Au pair guide
A practical guide for au pairs who want a calmer start, clearer expectations and more confidence in everyday family life. Find matching preparation, first-week tips, local life ideas, kids activities, routines, safety tools and helpful templates in one place.
This guide is written for real au pair life: getting to know a new family, understanding children’s routines, building trust, finding your way around a new city and asking clear questions before small misunderstandings become big ones.
Getting started as an au pair
Starting as an au pair is easier when the first weeks feel clear and kind. These guides help you understand routines, expectations, communication and everyday family life before things become stressful.
How to handle an au pair rematch
A practical and respectful guide to rematch conversations, emotions, children and next steps.
Open →Au pair rematch: how to find a new host family
A reassuring guide for au pairs in rematch who want to stay nearby and find a clearer next match.
Open →How to welcome your au pair in the first week
A calm first-week guide for host families and au pairs, with routines, expectations and practical details.
Open →Au Pair First Week Checklist
A simple checklist to help au pairs and host families start with clearer routines, expectations and practical information.
Open →House rules that feel kind, not cold
Practical tips for creating house rules that feel clear, warm and respectful.
Open →Matching preparation
A good match should feel clear, realistic and values-aligned. These resources help au pairs prepare their profile, ask better questions and check whether expectations match before saying yes.
Au Pair Matching Guide
Browse all matching preparation resources in one place, from profiles and video calls to questions, red flags and the starter pack.
Open →How to create a great au pair profile
A practical profile guide for au pairs, with tips on honesty, childcare experience, personality, timing and expectations.
Open →Au Pair Matching Starter Pack
A free preparation pack with profile checklists, interview questions, video call notes and red flags.
Open →Local life in The Hague
Living in a new city becomes easier when you know where to go, how to meet people and how to build a weekly rhythm outside working hours.
The Hague city guide
A practical city guide for au pairs and host families, with kids activities, rainy days, language, sport and transport ideas.
Open →Things to do for au pairs in The Hague
Find cafés, beaches, parks, social ideas, language practice, sport and weekend trips.
Open →Useful NS train subscriptions
A practical guide to train subscriptions and travel options for au pairs in the Netherlands.
Open →Language, sport and social life
Language practice, sport and social activities can help au pairs feel more settled. Start small: one class, one run, one café, one local routine.
Language courses in The Hague for au pairs
Find Dutch classes, Kickstart School, Taalhuis, library practice, courses and social language cafés.
Open →Sports memberships in The Hague for au pairs
A guide to gyms, running clubs, swimming, yoga, padel, trial passes and flexible sport options.
Open →Running in The Hague and Scheveningen
Find social runs, clubs and easy running ideas near the beach, parks and city centre.
Open →Children, routines and activities
Au pair days with young children work best with simple routines, short activities and clear transitions. These pages help with rainy days, outdoor play and visual routines.
Kids activities
Browse rainy day ideas, outdoor mini play, themed activities and practical tools for young children.
Open →What to do with kids on very hot days
Practical hot-weather ideas for children, including water play, calm indoor activities, sunscreen, shade and drinking tips.
Open →Rainy day activities with kids in The Hague
Indoor ideas for wet days, including libraries, museums, play cafés, baking, crafts and calm activities.
Open →Routine Cards for Kids
Use simple visual routine cards to make everyday transitions calmer and easier for children to follow.
Open →Safety and practical tools
Clear information helps everyone feel calmer. Emergency details, routines, schedules and templates are useful before anything goes wrong.
Au Pair Emergency Sheet
A practical emergency sheet for contacts, allergies, addresses and safety information.
Open →What to include in your au pair emergency sheet
A guide to the details that matter most in an emergency sheet for au pairs and host families.
Open →Tools & printables
Browse checklists, templates, emergency sheets, routine cards and practical family tools.
Open →