Probably one of the hardest things about this pandemic is being forced to quarantine away from loved ones physically.  And while wearing a mask can be tiresome, it’s merely a minor inconvenience.  Whereas missing out on seeing your grandkids grow up is something altogether different.  It can be downright painful.  However, although you may be physically distanced, that doesn’t mean you have to be emotionally distanced.  Thank goodness for video chats!  But why stop there?  Why not try a few projects that can help you stay connected and have fun in the process?   FirstLantic has some ideas that can bring you and your grandkids together even while you are physically apart.

 

Make a scrapbook – Because everything in our life is digital these days, physical scrapbooks or photo albums seem to be a thing of the past.  However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t revive them and have some fun in the process.  Try this project – ask your grandchild to make a scrapbook of milestones in their life to date i.e., when they won that baseball trophy, when they played the lead in the holiday play, or their graduation from first grade.  If they don’t have physical mementos like photos, then ask them to draw a picture or write something to describe the event.  Then you reciprocate and do the same thing.  It’s a great way to give them a peek of what you were like when you were younger.   They will have fun looking at those old photos of mom and dad as toddlers or a picture of you when you turned 21, got your first car, or at your wedding.  Again, the idea is to have fun, so don’t stress if you can’t find the perfect physical remembrance.  Write something about it instead or print out some photos from the Internet of a similar car to the first one that you drove.  Just be creative and have a laugh while you are doing it.

 

Write a story together – The first steps are to decide on a simple premise.   It could be something like a child’s first day at school or a family’s process of adopting a kitten.  Once you’ve decided collectively on the story’s concept, get the ball rolling, and write the opening chapter.  Keep it to just a few pages at the most.  You can even draw some pictures to go along with it.  Now ask your grandchild to write the second chapter.  Again, this is about having fun and not trying to become another Shakespeare.  If writing a story is too complicated, then develop a shortlist of questions such as what’s their favorite animal or flower or what’s the funniest thing that ever happened to them, etc.  Have them write down some questions for you, and then pick a time to read the answers out loud to each other.

 

Record a story – Find out from mom or dad what your grandchild’s favorite bedtime stories are and record yourself reading them.  You can even record video as well or keep it simple with just the audio.  Either way, your grandkids will love hearing your voice soothe them to sleep, and mom and dad may enjoy a break from story hour as well!  Another alternative is to record your family history, which will be fun to share with the whole family and preserve those memories.

 

Visit a foreign country – Virtually, at least!   Pick a country you have always wanted to visit and spend some time researching and then sharing the facts.  Each of you picks a few things that you are responsible for finding out, such as the language spoken in that country or their most famous capital city monuments.   You can even choose a country-specific to your ethnicity, which is an excellent way for your grandchild to learn more about their heritage.

 

In summary, you don’t have to go high-tech to find something entertaining to do long-distance with the grandkids.  That said, there are plenty of online games that you can try.  The bottom line is that no matter what you decide to do, the fun is doing it together even if you are remote and creating memories that you can share when you finally can be physically together again.

 

Additional Resources:

 

  • When you can be together in person, here are some other ideas.

 

  • For tips on ways to help out with the grandkid’s education during COVID-19, click here.

 

  • If you don’t have grandkids but still want to connect with the younger generation, go for it!

 

  • If you or someone you know wants to find out more about home care, please go to Firstlantic.com or call us at 954-807-1798.