UPDATED: Have you got the grandkids this weekend?
Spending time with your grandchildren is a precious gift – one of the most “look-forward-to” events for baby boomers, but don’t panic if you don’t know how to entertain them. Rising to the occasion to prevent children’s boredom can be a challenge, so if you’re stuck on ideas, we hope the 19 fun things below provide inspiration! Of course, some of these activities may be weather and- season dependent – you decide when, how, where.
Winning them over with food
Make Pizza
For those rainy days, even in August and September, indoor activities like making pizza are always fun. It keeps your grandchild entertained while learning a new skill. And what kid doesn’t like pizza? They will be enthusiastic about creating something they love to eat and you’ll show them how to be better cooks! They’ll cherish these times rolling out the dough or dressing up the store-bought dough and adding their favorite toppings. Let me guess? Cheese and pepperoni?
Fruit picking
An activity like peach picking in late summer or apple picking in the fall can keep the grandkids occupied for an hour or so, until they get bored and tired. But this kind of activity helps them get in touch with nature. Bake a pie or apple crisp (one of my favorites) afterwards. Teaching children that putting hard work into something can produce rewarding results, is always a good thing
Go For a picnic
Kids love to play outside (big kids a.k.a adults do, too). Getting the grandkids out of the house, and taking them to the park with a picnic basket they helped pack is very exciting for them. Inexpensive purchases from the dollar store like kites, water toys, frisbees, are sure to win them over. Bonding over food and drink, and pushing them on the swings or feeding the ducks helps feed the adventurer in all of us.
Tea Party
Grab some tea (and a warm apple cider for the kids) and a sweet treat, like the apple pie you baked together! Having a tea party can be a good way to bond with your grandchildren. Grab comfy pillows or a blanket and take a seat on the floors (if your knees can handle it). Let the kids serve you like you are the Royal Queen or King.
Bake
You may not be Cake Boss, but your grandkids don’t know that (ok, maybe they do, but they don’t care)) and baking with them is a sweet activity. See what I did there? Making cookies together, especially the ones you can decorate is super fun, and again they learn a new skill that they may enjoy. Who knows, they may become the next Buddy Valastro Jr., and open up their own cake shop. Children love eating tasty treats. Treats don’t have to be all sugar, there are healthy options as well.
Activities to wear them (and you) out
Cycle
For active grandparents, going on bike rides can be a great, healthy way to bond with your grandchildren. Teach the young ones to ride on their tricycles and the older ones to ride with training wheels. There are many child-friendly cycling routes everywhere, and even just going around your local neighborhood can be fun - if the children are young, this may be less tiring (for everyone involved). While keeping physically active, children can explore their adventurous side. Stop along the way to smell the roses or have an ice cream cone.
Swimming
There are many indoor pools, so this activity is suitable all year round – whatever the weather! Children usually have a lot of fun making a splash in the pool, and your presence can help them keep safe at the same time. And they’ll be asleep by 8 p.m.(or at least someone will be)
Scavenger Hunt
Keep your grandchildren and the neighborhood kids occupied with a fun scavenger hunt indoor or outdoor in your backyard. With some simple planning, you could get the kids’ brains working, encouraging them to figure out clues to find a reward. Not only do the grandkids meet other kids their age when they visit, but they’ll have a blast with this activity. Everyone loves a scavenger hunt. It’s also affordable and fun. Prizes can include a chocolate treat, bubbles or a coloring book.
Gardening
With summer either flourishing or coming to an end, gardening brings the kids closer to nature. Planting flowers, pulling out seasonal bulbs or grabbing fresh tomatoes off the vine for dinner, is fun. Let them pick cut flowers for a bouquet, or take them on a visit to your local garden store and let them choose flowers for you. Getting your hands/their hands dirty is truly therapeutic. This will be a productive day, and teach kids how to take care of plants while learning about annuals and perennials.
Day Boat trip
Going on a boat trip can be a relaxing and popular activity to do over summer. Some aren’t too expensive, and touristic routes can help teach the grandchildren about the area’s history. If you have a boat of your own, pack a lunch, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, life jackets and spend a few hours on the water.
Fall
If it’s September, and the fairgrounds are open, take them for a day of fun on the bouncy castles, pony rides, and if they (or you) don’t fear them, take a ride on the big ferris wheel. Grab a candy apple or popcorn for the ride back home
Sports & other outdoor activities
Whether it’s badminton, bowling or playing catch in the backyard or park, summer and fall offer people a vast array of sporting activities. Check out cone hole games, horseshoes, skipping, hopscotch. Kids build their interest in sports and hobbies at a young age, and when they’re shown how to play.
Sharpening young minds
Read to them and let them try to read to you.
Reading to kids and allowing them to imagine themselves as that character is a fun way to get them interested in books. I'm excited to announce my first children's picture book "Not Scared to Grow up Starring Fred Unafraid! " is now available. Hope you like it.
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Puppet Show
Making little finger puppets and helping your grandkids put on a puppet show can be an effective way to enjoy your time together. Make puppets out of a vast range of materials, with felt, card, or even old socks or check out Amazon’s best selling and inexpensive options below.
Hobby or Tradition
Teach your grandkids one of your favorite pastimes and pass along a tradition. Whether this is painting, sewing, singing or woodwork, you could spend the colder days sharing your hobbies with your grandchildren. Showing them something you really love, also teaches them something new. Children are curious by nature, so teaching them the basics could help them learn a new skill while also allowing them to have fun, too.
Museums & Science Centers
If you live in a larger city and have access to a museum or science centre, check what’s on and age appropriate. Kids love interactive exhibits, and learn by touching, hearing, sensing - in other words experiencing and exploring. Places like THEMUSEUM in Waterloo Region are fun-filled, jam-packed, with great learning activities.
Arts & Crafts
Enhancing your grandchildren’s creativity, arts and crafts are easy to carry out and can be an affordable activity to venturing out! Even if you’re not much of an artist, you’ll be able to guide your grandkids with coloring, painting, or cutting and sticking. By keeping an eye so things don’t get overly messy, this activity can be great to help concentration levels and imagination.
Board game tourny
Gathering some of your favourite child-friendly board games and setting up a grand tournament can really bring out your grandchildren’s competitive side. As games can take up to hours to complete, this could be a great way to kill some time and find the ultimate board game champion!
Stargazing
If you’re looking for an educational activity, stargazing could be the perfect option for the up and coming astronomer in the family. While you’d have to keep the kids’ bedtime in mind, using a telescope and teaching the children about the different stars can be incredibly interesting for everyone.
