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Week 13 · Dec 7–Dec 11, 2026
Homes & Winter Traditions
Illustrated film
A noticing walk
Walk slowly. Name one thing you see, one you hear, one you can touch.
Morning outing
Menil campus
MontroseMostly indoor
We have no confirmed hours for this place. Check its website before you go.
Draw
Sit facing one building or bungalow for 5 minutes. Your child sketches its roof, door and windows. Ask who might live or work there.
- 1Sit for five quiet minutes.
- 2Let your child make a field sketch — messy is perfect.
- 3Ask for the story of the drawing.
Free, quiet, and beautiful. Park lawn is as important as the galleries. Whisper voices inside.
Outing bag
0/6
Menil campus · draw kit. Use supplies already at home; follow the venue’s rules.
If useful
Afternoon · nanny guide
Set out one activity at a time. Shorten or stop when the child needs rest.
Quiet
15–20 minfelt board + lacing.
Set out: felt board + lacing. · A comfortable quiet spot
- Set out the quiet choices before lunch ends. Invite the child to choose one; keep the other choices nearby.
- Demonstrate just the first puzzle piece, lacing hole, or pattern. Stay nearby and let the child continue without correcting the result.
- Offer a familiar book if frustration grows. Give a two-minute warning before putting the materials in their basket together.
Try saying: “Would you like help getting started, or would you like to try?”
Circle
10–15 minRead & explore U,J
Set out: Where the Wild Things Are · The Wild Robot · Paper · Crayon
- Read Where the Wild Things Are together for about five minutes. Stop at one illustration and connect it to something seen at Menil campus.
- Write U and J on separate cards. Model the short u in up; then j as in jump. Invite the child to trace one with a finger and find it on the book cover. Point to it yourself if help is needed.
- Read a short passage from The Wild Robot for 3–5 minutes, stopping at a natural break. If attention fades, switch back to looking at pictures. Mark the place for tomorrow.
Try saying: “What do you notice in this picture that reminds you of our outing?”
After Circle · clap three words
2–3 minutes with the nanny. Listen to each word, clap its parts together, and choose the number. Then return to the day’s Studio activity.
Studio
15–20 minTurn a sketch into a model
Set out: Morning sketch · Large blocks or play dough · Paper · Crayons
- Look together at the drawing from Menil campus. Ask the child to choose one part to build.
- Use blocks or dough to recreate that part. Let the child decide where each piece goes; offer help with joining pieces only when asked.
- Look back at the sketch. Invite one change to the model, then let the child explain what it does. Write down one sentence beside the drawing.
Try saying: “Show me the part you want to make. What could we use for it?”
Late day
10 min together, then 30–45 min playSnack, movement & free play
Set out: Usual family-approved snack · Water · One familiar song · Open-ended toys
- Wash hands and sit together for snack and water. Follow the family’s food and rest routines.
- Play a familiar song. Spend two minutes clapping its beat, then move slowly and quickly with the music. Pause it for a freeze game; let the child lead a turn.
- Offer two play choices, such as blocks or pretend play. Stay available while the child directs the play, without adding another lesson.
- Give a five-minute transition warning. Tidy one small area together and tell the parents one specific discovery from today.
Try saying: “Would you like to build or pretend? You can choose how the story goes.”
Books today
After lunch, offer two books and let the child choose. During Circle, revisit one favorite illustration and ask what happened first and next.
- Where the Wild Things Are — Maurice Sendak
- The Gruffalo — Julia Donaldson
- Stuck — Oliver Jeffers
- The Rabbit Listened — Cori Doerrfeld
Chapter read-aloud: The Wild Robot. Read for 3–5 minutes and bookmark the stopping point.
Full basketMusic
Copland + soul + Celtic. Play in the car 2-3 times; one 5-minute listening session; one instrument/movement session.
- Choose one familiar song from this week’s music. Listen once at a comfortable volume.
- Replay it and clap the beat together. Invite the child to choose a movement for the chorus.
- Pause for a freeze game, then let the child lead. Finish after 5–10 minutes while it is still fun.
Nanny note
Write the day the way it happened. Parents read it in the journal.
- 1.
Parents · Week 13
Procure books & supplies
Homes & Winter Traditions
- 1–2 weeks ahead: choose 2–4 books to borrow or order. Check home for project supplies, procure missing items, and arrange any tickets or reservations.
- Before the week starts: mark books and materials as ready when they are available. Tell the nanny where to find them and what is still missing.
- During the week: respond to the nanny’s requests for missing supplies or replacements.
Parents · procure for the project
winter village
Buy, borrow, or find the materials below before the week starts. Make them available to the nanny; the nanny prepares the pieces and leads the project.
Gather for one child
0/7 readyCheck home first. Quantities cover this project; substitutes are fine.
Gather at home
Books to borrow or order
Start with 2–4 picture books from this basket. Borrow from your library, reuse favorites, or order ahead. You do not need to buy all 15.
Amazon links search by title and author. Check the edition, format, seller and delivery date there before ordering.
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
- Amazon
Chapter read-aloud: The Wild Robot
Find chapter book on AmazonNanny · Week 13
Prepare & lead the week
- Before the first session: check the materials, do the cutting, folding or assembly below, and set up the project bin during your workday.
- Each day: check weather and venue plans, pack the outing bag, set out books and music, and follow the daily nanny guide.
- After the activity: clean up, save unfinished work, and share one observation or supply request with the parents.
Nanny · prepare and lead
winter village
Use the books and materials the parents have provided. During your workday, prepare the pieces, set up the space, lead the sessions, and put the work away. Tell the parents if anything is missing.
Nanny setup · before the first session
- Wash and dry cartons in advance. Cut paper roof rectangles and clear a tray for the village.
- Nanny: allow 15–20 minutes during your workday for setup before the first project session. Set aside three 15–20 minute making sessions; stop earlier if the child is ready.
Monday · 15–20 min
Start the project
- Choose where each home will sit and tape it to the base.
- Show one small step, then let the child try. Offer help with joining or holding pieces; accept the child's version.
- Put the work and remaining materials together on the project tray for the next session.
Thursday · 15–20 min
Build on it
- Fold paper roofs, add windows, and draw paths between the homes.
- Show one small step, then let the child try. Offer help with joining or holding pieces; accept the child's version.
- Put the work and remaining materials together on the project tray for the next session.
Friday · 15–20 min
Finish & share
- Name the people who might live there and show how they visit one another.
- Show one small step, then let the child try. Offer help with joining or holding pieces; accept the child's version.
- Write one exact sentence the child says about the work and share it with the family.
Keep for next time: Keep the project on a named tray, out of reach between sessions. Leave wet work flat to dry. Return reusable tools to the shelf after Friday.
Friday nanny note
A few lines for the parents. Nothing fancy.