Children's Crafts

On Wednesday, the girls get out of school early and I've promised that I will always have fun surprises for them. I have some really fun ideas for outings, and the girls have made a mailbox to put ideas in, but I have a few limitations:

- General Resources: There is a big craft cupboard, but I need to do inventory and figure out what I need and what I have.
- Inability to get more Resources: Eventually there will be an Au Pair allowance for buying any craft supplies I need, or taking the girls out (think like leaving pizza money for the babysitter, but with more freedom).
- Inability to Find more Resources: Tomrrow, I'm going to go to one of the three places available for shopping and see what I can find; Coop, which is in town and easy to get to (I could ride my bike) is just a very small grocery store. Albert Heijn is like a larger grocery store that would also have maybe some toiletries and bigger selection on items. Action, which is the best place, is like the Dutch version of Big Lots, and probably my best bet for finding good stuff. Action is the place I'm least certain I can find, but google maps says it should only take me 7 minutes to drive. How many things could I run into in 7 minutes?
- Ideas: If anyone has links to blogs that give good ideas for this stuff, PLEASE send them on to me! I'm looking for crafts or projects or games that will take up two hours, without needing a lot of explaining. Last week, we had kits to sew felt bird houses together and then we decorated with stickers, and that worked great. The girls are meticulous workers, so if I find something that allows for lots of detail, they will take advantage of it.

Once I'm better with the car, I'll take them to fun places (like a safari park that's nearby, or to a cafe to sit in Den Bosch) but in the meantime I'm more comfortable keeping them at home. On top of that, it's a rainy week here, so a lot of fun ideas are out just from messiness. It seems like every mom blog everywhere has suggested using shaving cream for marble paint, or to make clay, but I don't see that going well inside.

The godmother of all Au Pairs, Heike, came today to have tea with me and talk about how things are going. She's been a nanny for like 10 years, so while she isn't an Au Pair, she knows everyone and is great with helping people get connected. She was also very close with the au pair from two years ago, and suggested we could do outings together to the science center together with out children. That way I can feel more secure taking the girls out, and she can have someone to go with her. I need to make sure I stay connected with this woman and plan something fun-- she seems like the missing link I need to step up my game.

Does anyone have suggestions for projects I could do with the girls, or places we could go? I'm thinking science centers, zoos, even just going on the train to go somewhere and travel could be exciting (and the parents have already told me they are totally ok with it). What would make a day special for a 6 and 8 year old?