“Nature buffers the impact of life’s stresses on children and helps them deal with adversity. The greater the amount of nature exposure, the greater the benefits.” Wells & Evans 2003

Do you remember playing outside as a child? I remember spending hours upon hours playing in the woods: making elaborate houses with fallen branches, shaping dishes out of the clay we found in the soil, decorating with flowers and leaves. I remember climbing trees so high I got dizzy and had to be coached back down. There were games of hide and seek in the tall grass of an empty lot across the street, and in the winter, elaborate snow forts and all-neighborhood snowball fights. 

Children need nature. And not just seeing it, but experiencing it: the feel of grass under their feet, the sound of the birds in the woods, the smell of wet dirt. Studies have shown that children who play regularly in natural environments exhibit more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility, and they are sick less often (Grahn, et al. 1997, Fjortoft & Sageie 2001).

But for too many children, time playing in nature is a rare treat. 

So how can we, as grandparents, help?

It can be as easy as making your yard a safe place for exploration.
A child’s curiosity and imagination will guide them if given the chance. Provide your grandchildren with natural elements for creative play: sticks and stones and leaves and dirt and water. Keep a place for them to dig for worms. Let them make forts in your bushes and move the rocks in your border. Let them climb your trees and hang from the branches. Let them lie on the grass and watch the bugs. Let them pick your flowers and gather your leaves. Let them go barefoot and let them get dirty. Get out and play with them!

While planting and nurturing a garden is one way to introduce nature, you don’t have to do anything that structured. A small spade and bucket and a pile of dirt can often provide more entertainment to a preschooler than a carefully tended vegetable bed. But if you want ideas for ways to engage your grands outdoors (and in!), Camp Granny ​by Sharon Lovejoy has lots of inspiration for you. 

Don’t think your yard is very child-friendly? Check out Molly Dannenmaier’s book, A Child’s Garden, which provides dozens of ways to create natural play areas for children that fit into adult gardens. Find A Child's Garden: 60 Ideas to Make Any Garden Come Alive for Children by Molly Dannenmaier on Amazon.

No backyard? Don’t let that stop you from sharing the wonders and benefits of the natural world with your grandchildren.

Take them regularly to wild places. What counts as wild? Anywhere that lets them explore and experience nature, from pocket parks to nature preserves. Let them climb boulders and balance on logs, let them try to dam up a stream, let them feel the power of a wave. Need help finding somewhere near you? Here are some places to look:

Botanic gardens and arboretums often have spaces designed for children to play and explore. Even those that without children’s areas have plenty of places to roam and engage with nature. Find a public garden near you at at PublicGardens.org.
 
Nature preserves and wildlife refuges are wonderful places to search for lizards or wander through trees and over bridges.  They range from redwood forests to coastal wetlands. Wildlife refuges can be found on the Fish & Wildlife Services website.

National Parks are home to over 17,000 miles of trails and habitat protection for endangered species, and provide bountiful opportunities to explore nature. Find a park here.

The shores of lakes, rivers and oceans are varied and fascinating to children. Sandy beaches provide the chance to dig, sift, and search for different kinds of shells and sea life. Rocky shorelines provide tidepools inhabited by sea stars and crabs. (Just make sure you’ve read our post about water safety!) The Travel Channel has some great guides to beaches on their website.

Aquariums allow kids to see what’s under the sea, and most have touch tanks that let kids see and feel sea life up close. To find an aquarium near you, search here.

Hiking trails can be the perfect place to spend an afternoon. Google “kid-friendly hiking trails near me” to find out what your neighborhood offers.

For children, spending time outdoors should be experienced with all their senses. You can help your grandchildren realize all the benefits of nature by giving them plenty of opportunities for unstructured play outdoors. 

What’s your favorite place to take kids to interact with nature? Please share it in the comments!

​So, you're a grandparent! There just isn't anything comparable, is there? Everyone always says how wonderful it is, but you can't appreciate it until you are anointed with the label yourself. Then you know. It's magic.
 
Some of us have special talents or hobbies we cannot wait to share with our grandchildren – maybe it's looking through a telescope at the stars, helping them plant their own garden patch right next to ours or going fishing...It's exciting to consider the many activities we will share with them going forward!
 
