How to Entertain and Engage Your Grandchildren

How To Safely Entertain And Engage Your Grandchildren

Spending time with your grandkids is important, not only because they grow so fast, but because it can help you form lasting bonds that will help them in future relationships. It can also help you reduce stress and boost your mental health, so it’s a good idea to find fun activities you can do together that are also safe for their age group.

Finding age appropriate activities is important when it comes to keeping a child safe, and if you have more than one grandchild, you may need to think outside the box a bit in order to keep them entertained and happy. Fortunately, there are several ways you can spend fun, quality, and even educational time with your loved ones. It just takes a bit of planning.

Read on for the best tips on how to get started.

Baking

Working in the kitchen with your grandkids can be fun for everyone, but there are some safety rules they’ll need to follow. Make sure they have an apron or wear form-fitting clothing, and go over how to interact with the oven and electrical appliances. Younger kids might be best at mixing and pouring, while older kids can be in charge of the oven and measuring. Baking and cooking is a wonderful way to teach kids about responsibility and even learning concepts such as math. For more tips on staying safe in the kitchen, read on here.

Get them involved in your hobby

Most kids love to feel important, so teaching them about your favorite hobby will boost their confidence and help them learn something valuable at the same time. Whether you enjoy woodworking or knitting, find a way to incorporate the activity into your time with your grandchildren. Just remember that if they are beginners, they’ll need to go over the rules first. Woodworking can be dangerous for little ones, so always oversee any project and work in a well-ventilated area.

Learn something new

Kids of all ages love to learn about science, so do some research on an experiment you can do at home. There are many things you can make from ingredients you probably already have on hand, such as this fun lava experiment. If that’s not doable, consider making something like homemade puffy paint, and get creative together on how to use it. Remember to read the directions carefully and always supervise little ones while they’re mixing.

Create a scavenger hunt

Kids of all ages will enjoy following your clues to get to the end of a scavenger hunt, so get creative and take it outside so you can both get some exercise and enjoy the sunshine during the game. If you’re away from the house–at the park, for instance–be sure to stick close together, or create teams so that everyone has a partner.

Head to the children’s museum

Most good-sized cities have a children’s or science museum where you can go for a few hours of good, educational fun. Look online to find out about any special exhibits and make sure you take a look at their rules before you go; some places will only allow strollers on certain days, or they may give a discount to children under 5 and seniors on particular days of the week.

Engaging your grandchildren and having a fun, safe time with them doesn’t have to be stressful; plan early for each activity and make sure you have all the materials needed beforehand. Go over the rules of safety for each child, and remember to have a good time! With a good plan, you and your loved ones will have a blast and make some great memories.

This is a guest post by Jenny Wise
Jenny Wise created Special Home Educator as a forum for sharing her adventures in homeschooling and connecting with other homeschooling families. She is is a homeschooling mom to four children.