10 Ways for Grandparents and Grandkids to Bond

Your grandchildren are your most cherished treasure. While it is normal to feel the generation gap, there are still ways to get to know them better and spend time with them. Try these 10 activities to become their cool grandparent and fun friend!

1. Learn to cook a new cuisine together

In an Indian household, several memories are created in the kitchen, through recipes that are passed down from one generation to the next. To create your own aromatic memories, find a cuisine that you and your grandchild both love. You could attend cooking classes with them to master it. Share responsibilities like cleaning vegetables, preparing spices, or washing dishes. Don’t forget to ask your grandchild for suggestions, too. After class ends, you will find that your grandkids will value the effort you put into cooking, as well as volunteer to help you in the future.

2. Tell stories

Indian grandparents are known to be natural storytellers, narrating fantastic tales from mythological epics. Now, share memories from your own life with your grandchildren and make them chuckle. Stories about their parents and their own infancy will amuse them, too. In return, they are likely to tell you about what is going on in their lives.

3. Play chess

A game of chess is a great way to spend time together indoors as it creates the perfect ambience for amazing conversations. As a grandparent, it is easy to dismiss your grandchildren’s attention span. Rather than underestimating their focus, invite them to a game of chess. This will encourage them to strategize and keep your own skills honed, besides giving you plenty of quality time together.

4. Learn music together

Work and family commitments may have stopped you from fulfilling your dream of learning to sing or play an instrument. You could work towards that dream now. Ask your grandchildren if they are interested to accompany you to music classes. Learning music together will not only make it more fun, but will also give you an experience to share with them. This great learning opportunity will also prepare you to perform together at family gatherings.

5. Dine out together

Eating meals together is a great way to connect with your grandkids, especially if they are teenagers. This will give you an opportunity to introduce them to your favorite old haunts. Your grandchildren, on the other hand, may introduce you to new restaurants and cuisines. Set aside one or two days every month to visit a different restaurants, and spend time discussing where you should go in advance. This way, you will both look forward to spending time together. Book a table in your favourite restaurant and explore new flavours with your grandchildren.

6. Take a walk

Brisk walks outdoors are a great way to get some fresh air and exercise, as well as to appreciate the natural beauty of your city. Invite your busy grandchild along on your morning walk. It will give both of you time to catch up. You may also use this as an opportunity to teach them about the city”s heritage and its neighborhood, especially the ones that hold special significance to you. A walk that helps you lose few calories but build good memories for your grandchild.

7. Learn gardening together

Create a spot of greenery in your own home.. Attend gardening courses with your grandchildren and invite them to help you plant seeds. Ask them to help you keep track of the plant’s growth. You will be able to share the joy of seeing flowers bloom and new leaves emerge.

8. Play vintage games

Introduce your grandchildren to the joy of vintage games. Carom, Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, and other games may be entirely new to them. This gives you the opportunity to teach them something interesting. The strategy involved in these board games will ensure that your grandchildren won’t be constantly distracted by their phones or the television. But don’t be surprised if they soon get better at playing than you; after all, kids pick up new things very quickly!
Cleartrip offers an opportunity to play vintage games, select your pick from multitude of options.

9. Practice craft together

Receiving cards and other paper crafts as gifts from grandchildren is a heart-warming experience for all grandparents. You, too, should add some creativity to your life by learning new crafts with your grandchildren. Pick a project to do together, and volunteer to help with the parts that need adult supervision. Let them lead the way and pitch in only when they are confused. Practicing craft together will make them more artistic and allow you to revisit your own childhood.

10. Listen to old songs

Meaningful lyrics and beautiful compositions make songs from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties memorable. Take this opportunity to introduce your grandchildren to your favorite old songs. If the song is from a movie, explain the importance of the scene where it is played. Narrate memories attached to certain tunes, and tell your child about the trivia related to singers and songwriters. If you make it interesting, your grandchildren will not only appreciate old music but will also thank you for the songs you have added to their playlists.

It is important to be open to new experiences. These 10 activities will help you to become friends with your grandchildren and understand their thoughts and perspectives. To build a stronger bond with the young ones of your young ones, try out these activities today.