“Nurturing Relationships” shares advice on how to stay connected with loved ones and spend quality time with those closest to you.
Whether near or far, spending quality time with grandparents is always worthwhile. Here are three fun ideas to help you celebrate Grandparents Day this year.
Game night with grandparents
If you can’t gather around the dining room table this Grandparents Day, you can still spend quality time together with a favorite family game.
Directions
Send an invitation to your grandparents and any other family members who want to participate in a virtual game night. Next, pick the video chat service you’ll use to connect with family online — FaceTime, Zoom, Google Chat and Houseparty are all commonly used video streaming services for smartphones. Finally, the fun part: Pick the games to play together. Words With Friends, PlayingCards, QuizUp, and Scattergories are just a few of the online games that you can synchronize to play in real time with your grandparents, near or far.
Virtual bake-off
There’s nothing like food to bring family together, even if you have to celebrate Grandparents Day from a distance. This virtual cookie baking contest is sure to become a fun family tradition for years to come.
You’ll need
- A sugar cookie recipe (or similar recipe, so cookies can be decorated with frosting)
- Food coloring
- Frosting
- Cookie cutters
- Cookie decorating tools
- Video chat service like FaceTime or Zoom
Directions
Start by setting a date for the great bake-off, and select a family member who can judge the final creations. Next, choose a cookie recipe that you and your grandparents will make. The baker who creates the most interesting cookie frosting decorations is the winner, so plan ahead for the supplies you will need to create fun shapes and decorate — or try our fall-themed Cheryl’s Cookies decorating kit. Don’t forget to toast your accomplishments with a glass of milk at the end of the bake-off.
Family story swap
Directions
Start by drawing names of family members from different generations in your family tree. Decide which names you will research, and which names your grandparents will research. Next, research each person assigned to you, and prepare a story — or two — to share. You can even create a PowerPoint slideshow with photos and words to help your stories come to life. Then, schedule a time to video chat with your grandparents and swap stories for a fun evening learning about family lore.
