If you’re recently relocated to a senior living community, you may wonder how to entertain your grandchildren when they visit you. They will no longer have Grandma or Grandpa’s house to explore freely or their big yard to play in. Depending on their age, your grandchildren may also feel sad or nostalgic that they are no longer having the big Thanksgiving dinner, Easter egg hunt, or Christmas Eve party at your home. It’s sad, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find fun and rewarding activities with your grandchildren when they visit you at your new apartment.
Before you move, sit down with your grandchildren and their parents and explain to them that you’re moving to a new home, and there will be new adventures for everybody. If you have a second bedroom in your new apartment, reassure your grandchildren that they can still have sleepovers. Frame it in a positive light (because it is!) and as a new opportunity. If you are unable to speak to your grandchildren yourself, ask one of your children to explain the situation to them. Kids can be surprisingly resilient and may embrace the opportunity more easily than you think.
Here are some ideas for activities for you and your grandchildren at your new home.
Explore the grounds
Join your grandchildren for a walk around the grounds of your new home. If you (or they) have a dog, take it for a walk. Watch birds and enjoy nature. If you have special knowledge about any of the flowers, trees, and plants on the premises, share it with your grandchildren.
Color
Kids of all ages enjoy coloring. Have some crayons and coloring books available. Stock up on some adult coloring books and join in the fun.
Read stories
Small children like being read to. Ask them to bring you their favorite books or check out books they may like from the library. If your senior living community has a library, it may have some children’s books on hand. If it doesn’t, there you go. A great volunteer project would be to coax some fellow grandparents into coordinating the acquisition of a collection of children’s books for the community library.
Arts and crafts
You can find age-appropriate arts and crafts projects at a hobby store, or you can get ideas online. Maybe your tween granddaughter would enjoy spending the afternoon making friendship bracelets.
Puzzles and games
From Candyland to Monopoly to Trivial Pursuit, there are board games for every age level. Get the parents involved and make it a family affair. Putting together puzzles is also an enjoyable pastime.
Movie night
Let your grandchildren select their favorites, then gather around with cozy blankets and a bucket of popcorn and enjoy a movie.
Cooking
Bake cookies or make buckeyes in your new kitchen. Those are simple culinary creations that younger grandchildren will enjoy, especially when it’s time to taste.
Creating New Traditions and Lasting Memories
There are plenty of activities you can enjoy with your grandchildren when you live in a senior community. In fact, many of them are ones you probably did with them when you lived in your house. As you and your grandchildren get more acclimated to your new home, opportunities for having fun will naturally present themselves. At Kingsbury, we strive to create a warm and welcoming environment for residents and their families. We’re Ohioans who developed our communities for fellow Ohioans, and we strive to make all our residents feel like royalty. You and your grandchildren will appreciate our first-class amenities and caring staff. If you would like to learn more about our senior living options, reach out to our staff to schedule a tour.