Category — Grandma Camp Activities

Let your grandchildren create a pet rock by decorating a rock using markers, yarn, sequins, felt, and anything else you think might be interesting. It can be spooky, silly, glamorous, or alien. They can also make a house for their pet rock using a shoe box. Print out the “All About My Pet Rock” booklet so they can fill in all the information about their pet rock. Have them read the booklet to you to practice their reading skills. This is a great way to let them use their imagination. Hint: When you print the “All About My Pet Rock” booklet, print one page then put it back into the printer the correct direction to print the second page on the back. Then it will be in booklet form.
DOWNLOAD BOOKLET

Decorations: Use balloons with swirling, bubble like colors.
Food: Bake a cake in a round mold or a metal mixing bowl. Frost it smoothly with white frosting. Save 3 or 4 tablespoons of frosting to color then swirl the different colors of frosting through the white frosting on the cake, the way colors swirl through a bubble.
Serve punch with round ice cubes floating in it.
Make sandwiches of bread cut in circles.
Activities: Give each guest a large plate covered with bubble mix and a straw. Let them practice blowing bubbles then have a bubble contest.
Give prizes for:
The biggest bubble
The highest pile of bubbles
The pretties bubble
The longest lasting bubble
Blowing a bubble inside a bubble
Favors: Bubble gum, jars of bubbles, candy that looks like bubbles, or balloons.

I found this idea in the book Science Wizardry for Kids by Margaret Kenda and Phyllis S. Williams

This treat can is easy to make. All you need is a metal can, wire, paint, and embelishments.

Clean your can and remove label. You’ll need to take off the bottom of the can too. Be sure to use a can opener that doesn’t leave sharp edges.
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Using an awl or a nail, hammer two holes on each side of the top of the can.

Using the hammer pound the bottom of the can flat together.

The top remains open.
Now paint, decorate, add a wire for the handle, and fill with a special treat.

Grandparents can help their grandchildren learn to read or become better readers by:
1. Having books available when they come to visit and encouraging them to explore books.
2. Reading together and talking about what you’re reading.
3. Make reading a pleasure and show enthusiasm as you read together.
These ideas came from the Michigan Department of Education.

Download Accordion Fold Card & Book
There are so many great Valentine books to read to your grandchildren. Some that my grandchildren have enjoyed are The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting, Little Bear’s Valentine by Maurice Sendak, and Max’s Valentine by Rosemary Wells.
When you’re finished reading together you can make an accordion folded Valentine card.
Directions:
1. Print out the pattern on white or colored paper.
2. Cut out the strips only along the outside edges.
3. Tape or glue the 2 strips together and fold along the vertical lines accordion style.
4. Write a special Valentine message or story to give to someone.
5. Put it in an envelope or tie together with a ribbon.

This is a fun and easy idea from Jeanene at The Queen Bee’s Hive

My friend Carmen, from Albuquerque, New Mexico shared this great idea with me about how she creates special memories with her grandchildren. After they have done something together, she writes about it in her “Remember When” book. For example, if they went to the zoo she might write: Remember when we went to the zoo and the bear roared so loud that it scared Angie and she spilled her drink. She also includes photos. When her grandchildren come to visit they love to look through the book. It is now a tradition so the grandchildren will often ask her “Are you going to write that in the Remember When book?” As the grandchildren get older they can write in the “Remember When” book or even start their own.

This is a fun, easy, and inexpensive party game. All you need are 12 balloons. The object is to see how many balloons you can hold onto in 2 minutes. You can use your teeth and toes, you can put them under your arm and between your legs.

Create a box full of fun things for your grandchildren to dress-up in when they come to visit. Fill it with old clothes, hats, shoes, and jewelry. I like to look for interesting things at thrift shops or yard sales. It’s easy to find some hilarious things that your grandchildren will love that are inexpensive. Children love to create funny outfits. Encourage your grandchildren to write a short play to act out or read a story and let them act it out. Be sure to take pictures to preserve the memories. I like to keep my dress-up items in a plastic box that I can slide under the couch, it’s easily accessible and also easy to put away.
Sagan didn’t need a dress-up box. He likes to dress himself in whatever he randomly pulls out of his drawer.

Ethan likes to eat under the table so here he is having breakfast.

At Wheeler Farm, Ethan had fun throwing a stick in the stream and running to the bridge to catch it. Oh, the simple joys of childhood!

Then is was off to Great-Grandma’s condo for swimming.

After swimming, Great-Grandma took us to Wendy’s for lunch.

I attended a fantastic two day bookmaking workshop presented by artist and bookmaker Susan Kapluscinski Gaylord. I have been following Susan for several months and she inspired me to have my grandkids make books of their “Special Day with Grandma Liz.” All of her ideas use materials you already have and would probably recycle but now they have a new use. Check out her website Makingbooks .

Ethan making his “Special Day with Grandma Liz” book.

It was very easy to make: I just folded paper, punched two holes in the center, and tied a ribbon to hold it together.