ad // Over the course of the pandemic and the million lockdowns we had, I think one aspect that really upset people the most, from what I’d seen and heard, is not being able to see your grandparents. Grandparents are so special to us and not being able to see them can be a real heartache.
All my grandparents have sadly passed away now though, so I never experienced that during the pandemic. In a way, I’m a little thankful. My last granddad was severely ill in the last months of his life and if he had caught COVID, it’s likely it wouldn’t have taken long to kill him. My Mum was one of his carers for quite some time, so we know it would have been a NIGHTMARE to navigate if he was alive during the pandemic.
Which is obviously really sad to think about and say but it’s true and it’s important to have these difficult conversations. You might only have limited time left with your grandparents, so you’re going to want to make that time special, not just chatting over Zoom every week. Although Zoom really was a lifeline for SO many people during that difficult time.
Now that we’re back to “normal” (whatever normal means) we can go out and basically do whatever we want and it’s a great chance to make up for lost time and spend some real quality time with your grandparents. Obviously some grandparents tend to have a lot of very difficult and different needs, so some of these suggestions might not work for you. But here are some ideas of how to spend quality time with your grandparents:
A picnic in the park
Now that the weather is getting lovely – not too hot but pleasant enough to sit outside in the sunshine – a cute little picnic outside might be a wonderful idea for you and your grandparents to do this Spring or Summer! Grab a cooler bag, their favourite food and some blankets and/or fold out chairs and have a lovely couple of hours in the outdoors enjoying each other’s company.
Fishing
This is probably more of a granddad type activity but a great option for you and your granddad to spend the day doing. Obviously with fishing, there’s a lot of sitting involved, so for grandparents who have trouble walking or being on their feet for too long, this is a great option. There will be plenty of time in your day to chat, have a bite to even, even play some cards whilst you’re fishing. If you’re thinking about heading out fishing, you might want to check out some quality carp bait suppliers.
Visit a museum
This is something my boyfriend and his granddad do occasionally and they both absolutely love it. Obviously this one mind depend on the level of fitness and mobility your grandparent has (his 87 year old granddad is outstandingly fit and mobile for his age!) but heading to an interesting museum on a slow afternoon can be a great way to spend an few hours, soaking in some history.
Play some board games
Board games definitely aren’t just for older people! I love board games and old fashioned games and I think this can be a lovely thing to do with your grandparents because when it comes to classic games like chess or backgammon, they will tend to surprise you! I didn’t realize that my Dad is actually quite a good chess player until last year and that my aunt used to compete! For stunning, high quality games, I would highly recommend Jaques of London.
Bake together
Baking is a lovely, relaxing and wholesome activity, whether you do it alone or with someone and for anyone who has a grandmother who likes baking but perhaps doesn’t do it as much anymore, then this would be a lovely idea. My Nan used to make the BEST roast potatoes – I’ve never had one like it – but sadly we didn’t get the recipe from her and never found out what she done to them to make them so beautiful. So make sure you share recipes whilst you’re at it!
However you enjoy spending time with your grandparents, make sure you do it and get off social media to enjoy this time. Lots of people would love to spend time with their grandparents again – heck, I didn’t even really know one of mine before he sadly passed away – so count your blessings and spend that quality time together whilst you can!
Oh this is so lovely! I have just one left now, but I see her every week and talk most days as she helps me with the little ones xx
Awh that’s lovely to hear!
What a beautiful post! I’ve been thinking of my grandparents recently, and thinking about my family in general and have been trying to make a little more of an effort to make sure I get round to seeing them all – I mean, they do all have their own lives now. So, it’s nice to think of these ideas above when when thinking of my grandparents. What I enjoy about seeing mine, is the conversations I’ve had with them about things, and looking at old photos and hearing about their memories. I love it. Thank you for sharing!
You’re so lucky you still have them around. It’s so important to dedicated time to family xx
I absolutely love cooking with both my grandmas (they don’t bake!) and I can spend hours listening to my grandad talking about the most random things, they all are treasures!
Awh that’s lovely you still have them around xxx
I have so many lovely memories of going for walks along different beaches with my grandparents when I was growing up. I hope if I have my own family one day, they too will be able to enjoy that.
It’s nice you have those memories to hold on to!
