also avoid photos with other people, even if they have been cut out of the original image. And no random cut off arms from a bodiless person draped around your shoulder! N.B. A common problem for recruiters is the ‘wedding crop’. Candidates often try to use a wedding photo on their CV because they are well dressed - be aware that a close-up of your face with your friends/ cocktail cropped out is not as good as a CV photo taken for that purpose! Nothing too crazy please - this isn’t a modelling contract!   4. Lighting - no filters, not too dark Remember that this photo isn’t for your Instagram profile! No strange filters; and check the lighting is a good level - photos that are dark and hide your features do you a disservice. Remember you are presenting yourself in the best light here! (pun intended, apologies). Poor lighting, sunglasses, not facing the camera - a photo like this one is unlikely to do you any favours!   5. Ask for help taking the photo If in doubt, ask a friend who’s good with photography to help you set up for your photo - take their advice on hair and clothing, and have them take the photo rather than doing it in selfie mode. Of course, it helps to have a friend with a professional camera or at the very least a high-quality phone camera. This is likely to save you time and effort. Ask a friend for help! Now, regarding additional photos that can accompany your cover letter: Additional photos are a great chance to show potential employers your best side, your suitability for the role itself and any other talents you may have - so don’t forget to put them in! We find that additional photos are particularly beneficial for nannying, governor or governess work. The chance to demonstrate your extra skills helps an employer or recruiter to really visualise them. Your talents may be sporting, musical, technical or otherwise extra-curricular. If you can provide them, photos playing a sport or game with a child, swimming, riding bikes together, teaching chess, piano, guitar can work wonders for your application. The options are endless - but make sure all photos are relevant and high quality! Up to 5 or 6 photos can be a great complement to your cover letter, more may be overwhelming. If you’re not sporting or musically talented, Photos with previous charges may also help to demonstrate your confidence and natural apt for working with kids. Have you got photos from a kids’ club you used to run? Working on arts and crafts? Or even working in a school, if that’s something you’ve done? They may help your cause too, so show us your talents! Again, if you’re in any doubt as to which photos add to your application and which may be detrimental- ask for help. A second opinion from a friend or someone working in the same industry as you may be invaluable. OK - that’s all for now! We hope this article has been interesting and useful for you. If you’re still unsure about this you can research online - here are some videos that may give you a better idea of how to take a great photo for your CV: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Eq4GMEI0WQ (from katebranch.com ) For something a little more serious - www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrC9eUwPIoo (from michellephan.com ) If you have any tips of your own for using photos to enhance your application - please share them with us below. REMEMBER - YOU MUST ALWAYS ASK PARENTAL OR GUARDIAN PERMISSION BEFORE INCLUDING PHOTOS OF THEM OR THEIR CHILDREN WITH YOUR APPLICATION. For more tips on how to build a great resume check out Top 10 Resume Tips! Register as a job seeker with Jobs in Childcare to apply for jobs and to receive information on excellent international tutor, nanny and governess vacancies worldwide.