If you liked my
first list of old-fashioned activities, my second list will be the catalyst for more fun. You'll enjoy these activities because they'll bring back some wonderful memories, and your grandchildren will be making memories of their own. Perhaps one day your grandchildren will be sharing these recipes for old-fashioned fun with their own grandchildren.
1. Sing Silly Songs.
I was thrilled recently to learn that my grandchildren still sing in school many
traditional songs we used to sing, songs like “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” and “Erie Canal.” Sing these, but let the kids teach you some of their favorites also. If you have four or more grandchildren, singing rounds is fun. And try this: sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and leave off one more word each time you sing it. It sounds really cool. Songs that require hand motions or finger play are also great fun.
2. Play Mind Games.
Introduce the grandkids to games that don't require any pieces to play. “I Spy” is a classic that can be played as soon as kids know their colors. School-age kids like the Dictionary Game. One person thinks of a word and begins by saying something like, “I’m thinking of a word that rhymes with car.” The others begin guessing, saying something like, “Is it something black that is put on the road?” The first person has to say, “No, it is not tar.” The round continues until someone guesses the first person’s word or until the first person can’t come up with the word to fit a guesser’s definition.3. Have a Spot of Tea.
Use an old-fashioned children’s porcelain tea sets, use your own china if you’re not too attached to it, or buy a plastic play set if you're conservative. Teddy bear or dolly guests are optional. Use herbal tea (non-caffeinated) and make it very weak so that the grandkids will drink it like water. Then you won’t have to worry about the sticky mess that sugar makes. Add some fancy cookies or little sandwiches, and be sure to crook your pinky finger!4. Tent It Up.
Make tents in the house. Drag out extra sheets and blankets and drape them over the kitchen table and chairs, as well as other items of furniture, to create a series of tents and tunnels. Use clothespins or any type of clip or clamp to keep the bedding from slipping. Be sure to clear breakables off the furniture first. It’s a good idea to tell the grandkids ahead of time that they’ll have to help clean up. They can bring the bedding to you, then reposition the furniture while you fold the bedding.5. Bivouac Out Back.
Have a campout in the backyard. Choose a time that is not too cold and not too hot and not too insect-friendly. If you don’t have a tent, you can rig up one with blankets or even sleep under the stars. Dig out the flashlights and make a thermos of hot chocolate. You can use a firepit or a grill to roast marshmallows or make s’mores, or make a pretend campfire by putting some crumpled orange tissue paper on top of some sticks. Sing songs and tell stories. If the grandchildren are actually going to spend the night in the yard, an adult needs to be with them.6. Host Your Own Star Search.
Take the grandkids out to study the night sky. Share your knowledge, even if it’s limited to the Big Dipper and Venus. Moonless skies are best for seeing the stars, but moon-gazing is fun, too. If you don’t have a telescope, an ordinary pair of binoculars will enlarge the moon so that the craters and valleys and mountains will stand out. The full moon is not the best for viewing, so pick one of the other phases. To stabilize the binoculars, show the grandchildren how to create a tripod with their arms braced on their midsections, or use a real tripod.7. Dress It Up.
Keep a basket in which you toss any type of hat or accessory that could be used to enhance an outfit. When you decide to discard an article of clothing, consider using it for dress-up. Be careful about two things: don’t put belts or anything that could be a strangling hazard within the reach of young children, and don’t include clothing that will tangle around the feet. It’s better to use a blouse or shirt as a dress and shorts as pants rather than risk the grandkids taking a tumble.8. Don't Lose Your Marbles.
If you have a sandy place in the yard, teach the grandkids to
play marbles.
Tossing washers is another good old-fashioned outdoor game. Inside the house, play jacks or pick-up sticks. These games are excellent for building small muscle control and learning good sportsmanship.
9. The Jig Is Up.
Keep a jigsaw puzzle set up on a table. If you have a never-used dining table, that is perfect; otherwise a card table in a corner of the family room will serve. Puzzling can be a relaxing after-dinner activity, an adjunct to watching sports on TV, or a way to unwind before bedtime. Start out with puzzles that come with good-sized pieces and with pieces that aren't all the same shape. Putting together puzzles requires an awareness of shapes and of positioning, which become important as children learn to read. If you have pets or small children in the house, you may need to cover the puzzle with a board or cloth when it's not being worked on.10. Play the Best Game of All.
Last but not least, the very best game of all is pretend. It’s my grandchildren’s favorite, and there are one million ways to play it. It can be played with or without props. When I was a child, we liked to pretend to be pioneers or Indians. My grandchildren lean more toward being ninjas or animals. My granddaughters love to get out the plastic animals and make up various dramas involving them, like “Pretend the baby lion got lost from its mama.” When kids play pretend, they’re not just using their imaginations. They are working through the issues that interest them.
