Whats in Your Nanny Bag 10 Items Nannies Should Bring With Them to the Job

What's in Your Nanny Bag 10 Items Nannies Should Bring With Them to the Job Image via Pixabay.com 1. Contact list First and foremost, you should have a list of phone numbers given to you by the parents or guardians. This list should contain phone numbers for them, the children’s physicians, any nearby relatives, and neighbors that you might need to reach out to in case of an emergency. Have this list with you at all times during the job so that you will be prepared if anything was to happen. 2. Books This is for you and the children. Bring you a copy of a book to read while the kids are down for a nap, and have something nice to read to them before bed or before that nap. 3. Snacks and drinks Those kids are going to start running low on energy at some point during the day. If you’re out and about, it’s nice to bring along some fun snacks to keep the kids feeling energetic and playful. A few water bottles or some juice pouches will help them stay hydrated, too. Consider yogurt, apples, pretzels, and packaged crackers for snacks. You can also check out this list of fun snacks you can prepare ahead of the job and bring along with you in your bag that will have the children thinking you’re the coolest nanny around. Image via Pixabay.com 4. Games Looking at an evening indoors? You should consider packing a few games into your nanny bag. They can be store-bought board games such as Operation or Candyland, or card games like Go Fish and Old Maid, or you could do a combination of either type of game. Keep in mind what the children’s ages are when deciding which games to bring along. You can also get creative and make your own games for the children to play just by using a few common tools. Another thing to think about is the children’s interests. If you know they’re all big fans of DC superheroes, you can research and write up some trivia questions based on the DC universe and then reward the winners with some fun DC-themed prizes! 5. Rules and important information from parents or guardians Before you arrive for any job, you should meet up with the parents and go over any rules they might have in place for the children. If they have a strict rule about not watching TV after seven o’ clock in the evening, take a note so that you won’t forget or be “misinformed” by children eager to stay up late and watch TV. A list of any food or other types of allergies, prescribed medications, and dosages is another important item to get from parents before your stay with the children starts. Read over it and have it memorized so that you’ll be more than ready to snap into action if something were to happen. 6. Extra set of childrens clothes Sometimes, there are accidents. If Billy spills sticky grape juice on the front of his shirt while on the way to the park, you’ll be happy to have something easy for him to swap into. Instead of speeding back to the house, you will have the clothes right there with you in the bag that Billy will be able to change into. So, you won’t have to postpone the trip and there’s more daylight for Billy to play and have fun! 7. Extra clothes for you Packing an extra set of clothes for yourself could save you the trouble of having to drive all the way back to your home to get an extra shirt. This is just in case Billy drinks too much before getting on the swing and gets sick all over your outfit or if there’s any other kind of accident that will require a change of clothes. It never hurts to be prepared! Image via Pixabay.com 8. Craft items Keeping a small stash of craft supplies in your nanny bag will ensure that your kids will stay entertained and get to show off their creative side! Suggest that the children make something for their parents and then hand out pieces of felt, yarn, stencils, colored construction paper, magic markers, fake feathers, beads, glue, glitter and let them decorate to their hearts’ content. This online list of kids’ craft ideas can give you a starting point if your kids love crafts and want to make more. 9. First aid kit Your nanny bag should have a first aid kit packed into it in case there’s a cut or scrape you need to handle. Your first aid kit should contain Band-Aids, antiseptic wipes, gauze, and other basic medical supplies that can be used to treat minor injuries. 10. Cell phone You’ll need to be able to get in contact with the parents if there’s an emergency or anything that needs to be reported to them immediately. Also, if there happened to not be a house phone, how else will you be able to call and order you and the kids a delicious pizza for a movie night? What do you pack in your nanny bag? Share with others by posting in the comments section below!