Last summer brought one of our grandchildren to stay with his father near us. Fortunately for us, Jim and I were the designated childcare providers when his Dad worked and entertaining grandchildren is what we love. We are also lucky to live in an area with plenty of child-friendly entertainment opportunities. Our golfing development boasts numerous neighborhood pools and 2 large ones. There is a golf camp and a tennis camp for kids. Josef’s bike and electric scooter are kept at our place, so he never lacked for physical activities when he was with us.

I would have been a negligent grandmother if I didn’t use the summer to forge a stronger bond between this little boy and us. It won’t be long before grandparents are nowhere near the top of his priority list, so we have to take advantage of the years when he enjoys being with us. To that end, I researched and created some special opportunities for us to share with Josef on his visits and perhaps some of them will work for you and your visiting grandchildren.

Josef enjoyed helping us, so I kept a short list of small tasks that he could take on occasionally.  I never gave him “ugly” chores, because that would defeat our purpose. Josef enjoys helping his Pop-Pops with “guy” tasks, so we looked for small jobs like:

Helping His Grandfather with Small Tasks

Watching a very serious, 10-year-old wield a screwdriver or explaining to me the difference between a regular screwdriver and a Philips one was priceless. He enjoyed carrying  things for us to show how strong he was..

Feeding the Dog

Our late Bulldog, Maggie, thought that Josef belonged to her, so both of them benefited from that ritual. Josef used to help with Maggie’s walks. Now when he visits, he plays with Murphy, our little Dachshund-mix, walks him and helps with feeding time.

Cooking with Grandchildren Is Fun!

Josef enjoys cooking and last year, he prepared one of my recipes for his Mom and family.  One of those recipes may be found here.   A 10-year-old is absolutely capable of helping with meal prep and even taking responsibility for some dishes.

Kids get bored very easily, so it’s important to alternate major activities with small ones.  A trip to a theme park is wonderful but you don’t want the little ones expecting that kind of entertainment every day.  Your budget might not survive. Try these inexpensive or free activities to enjoy with your grandchildren.

Neighborhood Bike Rides

Kids and grandparents all enjoy bicycle rides. This provides a terrific opportunity to study specific examples of Mother Nature. In our area, many shore and water birds abound. On any one ride, we could find Blue Herons, Cormorants, Sandhill Cranes, Wood Storks, White Pelicans and the occasional alligator. What an excellent learning experience! Look around your own neighborhood for nature’s bounty.

Nature Hikes

Most areas of the United States contain nature preserves or parks offering interesting hiking opportunities. Research all that are available where you live.

Gardening

Due to our move to a condo, there are no gardening opportunities for our grandkids.  Eventually, we will establish some vertical planters for vegetables and herbs on our screened lanai, and any visiting grandkids will be allowed to experience the harvesting of them. You can try this on a small or large scale, depending on your living situation. However you do it, all kids love to play in the dirt. What a great way to entertain grandchildren!

Computers

If your grandchild is into technology, perhaps he or she could handle some simple research for you. Because my expertise lies in pet food and in choosing healthy food for dogs and cats, Josef assisted me with necessary research for my pet blog,  Just be sure to keep a close eye on where your grandchild travels on the Internet.

Learn New Games!

Along with the old stand-bys like Monopoly, Sorry, Pachesi and Clue, Josef likes card games. He and I hold marathon UNO games and last summer, he “taught” me to play War. In return, I’m going to teach him to play Spades and Hearts over Spring Break this year, and we’ll introduce him to Bridge, a game his father mastered at age 11. Board games or card games provide time for meaningful conversations between adults and children.

Visit Local Attractions

Along with many free or low-cost activities, check your cities for events and attractions for special times. For instance, one summer we took Josef to Sarasota Jungle Gardens for his birthday.  Our grandson, Josh, wanted to go fishing when he was young, so he and Pop-Pops spent time at that activity. Another visit, we took his brother Nolan, a nature enthusiast, on a boat tour of Sarasota Bay with a stop to look for unusual shells and sea life in the mud flats. We all enjoyed the dolphins swimming along beside our boat.

Look around for the simple things in life, and you will find opportunities to help  you build special vacation memories while you entertain your grandchild.