Author Judith Guest (Ordinary People) had two goals — to drive three of her granddaughters 900 miles in an RV for a vacation at a Colorado dude ranch, and to be a perfect grandmother throughout the journey. Those goals, however, were wildly incompatible, as she writes in her essay, The Road to Imperfection, which is on Grandparents.com now:

What happened next? Read the full essay here, then join the discussion about traveling with the grandkids.

If your family loves games, Kings in the Corner requires only a single deck of cards and can be played by anyone. Game play is a lot like solitaire and is easy to pick up quickly. Try it out after dinner and see if your family takes to it. (Best played with 2 to 4 players.)

Read the full rules »

We've got high-flying kites, swirly tie-dye kits, ping-pong tables, and plenty more to beat any kid's case of summertime blues.

Shop our classic selections for endless summer fun.

Our Fun at the Beach Photo Contest, brought to you by our friends at York Photo, ends this weekend! Don't miss out on the chance for your little ray of sunshine to be a big winner! One of our fave pics so far is these little tykes cooling off in the shade. Cute!

Enter now.

We love this toy for its simple design, and the pure fun kids have with it. The Hop-On Air is an oversize, bouncy ball with a handle. Kids hop on, and wear themselves out bouncing around the backyard or driveway like mad. And because it's made from a high-density, durable vinyl, it won't easily puncture and end the fun.

Pick up a Hop-On-Air Ball now.

Try this easy recipe for perfectly breaded and seasoned chicken cutlets, courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian, star of the Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners.

When the tide goes out, many beaches become wide expanses of wet, muddy sand. It's fun enough just stomping around in this gooey slop with your grandkids (especially if they, or you, have water shoes on), but you can also discover all kinds of sea life, like sand dollars and shellfish, not to mention the curious objects lost by beachcombers in summers past.

Water-logged sand, of course, is also great for building sandcastles.

Are you traveling to see your grandkids this summer? If so, there's a good chance it'll be the highlight of your summer. There's also a good chance it'll be your only vacation time for the season. How can you balance time with the kids and time for yourself? Grandparents.com columnist Barbara Graham tackles the politics of family vacation time in her latest piece. She writes:

Read the complete column here and join the debate over balancing personal and family time when you travel.

One of the coolest ride-ons we've ever seen: The Plasma Car uses kids' endless supply of energy to scoot across a flat surface outside. Kids spin the steering wheel to move the car around and lean into the direction they want to go. The best part? It accommodates up to 220 pounds, which means adults can ride it, too.

Buy a Yellow PlasmaCar for their next backyard rally.

Our columnist Beverly Beckham, an award-winning writer for The Boston Globe, shows her love as a grandparent through words. We've put together some of her best-received essays that capture the wonderful bond between grandparents and grandchildren.

Enjoy and share with a friend.