5 Outstanding Ways Grandparents can Engage with their Grandkids

This weekend we celebrate Grandparent’s Day! My children are blessed with some amazing grandparents who connect with them in outstanding ways! 

In honor of Grandparent’s Day, I have a guest post from a fantastic grandmother, my mom! Read on to see how she connects with her grandkids and encourages literacy!!

Happy Grandparents Day!

I remember one of my favorite coffee mugs when I first began my teaching career some 35+ years ago had a saying on it:  Nothing is better than a good book!  While it took some time to learn how to love coffee – a love of reading was just a part of my DNA.  And I did find that there’s something better than a good book – grandchildren!  So if I could create a NEW and IMPROVED coffee mug, it would read “Nothing is better than reading a good book with your grandchildren!” Because we live in different cities, reading with my grandchildren in person is not always possible – especially given the restraints of the times.  But finding ways to still engage with them and continue to foster a love of reading is an exciting adventure!

So, to celebrate Grandparents Day and our shared love of reading, let’s explore ways we can enjoy all of our loves. 

Connections –

• Support life events –

  Want to celebrate the return to school? Read books that support what your child might encounter as they return (Example:  The Night Before Kindergarten, The First Day of Kindergarten, etc.).  Planting a fall garden?  When you purchase those seeds, try checking out a book that teaches your grandchild what plants need in order to grow (Example:  I Can Grow a Flower). 

• Book Fair/Book orders –

take your grandchildren to the book fair. And if you can’t physically be there, FaceTime, Skype, or Google Meet with them to help select items from those lovely flyers the school sends home.  Set a spending limit and help them learn how to stick to it!  Some great discussions and prioritizing have been done over Scholastic Book orders!

• Holidays and Special Occasions –

I had purchased books for all four of my grandchildren to celebrate Earth Day this year but couldn’t read them in person. No worries!  We made an appointment to read together via FaceTime.  I read the books prior to my digital read aloud.  Decided which picture clues needed to be highlighted as I read, and determined when to pause for questions and conversation. I loved that during our discussion at the end of each read, they would ask to see parts again, or ask me to read a section again.  It was a great way to give their mom a break and continue one of our favorite activities despite the distance.       

• Reading and Cooking –

don’t forget the power of food! Reading a book about fall?  Consider finding a recipe for apple cider donuts and “read” the recipe together to enjoy a tasty treat while reading.  Plan a tailgate party for the return of your favorite football team.  Recipes are a great way to help children understand the importance of a process and expand their vocabulary.  Plus it can be a great way to celebrate what you’ve read!  These are winging their way to my house right now.  Planning ahead for future fun!

Interests –

Focus on your grandchild’s interests.  Do you have a girl who loves soccer?  Consider gifting her with a book about soccer great Mia Hamm.  Is your grandson into dinosaurs? (Silly question – are there any little boys who aren’t?)  Consider a fictional dinosaur book such as How to Catch a Dinosaur or for older kids, the DK Eyewitness books have fascinating photos and are a great reference to read parts of interest together.  Horses a passing fancy?  There are books on everything from horse care, riding, racing, and reference. 

Library/Bookstores/FaceTime –

One of our favorite things to do when I visit my grandchildren it to take a trip to the local bookstore or library.  All of us can get lost perusing the stacks of books and soon we have a pile of books to look through or read.  For the youngest ones, we may actually read the book right there – just for fun!  For the older children, we might read a page or three to determine if it’s something we might want to take home and read more.  Don’t forget to check out the back cover “blurbs” that can give you more insight into what the books about. 

Can’t visit the bookstore or library right now?    Pick out one of your classics and read it to them.      There is a reason you’re still holding on to that children’s book!

Conversations –

I have always belonged to book clubs.  Overtime that has taken on different looks, depending upon where I have been in my life or career.  At one point, a parenting book club was essential.  That book club was soon replaced by a professional reading book club. And now, my book club is a great way to stay connected to my friends and have common conversations that stimulate our brains.  So when my granddaughter began talking about her favorite author (Heidi Heidlebeck at the time), I read one of her books.  Why?  I wanted to be able to talk with her about the characters, problems created and solved, and what she thought the author might write next. This curious eight year old is always on the lookout for what’s being published next.

Travel –

My husband and I enjoy traveling and seeing other parts of the world.  Whenever and wherever we go, we are on the lookout for books that might interest our grandchildren.  While their ages vary from 16 months to 8 years, there is always something to teach them more about the place and the culture of our location.  They can explore the places we’ve been with us upon our return.  A book can truly open the world to a young reader!   Even if you reside in another state, many of your local bookstores or museums will have books that reference your area.  For example, Good Night books exist for almost every state and municipality right now.

Pick up a good book and a grandchild (or two) and Happy Reading!