Hanging out with your grandkids is great for your mental and emotional health. But the question for many grandparents is, what activities can I do with them? It can be difficult to keep up with the energy of young children and most senior citizens often deal with some form of arthritis or other health issues.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your
grandchildren. So the next time your grandchildren come for a visit, make sure
to rub some pain cream on your joints and jump into the following activities
that will keep you both busy.

Learn a New Skill Together

Kids might not like school, but most LOVE trying new
things, especially if it means they get to spend more time with their
grandparents! And for you, learning a new skill can keep your brain healthy
and fresh. Plus, it’s a great way to make new memories with your grandchildren.

Naturally, you’ll need to consider your limitations as
well as those of your grandchild. Once you have a good idea what you can and
cannot do, look up local classes and see if you can book an appointment. Some
fun ideas include:

• Pottery-making
• Creating games (whether digital or physical)
• Fiction writing
• Knitting/crocheting
• Photography (with your smartphone)
• Painting/drawing
• Gardening

Just make sure your grandchild is interested in the
skill of your choosing.

Backyard Camping

If you have a backyard and your grandchild happens to
enjoy the outdoors, there’s no better activity than backyard camping. If you
don’t have a tent, you can make your own with a couple of sticks, canvas and
some power tools. (You can always ask for help from your own kids to build this.) 

If you don’t want to make your own tent, you can
always purchase a small one. Since you’re not far from home, you don’t need
anything that’s too rugged. You can even pitch the tent with your grandchild
for a fun activity to do before the actual ‘camping’.

The best part is that if the tent falls down or if the
weather turns, you can always head back inside. It’s fairly low risk as you
have all the comforts of home just a few steps away.

In the meantime, you can spend some quality time with
your grandchildren telling stories, looking up at the stars, and listening to
the sounds of the nighttime creatures. 

Do Some Bird Watching

It can be hard for kids to sit still for a long period
of time unless there’s something to hold their attention. Birds are great at
grabbing children’s attention as they’re fast and colorful.

If you don’t have one already, consider setting up a
bird feeder in your backyard and invest in a pair of binoculars. You can go to
your local Audubon society or to your local library to borrow some books on
local wildlife.

After that, it’s just about waiting. It might take
some time, but once the birds start arriving, take turns identifying each of them.
If you want, you can even snap pictures of all the birds that visited. You can
go a step further and use the pictures to create a scrapbook together.

Set Up a Mini Art Gallery

Most kids love arts and crafts. But instead of just
creating a painting or drawing, why not display it? If there’s a blank wall in
your house, set up a little art gallery.

Stick the paintings and drawings on the wall and make
little name tags underneath with the name of your grandchild and the ‘title’ of
their art piece (make sure you ask them what the name is!). 

Depending on how much time your grandchild will be
there, you can create little invites for the rest of the family inviting them
to the opening of the new art gallery, which of course, coincides with the day
and time they’ll be picking them up.

Depending on how shy the child is, they can even give
a little explanation of their drawings to their esteemed guests. It’s a fun way
to showcase their work and encourages them to keep creating!

Play Video Games

Kids LOVE video games. Most probably they already have
a console so you can ask them to bring it over along with some easy-to-play
multiplayer games.

It’s a great experience for the child as they can
teach you the ropes and share their favorite games with you. On the flip side,
you get to take part in an activity that isn’t too taxing.

Don’t turn your nose up at the benefits of video games for seniors either. Recent studies suggest multiple benefits for senior citizens, including better cognitive abilities, reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and improved emotional well-being.

If you’re able, it might be worth it to have some game
consoles or a PC capable of playing games yourself!

So, there you have it: five fun ways to spend time with your grandkids!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What types of activities do you do with your
grandchildren? Are there some that your grandchildren absolutely love that we
haven’t mentioned? Please join the conversation and share your thoughts!