A mix of practical, interpersonal, and safety-related nanny skills includes allergy awareness, CPR, communication, flexibility, and creative thinking, among others. If you are applying for such roles, you will need a strong resume that clearly showcases these and any other crucial abilities you may need for this job.
In this guide, we will cover 12 essential nanny skills and some tips on how to present them effectively and continue developing them over time, opening doors to higher-paying roles and long-term placements.
Key Takeaways
Hard skills that you should have as a nanny include infant care, allergy awareness, bathing and grooming, safety awareness, first aid and CPR, and conflict resolution.
Your nanny resume also requires some soft skills like communication, patience, creative thinking, emotional intelligence, flexibility, and attention to detail.
Nanny skills should be outlined in your resume’s Summary, Skills, Experience, Certifications, and Courses sections.
Asking for feedback, investing in targeted training, and reflecting on everyday situations with a physical or digital journal can help you further sharpen your skills.
12 Nanny Skills to Add to Your Resume
Here are 12 useful nanny skills for your resume:
#1. Infant Care
Unlike caring for older children, babies rely entirely on their nanny to meet their needs. Therefore, when hiring, parents look for more specialized skills, such as swaddling, feeding, bathing, and diapering.
Since toddlers can’t tell you they are hungry or hurting, you should also understand how to read and respond to their cues. In your resume, indicate the ages of babies you have experience caring for and provide examples of daily routines and responsibilities you handled independently.
#2. Allergy Awareness
Allergy awareness involves recognizing common allergens, preventing cross-contamination during meals or snacks, and spotting early signs of a reaction. With one in four children having a seasonal allergy, food allergy, or eczema, this skill is a must on your nanny resume.
Besides listing it in the Skills section, you can note that you have completed relevant courses or certifications. If you are asked about it in an interview, you can describe how you have safely managed allergies in previous roles. Make sure that you are specific enough to help families feel confident in your ability and approach.
#3. Bathing & Grooming
Bathing and grooming might seem like simple tasks, but they require careful safety considerations, such as supervising children in the tub and practicing proper hygiene to prevent irritation or infection.
Additionally, children develop healthy habits during routines such as brushing their teeth before bed or washing their hands before meals. Parents want to make sure that your approach includes patience, consistency, and safety awareness.
Many households will have their own rules, so this is also a chance for you to show that you can follow instructions well and respect established routines.
#4. Safety Awareness
When families leave their children with a nanny, their main concern is knowing their child is safe. This isn't limited to responding when problems arise, but being proactive in preventing them from occurring in the first place as well.
They would gauge your safety awareness through common interview questions like, “How do you ensure a child’s environment stays safe?” When responding, you should focus on how you stay alert, anticipate risks, and take preventive steps.
#5. First Aid
Having first aid training reassures families that their child’s safety is your priority and that you are prepared to act. They would want to know that you can handle common issues like cuts, burns, falls, and fevers.
In the U.S., choking is a common emergency and can be deadly, especially for children under age 3, so knowing how to do CPR as a nanny is incredibly important.
You can list certifications, such as CPR/AED training from the American Heart Association, on your resume to strengthen families’ confidence in your ability to respond appropriately when something goes wrong.
#6. Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution is a hard skill that you should have as a nanny because disagreements and issues, especially between siblings, are common when caring for children. What will you do when a child resists rules and boundaries? If they are fighting with others during playtime, can you step in early?
Parents want to know that you can handle these moments calmly and fairly without raising your voice or letting situations spiral. You can demonstrate this skill in your cover letter by describing how you de-escalated and resolved a similar problem in a previous role.
You don’t have to worry too much about picking the right issue to write about; instead, focus on outlining the steps you took and highlighting related skills, such as safety awareness and clear communication.
#7. Communication
Communication is one of the most important skills to showcase on your nanny resume. It affects how well you follow instructions, share updates, and address concerns as they arise. This, in turn, lets families determine whether they can trust you and leave their child in your care.
Additionally, the way you communicate influences how comfortable children feel engaging with you and following your guidance. You should clearly specify your typical communication style, while also clarifying that you can adjust this if/when needed. This way, you show that you are adaptable and that you always prioritize the child’s needs.
#8. Patience
When reviewing your resume and interviewing you, parents want to discover whether they can trust you to remain calm and consistent during challenging moments. This is especially essential if you are applying to take care of babies and younger kids up to ten years old.
Rather than simply stating that you are a patient person, you should give a brief example that shows how you handle situations that take time. For example, you can talk about soothing a toddler to sleep or reminding a preschooler to use polite phrases at the table.
#9. Creative Thinking
You will need strong creative thinking skills to adapt to a child’s needs and energy levels throughout the day. This ability is also crucial when plans change due to weather, schedule shifts, or limited resources. Being able to think on your feet shows families that you can keep their little ones engaged and supported across situations.
