The best after school nannies do these 5 things

Yasmin Wahab
September 2024
3 min read

Bagged a brilliant part-time nanny role and wondering how to make a great impression from day 1? We asked parents what their nannies did that really wowed them.

1. Find out what food the kids like

Come up with 2-3 meals for the days you’ll work. This way, the parents know what food to buy and you know what to make.

Our free nanny recipe book has lots of simple family favourites, and is a great place to start.

2. Make an activity plan with the children

Making an activity plan is a great way to find out what they enjoy and create something visual. They’ll look forward to the activities you’ve planned together and the parents will love that you’re being proactive.

"Our part-time nanny Sophie would often think and plan ahead for her shifts – she'd usually share some of the things she'd found on Pinterest or other places in advance so we could start talking to the kids about them. It meant they'd be really excited about these new activities and we were really reassured that she was taking their care so seriously."

- Michelle

Parent of 2, aged 1 and 3

3. Text the family the night before

Sending the family a text the night before saying you’re looking forward to your shift the next day will earn you major nanny points. This will let them know you haven’t forgotten and reassure them how reliable you are.

4. Know how to manage tired kids

Whether you’re caring for school aged kids or littler ones, there will be times when the kids are exhausted and need down time. Check out this article on after-school restraint collapse and how to help young kids manage big emotions.

"When our 3-year-old was starting to feel really big emotions, our part-time nanny Sophie used her fantastic nursery experience to think about a themed week to help my daughter Poppy process them. Sophie even went on Pinterest to find something that would work for our youngest too, as he was only 1 at the time. It made a really big impact on Poppy, and 6 months later we still talk about the 'colour monster' when we're trying to help her process big emotions."

- Michelle

Parent of 2, aged 1 and 3

5. Know how to help with homework (it's different since we went to school!)

If you’re caring for primary-school aged kids, it’s very likely that you’ll be helping them with their homework. We’ve created these short bite-sized videos to get you up to speed.

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