As the children grow older, so do we! Initially, when they are taking their first steps, it is simply  holding out our hand for them to grab onto in order to steady their wobbly steps. Once they are confident and mobile it becomes a matter of following them around to make sure they are safe. We've managed so far, but what about when that grandchild is two or three and runs faster than we do? The child runs like the wind while we run winded trying to keep up! When our grandchild is over for a sleepover and falls asleep while curled up beside us, will we be able to pick them up and carry them to bed so as not to disturb their sleep?
 
Maybe you are chuckling and saying to yourself, “This isn't me. I have no problem”, and that's great! I only want to bring to your awareness that if you aren't proactively moving about daily this could become an issue.
 
As we age it's no secret that we lose muscle mass at a pretty good rate unless we are active and performing moves to improve our strength and build muscle. Why does this matter? Well, we want to experience that special moment of skipping across the lawn together while our grandchild is looking up at us giggling with the biggest sparkle of joy in his or her eyes. We also want to throw the baseball to an enthusiastic little player in training without pulling or tweaking something—and you know we can't wait to walk together on a boardwalk by the sea and join our grandchild when he or she runs off over the stony, uneven surface of the beach to look for shells. That's why it matters.

Fess up, grandparents: how many pictures did you take of your grandchildren this holiday season? Pictures of them staring up at the Christmas tree, or watching as the candles are lit on the menorah? Pictures of them in their “Baby’s 1st Christmas” onesie, or playing dreidel with their cousins? There are so many moments to capture during the holidays!
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Even if you didn’t get to be with them in person, I’m willing to bet that you got at least a few photos sent to you. Each photo is a memory that is now part of your family history. But what do you do with all those pictures now?

Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s easy to let those pictures languish on our phones or get stuffed in a drawer somewhere. But preserving memories is an important way for grandparents to create a legacy for their grandchildren! Someday, our grandchildren will love to look at the photos of their first Christmas, or the year they got their first bike.

One way to do this is by creating a photo book with the photos you took or received during the holidays. A custom photo book is an enduring way to keep your memories accessible and secure. While there are many online publishing options out there, I personally recommend Pinhole Press. Their books are of the highest quality, and their website is easy to use. (That’s why I became an affiliate for them—I believe they are the best out there!)

Pinhole Press allows users to design and create custom photo books, cards, and other photo products. They offer a wide range of modern templates and design options, making it easy for grandparents to create a unique and personalized photo book. There’s no better way to preserve your holiday memories.

To create a holiday photo book with Pinhole Press, just follow these steps:

Gather photos: Begin by collecting all of the photos that you took or received during the holiday season. Put them all in a separate, easy-to-find folder on your computer or phone to make uploading them a snap. 

Select a template: Next, choose a style for your photo book. Pinhole Press offers a variety of books to choose from, including traditional photo albums, hardcover books, and softcover books. For a holiday memory book, I recommend either a Story Board Book (currently priced at $43.99) or an Itty Bitty Photo Story Book (currently $14.99).

Upload your photos: After you have selected a book, upload your photos to the Pinhole Press website. You can do this by dragging and dropping your photos into the designated area or by selecting the photos from your computer’s file system. You can even add photos directly from your Facebook or Instagram account. 

Arrange your photos: Once your photos are uploaded, you can start arranging them in the order you want them to appear in your photo book. You can also add captions, change the layout, and apply filters to your photos if desired. If you have any trouble along the way, the help section on the website includes answers to most questions, and even videos to show you what to do.

Personalize your photo book: Add any personal touches to your photo book by selecting from a range of customization options. This could include adding text, changing the background color, or selecting a specific font.

Review and order: When you are happy with your photo book, review it to make sure everything is correct. Don’t forget to proofread every word: the most common spelling mistakes happen in the words we pass over, like titles and names.
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Then, place your order and wait for your photo book to arrive in the mail! You may want to order more than one copy: one for you, one for your grandchild, and maybe one for other grandparents or family members?

Creating a holiday photo book with Pinhole Press is a fun and easy way for grandparents to capture and preserve their holiday memories. It allows you to create a keepsake that you can share with your grandchildren, providing a lasting legacy for future generations. It’s the perfect way to document and celebrate your family’s special moments and traditions of the holidays.
Click here to visit Pinhole Press and order your photo book.

You may also like:

• A Grandparent’s Legacy
• Send Your Grandkids on a Virtual Trip to Spring Training
• How Do You Announce the Birth of Your First Grandchild?

