6 Activities for This Grandparents’ Day

April 21st is Grandparents’ Day. To make this a treasured day you and your grandchildren will long remember, the Diocese of Orlando has a collection of great activities that span generations. Call the Seminole County private school where your grandchild is enrolled to determine if the school has any planned events, such as a shared lunch that you may be able to attend. After school, you could take your grandchildren for the afternoon, overnight, or for the entire weekend! Whatever your plans, the ideas below could stimulate conversation and bring a whole new level to togetherness.

• Bring out the baby books.

Children love revisiting their baby book, and may even find your baby book thrilling. Open the pages and let the questions fly: “What was my first word?” “Did I like bananas?” “When did I learn to walk?” Answering these questions will strengthen the bonds between you, and if you were present at the moment these milestones were met, you can add your perspective. Comparing your baby book with your grandchild’s can lead to friendly competition to see who rolled over first or who learned to read first.

• Visit the park.

Preschoolers have a vast vocabulary, but when they have an audience, it generally boils down to two words: “Watch me!” Older children still adore the attention, but are less likely to ensure you are watching them every second. Be proud of the distance they can jump, and applaud when they slide alone. The rush of adrenaline from their performance is sure to tucker them out as well!

• Teach them a card game.

Today’s games are usually played on a computer. Go old school and bring out a deck of cards. Challenge your grandchildren to a rousing game of Gin Rummy, Solitaire, or War. No matter the age, there’s a card game for that.

• Bake cookies.

Grandmothers and cookies are a perfect pair. Instead of baking cookies for your grandchildren, though, bake cookies with them. Drape the counter with a towel and show them how to measure dry ingredients. You can make refrigerated sugar cookie dough beforehand and roll it out so you can all create decorative shapes with cookie cutters.

• Host a scavenger hunt.

Make a list for each child to find as you walk around the neighborhood. If your grandchildren are not yet reading, illustrate the list, such as a picture of a stop sign or a car. Older children can be armed with a camera or smartphone to take pictures of the objects on their list. Walk the path beforehand to ensure you can spot many of the items, but make a few more difficult to keep them intrigued.

• Let them be the experts.

Ask your grandchildren to show you how to do something they love, whether it’s playing video games or riding a scooter. You may not ever be an expert, but your grandchildren will appreciate that you want to take part in something they love.The time you spend with your grandchildren is precious. Enjoy every moment because they are only this age a very short time. Grandchildren have a special relationship with their grandparents and love hearing stories of what their parents did when they were young. Share these memories, and make new ones by spending time watching them grow. The Diocese of Orlando has an abundance of information on our blog page pertaining to raising caring and compassionate children – and grandchildren – along with sights you and your grandchild can take in around Orlando. Call the Diocese of Orlando at 407-246-4903 if you are interested in your grandchild enrolling in one of our Seminole County private schools.