Remote Activities You Can Do with Your Grandkids

If there is one thing the pandemic has taught all of us, it is how to use technology to bring us closer together. Before the coronavirus, online communication tools such as Skype, Facetime, and Zoom were used sparingly between grandparents and their grandchildren.

Grandparents often were not up to speed on the technology while the grandchildren too quickly became distracted. However, with the pandemic forcing us to stay indoors, more grandparents learned just how great video chat can be. The challenge then became how to keep the grandkids engaged on a call instead of wandering off.

Well, here are six activities sure to captivate your little loved ones and to build a bond they will remember forever!

Play I Spy – Turn your smart device’s camera toward an interesting area in your home such as the kitchen, library, or cluttered closet. This view acts as a virtual picture where you choose an item. Give your grandchild clues and have them try and guess what item you are “spying”.

Play Games – If you and grandchild both own the same game, you can play virtually! Great physical games you can play include checkers, chess, and even Battleship. Take turns as you normally would and keep track of each other’s moves on your own boards.

Read Stories – Reading together has always been one of the best activities grandparents can share with their grandchildren. You can read a physical book to each other. Or, take advantage of one of the great online reading programs like the Caribu reading app.[1]

20 Questions – One of the simplest and simultaneously challenging games out there! Take turns choosing a person, place, or thing and then ask 20 yes or no questions before guessing the answer. This game is great at teaching problem solving skills to young grandkids.

Cook Together – Perhaps one of the most memorable experiences grandchildren have is cooking with their grandparents. Before the pandemic, this was a skill fast becoming a lost art in our fast-paced world. Thanks to video chats, now you can teach your grandkids how to cook and bake at home.

Draw Together – Drawing helps kids explore their creative side. Decide together on what to draw and then each of you create your best artistic impression. Set a time limit and after the timer is up, share your masterpieces with one another and to see how similar or different your talents are.

[1] https://caribu.com/

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