My Bag of Tricks for Entertaining the Grandkids

When I was a young grandmother I would chase the little ones around the room, roll on the floor, and participate in all sorts of activity games. Then 15 years later the second batch of grandchildren sprang forth. My stamina allows for shorter play periods and my body refuses to keep up with my creative imagination. I had to adapt so I could still be the cool grandma that the kids loved to visit.

I evolved from volleyball in the backyard to croquet — more my speed. The kids love using the mallets to hit different colored balls through the wickets. The real plus is they hardly notice when I sit down to take a break and there is no jumping or diving needed.

Though a game of Duck, Duck, Goose is always fun, the idea of springing from a sitting position on the ground to standing and then quickly chasing a child around the circle, makes my body scream. Alternative games emerged that allowed me to sit and watch the kids actively run around and get their wiggles out — games that I played as a kid with my grandparents that had been forgotten until now. Simon Says and Green Light, Blue Light provide them the much-needed movement and me the opportunity to be involved with limited movement.

Watching the kids play imagination games prompted another favorite activity. I shout out the names of animals so they imitate the behavior and sound of the creatures. If there is more than one child, we turn it into a race and they see who can move across the yard as they act like an animal.

Sometimes we weave a game into our regular activities. Whenever someone says, “Freeze” everyone in the room must freeze for 5–10 seconds. Then we carry on as if nothing happened. It is especially fun in public because onlookers watch and giggle at our silly antics.

Challenges

Everybody enjoys a challenge so I throw them out randomly. In these cases there is no winner or loser just laughter during the process. Participants challenge each other to accomplish silly, safe, and humorous tasks. If there is more than one child in the home, provide a short list and have them challenge each other.

• Say the ABC’s backwards
• Bubblegum Blowing Challenge
• Build a Card House Challenge
• Standing on one foot
• Staying quiet the longest (A personal favorite)
• Staring into each other’s eyes

You have probably spotted the commonalities of all these games. The kids are up and moving while I am relaxing in a chair.

Indoor play requires a little more creativity. Of course, reading books never gets old but the old Highlight Magazines inspired the idea for our own game of Spot the Difference.

When children are preoccupied or napping, I change things in my home and then ask them to spot the difference. They love the strange and wacky things I do. As they are playing, they will roam around the house and be occupied for a while. I have provided a list of possibilities:

• Place a shoe on the ceiling fan
• Put some stuffed animals in the dog’s bed
• Tie a shirt around the doorknob
• Hang necklaces on the lamp
• Turn a piece of furniture up-side-down

On those days when a task just needs to be done, suggest working in slow motion. Complete an entire activity in slow motion: clean the bedroom, make lunch, take a bath, brush your teeth, be creative with this and everyone will be involved.

Car ride activities

For the times we ride in the car, I have an app on my phone that shares riddles. Kids love a good riddle. When anyone needs cheering up or is getting bored in the back seat, I ask them a riddle. A little humor makes the ride go quicker and smoother.

Q: What did the horse say when he fell down?

A: HELP! I’ve fallen and I can’t giddy-up!!!

Q: Why is Peter Pan always flying?

A: He Neverlands.

Q: What’s the tallest building in the city?

A: The library because it has the most stories.

Silly faces are irresistible. We take turns scrunching our noses, squinting our eyes, and puckering our lips. Then everyone tries to replicate the same behavior. I must admit the little ones make the best faces so have a camera ready — when you are not driving.

Funny voices are just as irresistible. I talk in a funny voice and without even suggesting they do the same my granddaughters copy me. Just when they master one voice, I change to something different. Grandpa’s Donald Duck voice is their favorite.

When everything else fails, I pull out the tongue twisters. No matter the age, these little ditties prompt smiles. They also help with memory and pronunciation.

• The big, bumbling bear burned his butt baking bread.
• Six stinky skunks sprayed Santa’s sleigh.
• Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
• Pay the purple people eater.
• How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
• Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?
• Which witch is which?

Now, admit it. At least one of these made you smile.

For grandparents like me, there will still be activities that require bursts of energy but with age, my burst are shorter than they once were. These activities help when you tucker out quicker than the littles.