Find experienced child care providers in Ferndale, WA

I was a Nanny/Cook for 4 children for 4 yrs. We had a wonderful time staying active with arts, games, physical activities and outings to parks and museums. I believe children want to be capable, self motivated and co-operative. Each child is unique in their verbal, physical, creative and behavioral skills. I take time to watch, learn and listen to each child to give them the respect they deserve for who they are, what they are interested in and how they prefer to interact. I let the child lead during free play, allowing them the time and space to experiment, learn and grow from their experiences. During play, I talk with the child using a variety of words to help with vocabulary. I also give enthusiastic positive reinforcement to behaviors that are wanted to keep the child safe, happy and helpful. I enjoy being playful and interactive with children to demonstrate that I value their “world” as important and interesting. I will model appropriate behavior by listening to them and using kind language. This approach helps to develop children’s trust and co-operation. I believe in enforcing firm, consistent and fair boundaries with natural consequences and explanations the child can understand. I realize a child will push against specific boundaries until they understand and make it part of their daily habits and routines. For more challenging behaviors, I believe in time outs as long as the child has a basic understanding of why they were put in a time out and that they know the time out will come to an end in a reasonable amount of time (young children only need a few minutes). I enjoy talking about different foods, explaining why some foods are good for our physical health and some foods are not so good. I find that if the child can be a part of the meal preparation they are more likely to be interested in eating the meal. I respect each child’s food likes and dislikes while still introducing new foods, knowing children’s food preferences will change over time. I keep myself physically and mentally healthy so I can handle the amount of energy it takes to interact with children while also keeping the house under control. Clear communication with parents is important. My goal is to be helpful. If there is something I am doing wrong, I would rather know so I can address the problem. I am new to this Website and am waiting for my referrals to be posted. I am happy to share my referrals with you.

Hi there! My name is Margie and I've just moved to Bellingham. I have over eight years of childcare experience and excited to have more! For six years I was the lead counselor on a community farm in Portland, OR, for ages 5 to 12. We would play games in the garden, put on puppet shows, learn about wildlife, all while staying safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. I also enjoyed being a teacher for cooking classes where we'd cook yummy, kid-friendly meals with ingredients the kids harvested. I recently worked with the Corvallis Environmental Center and local elementary schools with farm and ecology based curriculum. If you couldn't tell, I am very passionate about our planet and love teaching little ones the importance of care and kindness for it. On top of that, I'm known to be bubbly, patient, observant, and understand the craziness kids can bring to our lives. I am Red Cross First Aid/CPR certified, have a car, and am great at cooking and keeping spaces tidy. I love taking children on nature walks, craft making, and telling stories. I have the most experience with kids ages 5 to 13, but have plenty of babysitting experience with ages 6 months- 4 year olds. Excited to help out your family! -Margie

I love working with children, and this is reflected by my work history. I spent last summer working at two different summer camps and managed groups of 15-30 elementary-aged children (ages 5-11) at a time. I have also worked in three different classes as a student teacher, working with 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grade students. In the fall, I will be going to college to study psychology to become a child-psychologist. From my experience, I have learned that it is of the upmost importance that children have access to supportive, understanding adults, and I know that my education and experience has prepared me to be that for your children.

I have been surrounded by children ever since I was a child myself—helping the parents in my life “babysit” and take care of their kids. When I was old enough to actually babysit, that’s exactly what I did. My first job at 16 was working with children as a swim instructor at the local YMCA, and I eventually worked in the daycare too. I used to be a nanny to multiple infants, and grade school children and babysit on occasion. Today, I work in a restaurant and am the Chef de Partie (a position directly below the Sous Chef). I recently graduated Culinary School with an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts. I was the sole recipient of the Certificate of Merit and also graduated Cum Laude! I want to be a chef one day, and would love to also find the right people to cater to and become a private chef. Kids bring me so much joy and I love watching them grow and seeing them evolve as small little humans. I would love to be able to help a family in need of childcare out, whether it’s regularly or for 2 hours on a Monday night.

Hello! I am 19 years old and currently attending Western Washington University. I have had several past babysitting jobs for kids in my neighborhood, and am looking for a summer job. My younger brother is five and my younger sister is eleven so I have had experience caring for children age 0-tween. I have been CPR certified and have taken a child development class where I received my STARS certification (Training for providing childcare). In my free time I enjoy being outdoors and arts and crafts.

