Granparent’s Day is coming! Sept. 8th

This is a guest post by my friend Teri Harrison owner and operator of The Grandparent Gift Company, Inc.

What could be better, joining forces (grandparents and grandkids) with no enemy in sight (parents). Said with good humor and a touch of sarcasm, but seriously, putting grandkids and grandparents together for a party, what could me more fun! And parents get to benefit with a few hours or perhaps days, off. If you live near your grandchildren and can schedule time together on Grandparent’s Day, it might become an annual event, by very popular demand. If you don’t live near your grandchildren, perhaps a summer date would be possible. How about a day or evening set aside during a summer family vacation where only grandparents and grandchildren are allowed.

Here are 10 ideas to help you put together a memorable event. Adjust the ideas up or down based on your energy, budget, interest, time, and age and number of grandkids.

1. Be the hostess! Host the grandkids at your home, if there is room for all of them. There’s no place like Grandmas and Grandpas! Focus on what the grandkids love about coming to visit you. Do you have a great attic to explore, a big yard, a pool, farm animals or an ultra modern condo? Make it a few hour party or how about a sleepover? A day camp? Or a weekend getaway?

2. A sure way to grandkids’ hearts are through their stomachs. How about letting each request their favorite dish and invite them over for a home cooked meal. The collection of favorite recipe requests might look something like this… strawberry pretzel salad, macaroni and cheese, chocolate chip pancakes and meatloaf! If they are family recipes you would like to pass down, use this opportunity to teach and share.

3. If your grandkids are older and it is getting tougher to think of things to do sans eye rolls, consider taking them out to dinner, attending a sporting event or participating in one. If you are fit and active, how about a Fun Run, golf tournament or fall hike. Consider participating in an annual charitable activity such as a walk, local area park clean-up, a Habitat for Humanity project or even a mission trip.

4. If the grandkids are old enough, let them plan or help plan the party. Older kids may surprise you with their creativity and organizational skills. Perhaps they can rotate helping you or rotate the task by family. As they say, half the fun is getting there. Planning and preparing together makes memories, maybe even more so than the doing.

5. Create a t-shirt or small souvenir or keepsake each child can take home to remember the “party”. Perhaps you create a unique invitation each year which serves as a memento, or you plan a craft to take home. Consider following up after the party with a handwritten thank you note for coming. Tell them how special they are and how much fun you had together. Thank you notes may even be returned in kind. Kids love traditions, be consistent and it will be memorable.

6. Make it a memory by taking a special photograph. There are great, creative photo ideas out there. For instance you can have them hold a frame or chalk board with the year or a message on it. Another idea is to have each grandchild wear a shirt or hold up a sign with their name or birth order on it. Fun, relaxed photos showcasing their personalities tell the story of how much fun the “party” has been. These photos will be keepers and fodder for your brag book or Facebook page. Creating a photo wall in your home or an album for each event, will ensure lasting memories.

7. If you prefer to get up and go, then go somewhere! Consider a ball game, girlie manicures and pedicures, go karts, an amusement park, a picnic lunch, rafting, biking or fishing. Perhaps there is a popular local festival or concert to attend. If you live close to where you grew up or spent many years as an adult, a trip down memory lane would be a wonderful way to share your life with your grandchildren. Plan to take tons of photos and videos, and answer all their curious questions about what life was like in the “ole days”.

8. If hosting a party at your place, themed parties can be a ton of fun. Many websites offer fabulous ideas to help with games, food and more. Look for age appropriate themes. If you have a wide range of ages, you may want to consider splitting up, with babies/toddlers together and the “big” kids, so you won’t pull your hair out!

9. If you were born with the creative gene, devising a treasure hunt or mystery is always fun and memorable. Clues placed around the house or yard or taken to the mall or local downtown area, really get kids of all ages excited to unravel the mystery or find the hidden treasure.

10. Plan to make something together. When grandkids are young, simple crafts, chalk drawings, handprints and silhouettes are priceless. As they get older, building a fort, tree house or play area, planting a garden or decorating a playroom are projects you can work on together and enjoy together for years to come.