Letters to grandchildren are a fun, meaningful way to connect generations and spread joy. Find out how to send fun letters to grandchildren with our answer to “What should I write to my grandchild?” ​

​Want a guaranteed way to make your grandchild’s day? No matter if they are 2 or 20, the answer is the same: the best way to deliver unexpected joy is by sending them a letter in the mail. Whether you live far away from your grandchildren or just across town, your grandchild will be delighted to receive a letter from you. What’s more, letters from grandparents to grandchildren are a powerful way to share your memories, values and love. 

Nothing says “I love you” like a letter in the mail! Grandparents’ letters to grandchildren are an amazing way to create a strong and lasting bond, even before your grandkids are able to talk. Letters are tangible proof that you are thinking of your grandchild, and a way to express your love and support. Stories, memories and details from your life will engage and entertain your grandkids.
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In addition to being a way to keep in touch, letter writing can also be a valuable educational opportunity for grandchildren. Letters can help grandchildren learn about family history and experiences, and can also help them improve their reading and writing skills.

There is simply no better way to link generations than regularly writing letters to a grandchild!

We’ve got the answer: Grandparent Love Letters. These beautifully designed PDF’s will delight your grandchild and create a written record of the memories you want to share. This set of twelve printable letter templates makes it easy to write a monthly letter to your grands that will foster connection and spread joy.

Every month has an overall theme and some prompts to help you share your stories. These prompts are just starting points, so there’s also plenty of room to write about whatever you have on your mind. If your grandchild is old enough, you can print and send a second copy for them to fill in and return to you. And if you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you increase your odds of getting a letter back from your grandchild!

So if you’ve ever asked, “What should I write to my grandchild?”, pop over to our shop and grab your Grandparent Love Letters so you can start sending love through the mail. For just $9.99, you can make 2023 the year you shower your grandchild with love every month.

Click here to visit the shop now. 

You may also like:

• 3 Ways to Make Letters to Your Grandchild More Fun
• 5 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild Using Music
• The Gift of Play

There are dozens of board books for every subject and occasion, but many of them are created with little regard to whether they have any value to the reader. Good board books for babies and toddlers engage them with captivating images and rhythmic language. Quality books for the youngest readers expand their horizons with new concepts and rich vocabulary. Publishers know grandparents will buy board books with familiar characters, so they churn out a Clifford or Pete the Cat book for every holiday, expecting (and getting) sales without having to provide a quality book for babies and toddlers.
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It can be hard to sort through the mass of titles to find the few which stand out as Really Good Books. So we’ve done it for you! Here are six Halloween board books for babies and toddlers that will help your grandbaby learn, while providing a pleasant experience for the reader.

Eek! Halloween!
By Sandra Boynton 
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Sandra Boynton rarely disappoints, and Eek! Halloween! is not an exception. The bouncy rhythm of the text, the simple, animated drawings, and the silly story all add up to a delightful book for both reader and child. Your grandchild will love it.

​Order now from Amazon.

Baby Touch and Feel: Halloween (DK) 

Touch and feel books are always a hit! Simple images introduce Halloween elements with vocabulary building words and appealing textures. The soft fur of a black cat and the sticky goo in a cauldron are sure to captivate the youngest readers.

Order now from Amazon.

Five Little Pumpkins 
Illustrated by Lucy Barnard
 
This colorful retelling of a favorite preschool poem is a perfect one to share with your toddler grandchild. Lucy Barnard’s illustrations are cheerful and full of movement, and the well-made book will stand up to repeated readings.

Order now from Amazon.

Babies Love Halloween: A Lift-a-Flap Board Book for Babies and Toddlers
By Scarlett Wing 
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The chunky pages of the lift-a-flap books by Cottage Door Press are designed to hold up to the most enthusiastic of flap-lifters. This volume, dedicated to the fall holiday, is a fun way to introduce your grandbaby to the sights and sounds of the Halloween season.

Order now from Amazon.

Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin
By Tad Hills 

Fans of Duck & Goose, a pair of friends who enjoy simple adventures together, will love this fall escapade. The back-and-forth dialog will encourage little ones to chime in with a “No!” as the pair search high and low for a pumpkin.
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Order now from Amazon.

Spooky Pookie
by Sandra Boynton 
Perfect for any child who will be dressing up for the first time. Pookie needs to choose a Halloween costume, and goes through several options before deciding what to wear.

Order now from Amazon.

​Our Lovevery review will help you decide if a Lovevery subscription is worth it for your grandchildren.