Hello, families! My name is Cat, and I have a true passion for early childhood education! I am a senior in Running Start at Cascadia College, preparing to go into Pediatric Speech-Language-Pathology. I love psychology, animals, painting, and creative writing. I have babysat since my early teens and worked as an assistant daycare/preschool teacher until recently, and have really discovered a love for working with kids and families. My 'style' as a sitter involves a lot of creativity, spontaneity, and a core desire to help nurture a unique learning process. My love of creating, learning, and exploration absolutely comes through in my work with kids. I am a passionate advocate for interest-based learning, especially during childhood, and will do everything I can to help nurture your children's unique and beautiful skillset. If your child has a favorite topic (e.g dinosaurs, firefighters, rain, cars, a TV show, etc.), let me know! I make a habit of learning what I can beforehand, and this can help guide our educational play, crafts, and activities. You will also see this as a major theme in my Adventures :-) I am very much guided by Montessori philosophy. I worked for over eight months at a Montessori daycare-preschool (0-6yrs) and always aim to holistically support a child's needs the "Montessori way" as a baseline. However, you know best what those needs are and how to meet them! I am also somewhat familiar with multiple other learning philosophies (Reggio Emilia, Forest/nature schools, Waldorf, Faith-based, etc.) and always happy to brush up on and implement these, if ever asked. As for my training, I have completed over 40 hours (and counting!) of both general and specialized childcare certification programs. I am happy to provide digital or physical copies of these if requested. Here is a list of my certificates, all issued by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF): - Washington State Early Childhood Education Basics - Early Learning Childcare Orientation - CPR for Infant, Child, & Adult Hands-On - Standard First Aid - Safe Sleep - Abusive Head Trauma - Mandated Reporter - Immunization in Child Care - Disaster & Emergency Preparedness - Families Experiencing Homelessness - Medication Management - Bloodborne Pathogens - Montessori Methods for the Classroom - Developing Self-Directed Learning Skills in a Montessori Setting I truly look forward to meeting you and your family! Thank you so much for considering me.

I have a genuine passion for caring for kids, even though I'm new to childcare I have taken care of my 3 younger siblings since I was 13 years old, I am currently 18. I would help make after school snacks and come up with activities whether it was playing outside or playing games inside. I also have pets, so I do have experience in taking care of pets to! I am CPR and First Aid certified, and I also have a car.

Hello! My name is Mary Caitlin A. I have over 20 years of working with children and families. I have worked as a nanny for over 15 years with various families. I have 10 years of experience being a preschool teacher and early learning educator. I earned my BA in Therapeutic Recreation from Western Washington University. I have also worked as the Director of Therapeutic Recreation at a Skilled Nursing Facility. I love creating and providing opportunities for individuals to explore, learn, play, and grow!

Hello, I have plenty experience with children of all age ranges. I have worked at a daycare and also have been a previous nanny. I even have been a mentor and tutor for elementary and middle school students. I am free spirited yet responsible, and I always have fun with the children in my care. I have taken a STARS course and also have early childhood education college credit. Not only am I great with children but I know how to meet their needs from an educational standpoint. If you’re interested in my care please feel free to reach and out message me!

Hi there! My name is Gabby, and I'm a current graduate student at Western Washington University here in Bellingham! I am interested in a part-time baby-sitting position this summer, as I am looking to continue building my work experience while on break. I have 6 years of paid experience in Early Childhood Education, including 1 year of experience working in a daycare as a Teacher's Assistant and 5 years of experience as a Nanny. I am most experienced working with children ages 0-5 years through these positions, but I also have miscellaneous experience as a tutoring and working with children ages 8-18 years. In my role as a nanny, I have worked with the same family for 5 years. I started nannying when the family's first child was only 2 months, and have continued helping ever since. Since I've started nannying for this family, the first child is now 5 years old and they have since welcomed a second child who is 2 years old. As a result of this position, I am experienced: • Caring for babies, toddlers, and pre-kindergarten age children in a 1:1 setting. • Caring for 2 children simultaneously. • Assisting in meal-preparation and bottle feeding. • Cleaning and sanitizing food/bottle equipment. • Settling children for naptime/bedtime. • Establishing reliable and consistent routines for children. • Creating daily activities centered around children's needs, including mental and emotional simulation and physical exercise through play. • Providing children creative outlets to explore, such as through music, arts, and crafts. • Assisting children in using the bathroom/changing diapers and pull-ups. • Helping with miscellaneous tasks around house, such as doing laundry, washing dishes, sweeping/mopping, cleaning toys without needing direction or prompting. • Helping care for family's two large dogs as needed. In my position at local daycare, I am also experienced: • Supervising a classroom of 15 children independently. • Preparing activities and assisting Lead Staff in instructing children through art projects, reading, gardening and science experiments, and math and counting practice. • Helping in the supervising children during meal times/recess. I truly value the relationships that I build with the families I care for, and I hope that I can serve your family's needs well!