Moreover, a child can begin developing this skill themselves by observing how you approach activities and work through challenges. Since developing creative thinking early supports problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability later in life, this skill can help you offer more value than candidates who focus only on supervision.
#10. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is a crucial nanny skill because young children often experience emotions they cannot yet explain. They tend to express overstimulation, frustration, and anxiety by withdrawing, crying, throwing tantrums, etc. Recognizing these cues allows you to respond in ways that support their social and emotional learning.
You can demonstrate this skill in a well-written nanny cover letter. Choose a specific situation that illustrates how you adapted your approach during a difficult moment. This is also a chance for you to touch on other interpersonal skills, like patience and clear communication.
#11. Flexibility
Flexibility is one of the most important skills for a nanny because children’s needs change quickly. Their moods, energy levels, and health may shift at any moment, so families look for nannies who can adapt and adjust activities, expectations, and care accordingly.
This ability is also highly sought-after because families themselves must change routines, rules, and priorities as their children grow. So, it is best to showcase your flexibility when answering nanny interview questions.
You can share a specific example of how you handled an unexpected situation and use the STAR method to keep your response structured. In demonstrating that you are a flexible nanny, you can also indirectly highlight your creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
#12. Attention to Detail
A child’s safety, well-being, and development often depend on noticing small but significant details. For example, spotting a red rash behind a toddler’s ears and taking them to the GP can help prevent a skin infection from spreading.
Attention to detail works alongside skills such as observation, organization, and active listening. So, when you demonstrate it to families, it reflects a broader set of babysitting skills that support responsive, reliable care.
11 More Valuable Nanny Skills for Your Resume
If you want to extend your nanny skills list, you can also work on your:
Nanny Skills Examples
Empathy
Stress management
Screen time management
Bottle preparation and sterilization
Diapering and potty training
Sleep training support
Babyproofing and home safety setup
Basic housekeeping
Child transportation and car seat safety
How to Showcase Skills on Your Nanny Resume
You can showcase your nanny skills in the Summary, Skills, Experience, Certificates, and Courses sections of your resume. Each section serves a different purpose, so how you present your skills should vary accordingly.
Summary. This portion has to be concise, so select one hard skill and one soft skill to include, along with the ages of children you have experience caring for. If you specialize in a specific type of care, such as children with special needs, mention that as well.
Skills. You should list most of the skills we have outlined above here. Make sure you have a mix of conceptual, interpersonal, and technical skills. Also, you need to avoid simply stating vague traits like hardworking, caring, and friendly.
Experience. While detailing your roles and responsibilities, highlight your skills and how you have applied them to support families and their little ones. You can use the STAR method to help you structure your writing.
Certificates. You should use this portion to list credentials that directly support your ability to care for children safely and responsibly. Including the certification’s full name and the issuing organization makes it easy to verify.
Courses. These reinforce your expertise and show that you actively invest in improving your caregiving skills. For each course, list the title and provider, and focus on those that directly support the type of care you offer.
Highlight Your Nanny Skills Easily
Create a nanny resume in minutes with our resume builder!3 Compelling Tips for Improving Your Skills as a Nanny
To improve your skills as a nanny, keep these tips in mind:
Seek feedback from families you work with. Parents can offer valuable insight into what you do well and where you could improve. You don’t have to wait until your placement ends to ask for feedback. Checking in as you work allows you to sharpen your skills sooner rather than later. It also signals to parents that you want to provide their little ones with the best care.
Invest in targeted training. This means looking for courses or workshops that align with the type of care you want to provide or the skills that directly apply to your daily responsibilities. If you are having trouble finding suitable options, consider joining professional nanny communities where caregivers discuss training programs and share vetted resources.
Reflect on everyday situations. You can keep a physical or digital journal to record how you handled routines, transitions, and difficult moments. Spending a few minutes at the end of the day thinking through what worked and what didn’t can help you build better judgment over time. This journal can also help you track your growth.
Closing Thoughts
Strong nanny skills shape how safely, consistently, and thoughtfully you care for children, and how confident families feel trusting you with that responsibility.
Knowing which skills matter most and how to present them clearly on your resume, as well as continuing to develop them over time, can help you position yourself as a more capable and reliable caregiver.
Nanny Skills FAQs
#1. How many skills should I list on my resume as a nanny?
You should list between 5 and 15 skills on your resume as a nanny, depending on your level of experience. If you have been a nanny for a while, you can include a broader range of skills, as long as they are relevant to the type of care you are applying for.
#2. What skills should a nanny put on a resume with no experience?
You should put transferable skills like communication, organization, flexibility, and creative thinking on a nanny resume with no experience. These can come from experiences like babysitting, tutoring, volunteering, teaching, or caring for younger family members.
#3. Should nanny skills be listed as hard or soft skills?
Nanny skills should be listed as both hard and soft skills. You can include abilities like bathing and grooming, CPR, and conflict resolution, as well as communication, flexibility, creative thinking, and attention to detail.
