October 3rd is Grandparent’s Day. As lives get more busy and grandparents get younger, here are 5 ways grandparents can spend quality time with their grandchildren. There is nothing more precious than spending quality time with your grandchildren, especially since the last 18 months have resulted in many families having limited time or opportunity to do so.
Children grow up so quickly so it is important to spend every moment you can learning from each other and bonding through activities which you both enjoy. According to new research from Play Like Mum, 72% of grandparents babysit their grandkids on a weekly basis. You find activities such as baking together and participating in role-playing games are a fantastic way to help children develop their skills. They also bond together with their grandparents.
Without even realizing, children find themselves expressing themselves more easily and becoming more confident. This happens when they are engaged in things that help grandparents or things grandparents love.. Skills such as communication, language and social skills are popular and will all aid them in later life.
1 Enjoy Messy Play
The CEO of PLAYLIKEMUM likes this way. Picasso said ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.’ So why not enjoy getting creative with your own mini-Picasso’s of art. Grab some paint and glue and make some master pieces together. How about asking grandchildren to paint a portrait of you or make a collage out of some old magazines you have lying around.
Who cares if you get messy whilst finger painting, clothes can get washed but those memories of you getting creative with your grandchildren will last forever.
2 Cook Up A Feast
This is a popular one. Cooking or baking is a great way to improve reading skills and understanding measurement. It also helps to understand nutritional value of foods and remind them of what they learn in school It is also a heart-warming way to teach children about their culture and the history of their family in the food you eat and enjoy together.
3 Enjoy Role-Playing Games Together
Role-play. This is a favourite way encourage communication between grandparents and grandchildren. Role-playing allows children to play with more traditional toys such as dolls and dolls prams, enabling children to lead the playtime and cook up fun and exciting scenarios to act out. The famous “doctor and Nurse ‘ sequences or construction toys or even new power toys like hover boards and skates for dolls.
Let’s face facts, grandparents love to see these kids progress. Role playing also helps grandparents to identify any problems their little ones may be having and address them sooner.
4 Grandparents Love to Head Outdoors
Want to deter your grandchildren away from digital screens? Why not encourage them to take their play outside! No matter the weather, all you need to do is grab your waterproof, wrap up warm and explore the great outdoors. Teach children about the different trees they might see on a walk together or count how many pinecones you can collect as you stroll through nature. Sometimes they can ride their bikes while grandparents walk or jog.
5 Set up a Movie Night
Want to wind down with your grandchildren after a busy day but still enjoy quality time together – why not set up your own home movie night? Put on a film from your childhood that they may not have seen with the latest releases, such as The Wizard of Oz or Sony the Hedgehog and watch them discover cinematic magic. Howl’s Moving Castle is a good one too. To make it extra special, why not set up a special movie den in the living room with fairy lights and some extra special snacks, then curl up together and enjoy.
As you can see there are many ways to spend quality time with grandchildren and the suggestions above are just the start. Grandparents have a knack that none can copy. These 5 ways are just an addition to their arsenal of ways to help your child blossom and grow.