10 Creative Ideas for Long-Distance Grandparents
Stay on their minds with these fun and easy activities for long-distance grandparents.
By Sharon Lovejoy
prev
1 of
-
iStockphotoA Grandma's Bag of Tricks
by Sharon Lovejoy The simplest conversations, letters, and traditions can keep the intimate bond between grandparents and children flourishing across the miles. Your time together may be limited to holidays or a summer visit, but as a long-distance grandparent, you can still play an important part in the life of your grandchildren. My book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars, offers these proven ideas. -
iStockphotoHelp Them Make Letters Fun and Frequent
When grandchildren sit in front of a sheet of stationery, they feel daunted by the prospect of filling the entire page. Go to the local arts-and-crafts store and buy blank watercolor postcards. They're the perfect size, and they are great for the kids' paintings or drawings. Address the postcards to yourself, stamp them, and send them to your grandkids. Ask their parents to encourage them to write or draw you something every couple of weeks. Even though you are out of sight, a steady stream of letters and pictures ensure that you'll never be out of your grandchildren's hearts. -
iStockphotoA Birthday Card for Every Year
Years ago, Grammy Marilyn Brewer showed me a stack of birthday cards she was mailing to her granddaughter Kara. "On every birthday, I send a card for each year of Kara's life." What grandchild could ever forget a grammy who flooded the mailbox with cards? They can be homemade, so the only expenses are paper, envelopes, stamps, and time. -
iStockphotoCelebrate an Unbirthday
Long-distance grandparents can't always make it to their grandchild's birthday. My granddaughter Sara May's birthday comes in midsummer — the time of year when I live in Maine. She was always disappointed to have me miss her special day, but I solved the problem by making it a tradition to celebrate her birthday a month in advance. I make it festive, just like I do for the other grandchildren: decorations, a birthday banner, a fancy cake in her favorite color, party favors, and of course her gifts. She no longer mourns my absence — two birthdays a year is exciting for any child. -
iStockphotoPhoto Ops
Send inexpensive plastic cameras to your grandchildren and include pre-addressed, stamped padded envelopes for their easy return. Equipped with a camera, a child feels important and powerful and will gladly snap photos to share with Granny. When you ask your grandchildren to show you what their lives are like by taking pictures of their friends, pets, schools, or trips, you will surely get a response. Have parents mail the cameras back to you, so that you can get the film developed and share in their lives away from you. The next time the kids visit, you can talk about the pictures together. -
iStockphotoPut a Face on the Long-Distance Granny
Make sure your grandchildren's parents are armed with plenty of photos of you. One grandmother I know mounted her and her husband's enlarged photos on cardboard backing, and asked the parents to show her grandchild the images whenever they talked on the phone! -
iStockphotoYour Personal Book-of-the-Month Club
Make a habit of sending each grandchild a book a month. Focus on special subjects that you like to talk about when you're together. Add a Bookmark a Month Once a month, send handmade bookmarks to your grandchildren. Choose family photographs, photos of favorite pets, or favorite places to visit — anything that will remind your grandchildren of your good times together. Laminate the bookmarks so they will last. -
iStockphotoSend an Old-Fashioned Letter
We all love to receive mail, kids especially! A handwritten letter is a rare treat in today's world. Put in little sketches, photos, or treats to add more fun. -
iStockphotoTell a Joke a Month
Once a month call your grandchildren to tell them a joke, or e-mail their parents a joke from you. Chances are your grandchildren will have jokes to fire right back at you. Need a starter joke? Get a kid-friendly knee-slapper now » -
iStockphotoCommemorate Their Visit
After your grandchildren visit, use your talents to make a vacation book or collage of all the fun you had together. Send it to the kids as a keepsake — and as a reminder of how fun grandma's house can beAdapted with permission from Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars by Sharon Lovejoy. Copyright © 2009. Published by Workman Publishing Company, Inc. -
Book Your Trip Here, and Save!
Grandkids Menu
Hot Topics
Compatibility Horoscope
How well do you get along with your grandchild and other family members? Want to know if your personalities mesh?
Find out here.
Comments
I am a Long-Distance Grammy. I sent my older grandson, Kaleb age 10, text photos of things he likes and I like. One month I sent him a photo of a dragonfly I have bought him and He left it at my house on a visit. This dragonfly was in a different place everyday, I even took this dragonfly to work with me. It was a lot of fun.
cynthia_payne@ncsu.edu
My Autumn Life : a poem about being a distant grandparent
In my autumn life
I jet through time zones
to collect us together again.
I arrive.
My Australian gang of five
crushes me with hugs,
Each is a year taller.
We belong together while I'm there.
"Are you free to baby-sit?"
I do some shopping, cook a bit,
mend a torn dog, read some stories,
teach a new board game.
Too rapidly
the everyday becomes
the threshold of parting
which I ignore until the final hugs
until I'm leaving,
leaving again,
always leaving.
I just love sending my grandkids mail! I send postcards & cards and decorate the envelopes with stickers. They love the small treats too! I recently bought this adorable keepsake kit like thing called One Little Mailbox that has a mailbox for your grandchild's room, grandparent cards with different subjects to write about. I am always looking for something to help bridge the distance and keep me in their minds. I found it on a website called treasuredpassages.com. I would love to hear other suggestions on fun ways to send mail.
I just started mailing my 1 yr old granddaughter cards and trickets. I have so much fun and her parents enjoy opening them and having a good time. Ilove the idea with the stamped postards!