If you take a look at our gift guide, you’ll notice that there aren’t a huge number of toys on the list. That’s because I am a firm believer in the idea that the more toys a child has, the less they engage in creative play. My son will confirm that I rarely buy my grandkids toys—with one exception: Lovevery.

I got my youngest granddaughter a Lovevery kit subscription when she was three months old. I started with a one-year subscription, and then extended it for another year. Since she was too young to be aware of gifts, this has counted as Christmas and birthday presents for two full years. Her parents appreciated that the subscription boxes arrived off-holiday, so that the gift overwhelm was lessened—and there was something new and exciting for all three kids to investigate every few months.

Here's what my daughter-in-law had to say:
When we first started receiving the Lovevery box, I had three children, aged 3 months, 2 years, and 4 years. The older kids were justifiably jealous that the little baby got new toys every few months and they did not. I solved the problem by making opening the boxes a family affair (the baby couldn't complain about it at that point). We would put the box on the playroom floor and have all of the kids open it like it was Christmas morning.

Even though the toys were for young babies, all of the kids had fun "teaching" the baby to use them and figuring out other ways to play with them. Even though the toys are designed to be developmentally appropriate for specific ages, their bright colors, warm wooden structures, and creative set-ups make them appealing to all children. I have found many of the toys hidden away in my oldest child's room over the years!

Are Lovevery Kits Worth It?

Each Lovevery kit includes an assortment of toys and books that are designed help build new neural connections for a specific age by experts in child development. The high quality toys are made with sustainable, organic and natural materials. Most are open-ended playthings that lead naturally to hours of creative play, like the bunnies my grandchildren still love:

Though there have been so many wonderful toys and puzzles in our Lovevery boxes, one of our favorite toys came in one of the earlier boxes: three tiny, round bunnies and a simple, wool bunny house. The bunnies are just adorable.

The bunnies don't do anything. They don't light up, they don't make noise; they're just there to receive love. The wool bunny house doubles as a nice purse. We've had so many days throughout the years of just playing simple toddler games with these bunnies. Hiding them. Hopping them around. Carrying them in their bunny house from place to place. It's the kind of toy that exemplifies Lovevery's approach: simple, multi-purpose, and beautiful.
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I don't think I'll ever get rid of them - I could see decorating a lonely shelf with them sometime in the future, as a pleasant aesthetic object, and also for the memories.​

Lovevery Books
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I’ll let our family librarian, my daughter-in-law, tell you about the books: 

Though the toys are great, my daughter's favorite part of each box has been the books. As a children's librarian, I have to applaud her taste. There are few books on the market right now like Lovevery's collection of board books. 

Instead of being abstract, cute, long-winded or moralizing, the Lovevery books are concrete, simple, and directly applicable to the life of a toddler. They have clear, realistic photos of toddlers going to the doctor, baking muffins, exploring the woods, having birthday parties, and going to the park. My daughter gasps every time she sees the boy fall at the park, or the girl get a shot. She knows just how that feels.

My all-time favorite Lovevery experience happened by accident, when we received a box with a book called Bedtime for Zoe. In it, Zoe had the exact same pajamas as my daughter: A long-sleeved, zip-up number with a white background and a variety of bugs and flowers decorating it. Zoe even had the same doll—not such a coincidence, as it in with an earlier Lovevery box.

She wanted to get ready for bed just like Zoe every single night. She took a bath, got her matching PJs on, held her matching blanket, and snuggled her matching doll. She would look at Zoe and exclaim, "that's me!" Of course, this caused a lot of problems with laundry, and I found myself throwing the Zoe PJs into every single load that went into the washer. But it was worth it. Toddlers can be hard to put to bed at this stage, and Zoe got her (and us) through it.

Our ultimate Lovevery review: yes, we have found the Lovevery kits to be worth every penny. If you have a grandchild under the age of five, I bet you will be just as impressed with the quality, design, and lasting appeal of the Lovevery toys. You can find out more on their website.

Have you checked out the rest of the suggestions on our gift guide? We’ve got ideas for every age!

First, let’s begin with a BIG disclaimer.  Not everything you do with grandchildren needs to be purposeful.  There’s great value in just “hanging out” with your grandchildren—listening to what they have to say, enjoying spontaneous conversations and outings, and just having fun with them. 
 
However, I think there is much to be gained from being intentional and purpose-driven in providing experiences and activities for grandchildren.  Here are two illustrative stories about our attempts to make family activities more purposeful and meaningful for our grandchildren.  We hope they’ll be helpful to you.
 
