Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day. If your kids don’t normally get to spend time with their grandparents, now is the perfect opportunity. Don’t let another moment pass. Consider these heartwarming ways to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa and make it a date.
PASS DOWN A TRADITION.
Ask grandparents to share something from their childhood with your children. Whether it's a game, recipe or collection, sharing with the next generation rekindles memories and creates new ones for your kids.
GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER.
Ask the kids and their grandparents to make a list of questions that they don’t know about each other in a journal. Take turns asking questions and record how Grandma and Grandpa answer in the journal. Then, have each person to share a memory from a common time in their lives (ie: kindergarten, first day of middle school, 16th birthday, etc.).
SHAKE UP YOUR FAMILY TREE.
Ask both grandparents to tell you the names of their parents, grandparents and siblings. You may discover family names that have been passed down for generations. Find out what part of the world your family comes from and when they arrived in this part of the country. If Grandma speaks another language, ask her to teach you a few words. Does your family have any traditional clothes or music that has been hiding in the attic? Pull them out and tell their story.
YOUR FAMILY IN PICTURES.
Let Grandma or Grandpa be the tour guide through memory lane. Pop some popcorn and pull out the family movies. Dust off the photo albums. Your kids will love to see the house you grew up in and your childhood pets. Let them laugh at the crazy clothes you wore and the hairstyles of the day. Don’t forget to take out baby pictures of each child and show them how much they have changed, too.
BRING GRANDPARENTS INTO THIS CENTURY.
OK, kids, it’s your turn. Introduce grandparents to Instagram and help them create an account (be sure to help them choose privacy settings!). Show them how to play Just Dance on the Wii or Minecraft on your favorite gaming system. Explain what emojis are and send them a few via text.
TAKE SILLY PHOTOS.
End the day on a high note. Set up a backdrop with a sheet and decorative lights. Print out photo booth prop templates like eyeglasses, hats and mustaches or use items from a box of dress-up clothes. Take photos of Grandma and Grandpa being silly with the kids. Preserve the memories by framing photos and displaying them in a special spot, or make a photo book online and get two copies (one for Grandma and one for the kids).
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Pam Molnar is a freelance journalist and mother of three. Her children are blessed to be able to spend time with both their grandmother and their great-grandmother.
If grandparents are long-distance, get ideas in our article "How to Stay Connected with Grandparents Who Live Far Away" at https://www.sandiegofamily.com/things-to-do/seasonal-happenings/across-the-miles-stay-in-touch-with-long-distance-grandparents.
