ACTIVITIES FOR SENIORS WITH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN

It might be the best example of the classic good cop, bad cop routine.

We are talking about the relationship many children have with their parents and grandparents. Although mom says no to giving her child access to the cookie jar, grandma has no problem baking two dozen cookies from scratch as a delicious snack before dinner time. When Dad lays down the law when it comes to watching television, Grandpa grants an unlimited amount of time for a grandchild or two to watch Saturday cartoons.

The classic good cop, bad cop relationship grandchildren have with their parents and grandparents has changed somewhat over the past generation. Grandparents have assumed more responsibility than ever in the raising of their kids’ offspring, which means being much more than weekend destinations for their grandchildren. Even grandparents living in assisted living facilities have assumed more of a role in raising their grandchildren.

What does all of this mean? It means grandparents living in a senior housing facility in Everett, Washington need to know about the many activities seniors can do with their grandchildren.

Play Games

No, we do not mean grabbing a video game console and saddling up to the television for hours of video arcade fun. Although there exists a well-defined generation gap when it comes to playing video games, most grandchildren remain highly receptive to playing more traditional games with their grandparents.

A card game such as Crazy Eights can melt away an entire afternoon of time to bring grandkids and their grandparents closer together.

Solving Puzzles

Children, especially younger ones, love trying to solve puzzles, whether a puzzle is the traditional 1,000-piece kind or a puzzle that involves finding the answers to crossword puzzle clues. The best puzzles to solve come with an “All Ages,” label, which means you and your grandchildren should be able to enjoy working together on solving a puzzle that presents a reasonable level of difficulty.

Movie Night

Sometimes, all a grandparent has to do is microwave a large bowl of popcorn, and then allow a movie to consume the majority of time during a visit with a grandchild at a senior housing facility in Everett, Washington. As with finding the right puzzle, the key to watching a movie with your grandchild involves finding one that is appropriate for all ages. Disney movies represent a good starting point for choosing the right movie for you and your grandchild to watch.

Create Christmas Ornaments

No other time of year elicits more of an expression of wonder than the time children spend with their grandparents between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Taking advantage of the incredible wonder displayed by grandchildren should include time spent with them creating Christmas decorations, from the ornaments hung on pine and cedar trees to the lights that adorn the front of a home. Creating Christmas ornaments with your grandchild or grandchildren represents an effective way to forge a closer bond.
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Start a Garden

The best activities for seniors with their grandchildren are teaching moments grandchildren take away for the rest of their lifetimes. One of the most relevant teaching moments concerns explaining where some of the food comes from that arrives on our dinner plates. Planting a garden teaches children that not only does our food require care to nurture and develop, but it also can help us become more self-sufficient.

As a highly-rated assisted living facility, MorningStar at Silver Lake offers the ideal environment for seniors to get closer to their grandchildren. Learn more today by submitting the short online form.