In our community, a savvy company sells ice-cream sandwich seconds, Fat Boy[s].  The sandwiches are seconds for a variety of reasons.  They’re missing something—the top or bottom of the sandwich.  Or the sandwich is incomplete in some fashion.  However, they appear to be the same because of how they are packaged.  If you were to look at the packaging, you would think there is nothing wrong with these sandwiches.   So, when the company sells them in our area, I buy a lot of them—sometimes 40 or 50.  They are cheap.  They taste great.  And my grandchildren and our neighbors love them.
 
So, how did I use these sandwiches with my grandchildren and their parents?  It was simple.  At the end of a family dinner, I told the grandchildren I had a terrific dessert for all of them.  I suggested it was a one-of-kind treat we’d never served before that evening.  Of course, the grandchildren were very interested in the dessert.  Take note!  Curious grandchildren are more attentive when you are trying to make a point or teach an important life concept.

I removed my box of frozen Fat Boy[s] from our freezer.  I then provided these instructions:

1. Quickly but carefully pull a treat from this box.
2. Carefully examine your treat before removing the packaging.
3. Then remove the packaging and see what you have inside. 
4. Also, look around and notice what others have.
5. Then take a bite or two, and then we will discuss your observations.​

Our grandchildren were quick to observe the differences among and between their sandwiches.  At this “peak” moment, I asked questions like these: 

1. Now that you’ve enjoyed your treat, how are these sandwiches like your life?
2. How are they like your friends?
3. What do these sandwiches teach us about ourselves?
4. What other observations do you have about these sandwiches?

Music is a magical way to build strong bonds with your grandchildren–and have fun while you are at it!

Before he could walk, my grandson could dance. Whenever he heard a lively song, he began to move his body to the beat. When his muscles and coordination caught up to his desire to move, he became a dancing machine. Naturally, we all provided lots of lively music to encourage him, and we were rewarded with performance after performance.

We are wired to recognize rhythm from the earliest age, and nearly every culture has songs that are meant to soothe babies and entertain young children. Whether you are a music lover or not, music is an incredible way to connect with your grandchildren. Here are five ways to use music when you are playing with your grandchildren.

1. Singing and reciting
Even those among us who were not blessed with vocal talent can sing a lullaby or The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Hearing these songs over and over teaches important elements of speech and communication, like tempo, pitch, and rhythm. The call and response of songs like Down by the Bay mimic conversation and improve listening skills. What’s more, sharing the songs and rhymes that our parents and grandparents taught us connects the generations. Plus it’s fun!

2. Rhythm instruments
Hand a baby a spoon, and they will bang it on whatever they can reach. Making music is really just a refined version of making noise. As babies learn they can make noise, they will delight in every opportunity to do so. Providing them with ways to make noise helps develop their ability to make music. Simple rhythm instruments like shakers, tambourines, and small drums are a wonderful way to introduce musical instruments. Homemade versions are easy to create and just as effective. Provide different size cans and containers and a wooden spoon or two, and sit down with your grandchild and tap out rhythms together.

3. Parent-child music classes
Many communities offer parent-child music classes designed for very young children. These make a thoughtful gift for young parents, provided their schedule allows for it. If you are a local grandparent, you might even be able to tag along or fill in for the parents. To find a class, try Music Together, Kindermusik, or Google “Parent child music classes” plus their zip code.

4. Sharing favorites
Music is a great way to share parts of yourself with your grandchildren, no matter their age. What are your favorite songs? Your favorite artists? Your favorite genres? Share them! Play classical music during breakfast, or Garth Brooks while you build with blocks. Not only are you exposing them to things you love, you are creating powerful musical memories. Play Purple Rain often enough, and some day they will hear it somewhere and think of you.

5. Live performances
Children often don’t realize that the songs they hear at home are made by real people playing real instruments. Taking them to a live performance can inspire and delight them, and sharing live music can help connect them with their community. Look for local performances aimed at children, or summer concerts in the park. As they get older, attending concerts and recitals can broaden their horizons and bond you through a shared love of music.

Encouraging babies and small children to sing and move to music is a lot of fun—and has the added benefit of helping their cognitive and social development. As grandparents, it’s an ideal activity for the time we spend with them, even from a distance.

More ways to connect:
5 Ways to Be More Present with Your Grandkids
Connecting with Grandchildren Through Reading
Being Silly Keeps You Young