The Best Ways to Play with Grandkids Now

By Grandma Sandy | July 20, 2022

In the summertime, if you’re taking on more childcare duties, it’s easy to run out of ways to play with the grandkids. Here are my favorite ideas from the “Call Me Grandma!” archives.

Playing with Fussy Toddlers

Sometimes, it takes imagination to play with grandkids. Entertain a child in the car with a puppet made by pulling a sock off her feet.
Remove the child’s sock and turn it into a puppet.

If you’ve ever had to entertain a fussy toddler without toys–in a car or a restaurant, for example–you know the challenge. Play with the grandkids employing their fingers, toes, and even their socks!

Learn how to entertain toddlers without toys.

Bean Bags to Play with Grandkids

Child tossing bean bags. It's a fun, old-fashioned way to play with grandkids.
Miss T at four years old, playing a bean bag toss game.

Old-fashioned bean bags lend themselves to any number of games for kids. You can play indoors or out. Added bonus: these games improve motor skills.

Learn how to make bean bags and check out some games to play with grandkids.

Fort Fight–a Game for All

Children playing fort fight, trying to capture each other's flag. Wads of recycle paper are used for ammunition.
Kids trying to steal each other’s flag ; we were still masking outdoors at the time.

You can make this game as simple or as complicated as you like. We started using two large cartons, with wadded paper for ammunition. Later on, we painted the forts and made shields. We had the most fun when parents and grandparents joined the fray.

Children painting their cardboard forts and making cardboard shields--some good ways to play with grandkids.
Refinements: Later, we made shields and painted our forts.

Learn how to set up for a fort fight.

For more ways to play with the grandkids, search my blog under the category, Grandma Fun.

Even More Ways to Play with Grandkids

You’ll find other great games to play on my Pinterest board.

Sign Up!

Don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter. Every Wednesday, I’ll give you a new idea for an activity or insight to nurture the little ones in your life.

During my vacation, through the next week, I’ll be reposting curated archived stories. I will return on Wednesday, August 3 with more new “Call Me Grandma!” ideas.

Next week: My thoughts about grandparenting. Come visit!

Related posts:

  1. In Summer, Water Play is a Great Way to Cool Off
  2. How to Make Bean Bags for Kids–It’s Easy!
  3. Camp Grandma #6 How to make a Piñata
  4. Short Takes: A Return to Better Fun and Games
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