{"id":25367,"date":"2021-07-08T12:02:41","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T19:02:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/8-simple-activities-to-enjoy-with-your-grandkids"},"modified":"2021-07-08T17:01:46","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T00:01:46","slug":"8-simple-activities-to-enjoy-with-your-grandkids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/8-simple-activities-to-enjoy-with-your-grandkids","title":{"rendered":"8 Simple Activities To Enjoy With Your Grandkids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spending quality time with your grandkids (and kids) adds joy and laughter to any given day. Just basking in a child\u2019s boundless energy and carefree silliness can boost your mood and make you smile. But joining in the fun<\/i> also keeps you physically and mentally active \u2013 and research shows<\/a> that multigenerational interaction is good for older adults and kids.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for new things to try, here are some easy, engaging activities to do with your family!<\/p>\n

Play Outdoor Games\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Playing outdoors is a terrific way to get some fresh air and physical exercise. Playing catch or frisbee is fun. LadderBall, Yard Yahtzee, and bean bag toss are also popular backyard games \u2013 along with good old-fashioned tag. You can also enjoy swings or the slide at a nearby park or playground. Or, go on a walk through the neighborhood and play \u201cI Spy,\u201d noting people, places, and things you pass along your route.<\/p>\n

Go On a Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt<\/b><\/h3>\n

Kids have curious minds and love adventures. To tap into this enthusiasm, lead them on a scavenger hunt to find a list of items in nature. The list can be as long or short as you want \u2013 and you can tailor it to suit your grandchild\u2019s age.<\/p>\n

For little ones, draw pictures or use stickers, or give verbal instructions for the items they must find. For older kids, write a list and even add more details. For example, you can write \u201cleaf,\u201d \u201cflower,\u201d and \u201crock\u201d or \u201ca red leaf with three points,\u201d \u201ca smooth, grey rock,\u201d or \u201cthree different kinds of bugs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Set a time limit, search together, and then celebrate and talk about your finds when time is up. \u201cPrizes\u201d are optional and can be simple things like a coloring book and crayons or a scoop of ice cream.<\/p>\n

DIY Crafts<\/b><\/h3>\n

Doing arts and crafts spurs imagination and creativity. Some simple ideas include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Stamp colorful side-by-side \u201cbig and little\u201d handprints on paper with fingerpaints.<\/li>\n
  2. Cut flower petals and stems out of construction paper and glue them together to form paper flowers.<\/li>\n
  3. Transform an empty milk carton into a birdhouse<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  4. Make a pretty jellyfish suncatcher<\/a> out of tissue paper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Using fabric scraps, buttons, yarn, or things you already have on hand is eco-friendly and inexpensive.<\/p>\n

    \"\"
    Photo: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Host a Board Game Night<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Board games bring families of all sizes around the table \u2013 and the classics never get old. Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders are preschool favorites. Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble require more skill and complex thinking \u2013 though some \u201cjunior\u201d editions exist. To engage your mind, share some laughs, and enjoy friendly competition, host a family game night, have the kids bring their favorite games, and share some of your own.<\/p>\n

    Build Legos or Do Jigsaw Puzzles<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Legos have been entertaining kids of all ages for decades! Building Lego sets together exercises hand coordination and fine motor skills, engages focus and concentration. From Harry Potter to a model plane \u2013 there\u2019s a project size and scheme to please everyone.<\/p>\n

    Jigsaw puzzles are another timeless pastime that engages memory and reasoning skills. Putting a puzzle together requires concentration and problem-solving skills. Working together makes the project more fun and gives you a chance to share high-fives and \u201caha\u201d moments when the pieces finally lock into place.<\/p>\n

    Bake or Cook<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Teaching your grandchild or child how to bake melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies or passing down and making \u201csecret family recipes\u201d help create unforgettable memories and life lessons kids can take with them to college, their first homes, and their own families.<\/p>\n

    From measuring ingredients and whisking them together to learning how to set an oven timer and checking if a cake is \u201cdone,\u201d kids will learn valuable kitchen skills, and you can both enjoy the yummy fruits of your labor when you\u2019re done.<\/p>\n

    Perform a Song or Skit<\/b><\/h3>\n

    You can encourage creativity and help foster a love of the arts by singing or performing skits with a child. Put on a Disney soundtrack, like \u201cFrozen,\u201d and belt \u201cLet It Go.\u201d Or sing classic childhood tunes with hand motions like \u201cItsy Bitsy Spider,\u201d \u201cThe Wheels on the Bus,\u201d \u201cPlay Mate,\u201d or \u201cHokey Pokey.\u201d<\/p>\n

    You can also put on a skit with hand puppets, sock puppets, or just act out parts! Make up lines as you go along and coach the kids to do the same to advance the story until your final bow.<\/p>\n

    Read Aloud Together<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Reading books out loud sweeps both the reader and listener away to the story world and introduces children to all kinds of fascinating fictional characters. Using different voices for different characters engages and entertains kids. It also helps spark their imagination! Reading to children from a young age can help foster a lifelong love of reading. As they grow, ask the kids to read to you.<\/p>\n

    Overall, any time and activities you share with your grandkids or kids will create lasting memories for all!<\/p>\n

    The Active Aging Series is brought to you by our partner, Cambrian Homecare<\/a>. Cambrian Homecare has been assisting individuals to stay independent in their homes for 25 years. Flexible experience you can trust, when the best place is still at home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Spending quality time with your grandkids (and kids) adds joy and laughter to any given day. If you\u2019re looking for new things to try, here are some easy, engaging activities to do with your family!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":201,"featured_media":71638,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[31883],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[3245],"class_list":["post-25367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hi-lo","tag-sponsored-by-cambrian-homecare","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/201"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25367"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=25367"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=25367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}