Are you looking for fun activities for a Grandparents Day? Make the day memorable with fun tasks that will keep retired grandparents engaged with their grandchildren throughout the day. Here are some great ideas for Grandparents Day activities that you can adapt to make your grandparents happy:
1. Share a Poem Together
Grandparents Day poems go straight to the heart. The grandchild can make a card out of the poems, print it out and read it aloud. If the child can’t read, an older person can read it on their behalf. These poems are a great tool to help the child and the grandparent vocalize their feelings.
2. Make a Special Card Together
Let the grandchild make a special card and decorate it together with the grandparent. After this Grandparents Day activity, the grandchild can then present the card as a gift to the grandparent in a manner that will bring a smile to the grandparent’s face.
3. Pizza Bake-Off
In a pizza bake-off game, the grandparents compete in an English muffin contest with their grandchildren. Place a number of toaster ovens in the activity room. Have the grandparents form one team and the grandkids the other. Supply each team with muffins, cheeses, toppings, and tomato sauce. Challenge them to make the best-tasting pizza. Appoint one of the staff members to judge. The winner of the contest is to be rewarded. Quite the activity!
4. Biography Interviews
Supply the children with questions and ask them to interview their grandparents. After the children are done, collect the answers and assemble them into a small book for each resident. They will love to keep a copy as a personal biography.
5. Scrapbooking
Encourage family members to bring old photos. Set up scrapbooking stations at different corners at your facility. Give out scrapbooking materials and memory boxes to the residents and their family members. The Grandparents will enjoy going down memory lane with visiting family members.
6. Video Recordings
There may be residents whose family members are not able to visit them on Grandparents Day. You can keep them engaged by recording the grandparents on video and then sending those messages to the grandchildren and family members. Let the residents provide you with email addresses of their grandchildren and help them record and send short messages to all their grandchildren individually.
7. Mini Classes
Each of your residents has a specific skill or hobby they can share with the visitors on Grandparents’ Day. Provide them with the supplies they need for the exercise. If a grandmother wishes to teach the granddaughter how to knit, provide yarn and knitting needles. If one of your members wants to teach their grandson how to make their favourite pancake using a ‘secret’ recipe, supply an electric stovetop and the necessary ingredients. The residents will not only enjoy imparting knowledge but also re-live some great memories.
8. Singing
A musical between the grandparents and the children can be a fun way to celebrate Grandparents Day. It is even more fun if every visiting member of the family participates. If some of the family members can play musical instruments, the better. Supply the instruments and lyrics so everyone can sing along.
9. Floor Games
Children enjoy learning new games. These could be those that were popular when the grandparents were kids. Provide a large area in the activity room for the residents and their grandchildren to participate in this Grandparents Day activity.
10. Indoor Plantings
Grandparents enjoy teaching children how to plant Forget-Me-Nots, the official flower of the National Grandparents Day. Organize a gardening activity and include joint arts and crafts. Invite the grandchildren to decorate flowerpots and ask the grandparents to show them how to plant Forget-Me-Nots.
11. Gift Exchange
Ask the grandchildren and the grandparents to make art and craft items and then exchange them as gifts. Your residents are likely to treasure these gifts for a long time.
12. Share Some Family History
This being a special day, you need to dedicate time to learn about family history. Grandchildren will listen carefully to stories narrated by their grandparents. Create a lasting record of this history by recording the conversation on tape. It is also a good opportunity for the grandchildren to know their family tree. Drawing a family tree would make it more enjoyable. Let the grandchild discuss the branches of the tree with their grandparent. Families are far much bigger than many people perceive.
13. Read a Book Together
Taking turns to read a book is a great way for grandparents to enjoy their day with visiting family members. Choose a story or chapter from the grandchild’s favourite book. This activity is not only enjoyable, but it also encourages a child to develop a reading culture.
The National Grand Parent’s Day comes only once in a year. Make it a memorable and unforgettable one. The ideas presented here should help you make this special day a success.