Even at 23 years old, I still LOVE baking with my Nan, it’s my favourite thing to do with her. It brings back so many memories from when I was a child. I honestly can’t think of anything that’s better than spending time with your grandparents, they are so special. Thank you for sharing these ideas lovely Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Ah that’s so lovely that you can still do that with her xxx
I love this! My Nana is also fit as a fidel and this weekend we are going to the Beartrix Potter exhibition at the V&A museum. I am so excited! I have learnt how important it is to spend time with your grandparents whilst you still can as my other grandparents have dementia and mobility issues. These are such lovely ideas, thank you for posting this.
Sounds like a lovely way to spend time together! Hope you have the best time x
I never really spent time in adulthood with my grandparents. One side died when I was a child, the other side, when I was just finishing uni, and the final Nan was about 7 years ago but we only really saw her a few times a year just to chat, and take her out to lunch. My son only had 3 years with my mum before she died, but his other Gran & Gramp live across the farm drive, so he sees them pretty much daily. He bakes and cooks with his Gran, and goes out shepherding with them. They have a great relationship
Ah that’s nice to hear!
Growing up, me, my Nan and Grandad used to play cards, some of the best memories from my childhood! Also me and my Nan always used to bake together, such lovely times! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Awh that’s so cute, glad you have those lovely memories xx
It’s good to go for a picnic. these are good ideas. We went with them to a park to walk and talk. It was good times.
Sounds lovely 🙂
This is such a great post, Jenny. I never knew my grandparents, which is so sad. They sound like such interesting people. One of my greatest joys in life is the relationship my daughter has with her grandma. They have their own thing and it’s so special. I love the idea of encouraging young kids to spend time with the older generation. The wisdom and experiences they can share is just unmatched. I love a museum. What a nice way to spend an afternoon. You might see something there through their eyes that you may have missed.
That’s a shame but it’s so good that you have that experience with your own daughter and her grandma!
Visiting a museum is a lovely idea, and I think any cultural or historical is a great choice for a day out- with anyone! Great post, thanks for sharing x
Definitely! There’s always going to be something everyone finds interesting!
Totally agree on the point about covid. We lost a few elderly people pre covid and I’m so glad they didn’t suffer through it. I loved spending time with my grandma and luckily I got years to do it & I’m grateful 🙂
It’s a shame we have to think like that but it’s so true isn’t it, it would have been just awful for some x
We do all those things except fishing with my parents and my kids. They also rather love reading books on art together with their great grandma, she always has something for them to look at ready for when we visit.
Awh that’s lovely to hear x
Awesome ideas. Thanks for sharing.
I love this post! ❤️
Like you, I only remember two of my grandparents very well, and I cherish those memories! My maternal grandmother made the best jello with fruit in it (only one I liked to this day), and a banana walnut cake with a delectable frosting that cannot be reproduced still! Ha! We used to watch her favorite shows on TV, eat TV dinners in the old aluminum trays, and then have the jello or cake for dessert. She grew fabulous roses and ate greens. She passed away right before my daughter was born.
And my paternal grandfather lived on a farm a hundred miles away from us. He lived long enough to get to know my kids and my best memories were from our good talks about life and family memories.
I am many states away from my granddaughters and miss them terribly. Thank God for tech so we video chat often! ❤️😘
Awh you sound like you have some wonderful memories with your grandma!
I would often stay overnight with my late grandmother, who used to take me for long walks to Victoria Park, East London. We’d watch the open air ballroom dancing on Saturday nights at the park, and sometimes there was a funfair. I’m a grandmother myself now, and I often take my granddaughters shopping – they love it and buy clothes that their mother wouldn’t approve of, lol.
Ah that sounds lovely what you used to to with your late grandmother x
Yes, she was a lovely lady. When she died she was the same age as I am now. Scary!
Wonderful post! I would add strawberry picking and trips to the pumpkin patch to the list! Family time spent baking together is so nice and creates lasting memories. I would also add long walks together in the great outdoors, picking dandelions in the summer, and pretty leaves in the fall. These are all special moments doing ordinary things; somehow, they become extraordinary when we do these things with the people we love. (I love your picnic in the park idea.) What an awesome way to spend an afternoon.
Some great ideas Linda!