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!