Fun Things to do with the Grandchildren

If you’re a grandparent, then you’ll know just how joyful it is to spend time with your grandchildren, watching them grow up and hearing them laugh.

During the school and summer holidays, your babysitting services might be more in demand than at other times of the year, so it pays to have a few tricks up your sleeve to keep your grandchildren entertained.

Not quite sure what to do with the little ones? Read our list of fun things to do with your grandchildren, from inexpensive indoor activities to outdoor adventures, to help you entertain them this summer.

Become nature detectives

Children love bug hunting, whether it’s looking for creepy crawlies in the garden or going rock pooling at the local beach. Finding and identifying insects can be educational as well as fun and easily adaptable for different ages, like counting spots on ladybirds or identifying butterfly species for example.

If your grandchildren are visiting, you could simply shake a large plant or bush in your garden over an old ice cream tub, this is an excellent way to reveal some of the species living within.

Make your own pizza

What better way to have some fun while preparing dinner than with a make-your-own pizza competition. Making the dough from scratch can be fun too, but it’s better suited to slightly older children.

If you’re looking after little ones, then adding the tomato and the toppings will be plenty to keep them busy. They can also experience the sense of pride that comes from eating food they’ve prepared themselves, making this both an educational and fun thing to do with your grandchildren.

Take a train ride

There are still several steam trains in operation around the UK that will take you and the grandchildren on an exciting and nostalgic ride. If you’re not within easy reach of any of the steam trains, you can take a trip on one of the many miniature railways for kids instead.

Go to the cinema

The weather might be unbelievably good at the moment, but it can’t last all summer. When the inevitable rain clouds are upon us, some cinemas are running kids' screenings with reduced ticket prices so you can stay dry and keep the kids entertained. This is one fun thing to do with your grandchildren that won’t be affected by the weather.

Join free sports activities

These days, your idea of a good time might not be dashing around a football pitch with the grandkids, so why not let the professionals do it instead? There’s summer holiday football coaching available in England and free tennis coaching on offer across the UK. Look online to find the closest training sessions to you.

Get pedalling

If you have bikes at home, then check out some of the child-friendly cycle routes courtesy of the National Trust. The routes are perfect for little legs and legs that were not quite as young as they once were. Short cycles coupled with a picnic, and maybe even the bug-spotting mentioned earlier, makes for a fun day out for both you and your grandchildren.

Go geocaching

Have you heard of geocaching? It’s a treasure hunt for adults but is a fun thing to do for the grandkids too. You simply head out with a GPS in hand to locate a ‘cache’ that has been left by another user. The cache will usually contain small trinkets that you can take but must replace with a small gift of your own. You can also leave a message as well.

Find some water

On hot summer days, there’s nothing children like more than having some water to play in. Whether it’s a free splash park or a paddling pool in the garden, this is a cheap and easy way to keep them entertained for hours on end.

Head to your local library

Local libraries can be an excellent resource to use during the summer holidays. You can borrow audiobooks, DVDs and traditional books, or attend some of the children’s activities many libraries put on.

Let them enjoy some alone time

Children’s brains are wonderful things so don’t worry about filling every minute of the day. Letting them play alone in the garden or in their rooms will encourage independence and let their imaginations flow. Colouring books, puzzles and story writing are great ways for your grandchildren to entertain themselves.