Playdates

Kids at shore (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyday at my house seems to be a great big playdate.  Sure, we have a schedule, and some days the routine is the only thing that keeps me from opening a bottle of Valium during nap time, but we have a lot of free play hours in our day.  And we use them to our full advantage, taking walks, making my kitchen a concert hall.  So sometimes I am surprised when my granddaughter wants to invite her friend from gymnastics to play, or my grandson wants a friend to ride the bus home from school with him.

I do have some grandma guidelines for successful playdates, and hopefully they will fit into your playdate puzzle.

Don’t Force a Crowd

Kids at two and three don’t really have “friends”.  They have people they play next to.  If you have a mom or grandmother you like to have coffee with, this is a perfect play date 1 on 1.  By the time your child is four or five, playdates with preschool friends or t-ball buddies are pretty normal.  Let your child decide who to invite, and limit the number of children. 1 or 2 friends is plenty.  More than that and the crowd becomes mischievous, and unless you were spawned on some other planet and crashed into earth as “Supermom”  – you only have two hands and one set of eyes.

Set the Timer

There is too much of a good thing.  I use the egg timer rule of thumb for playdates: an hour for under five, two for under ten, eleven and older three or the duration of the activity they are doing together.  Sleepovers are the exception, but I never allow sleepovers for children under nine. 

Neutral Territory

All of my grandchildren have favorite toys, and none of them really likes to share.  Especially with children under the age of five, a playground is better, there is less to fight over.  If you are tied to your home for the playdate, remove the favorite toys, blankets, and controversial items that you know will start a disagreement.

Plan an Agenda

I like to have an activity or two, like an art project or a game to let the kids pick from.  It keeps things organized, running smoothly, and over in the correct time period.  If the kids are old enough (say four and up) let them pick what they would like to do for the playdate or take an active part in setting up for the playdate.

Be Present

You cannot leave two six-year olds up to their own devices or after fifteen minutes of silence you will find one of them shimmy-ing down the outside of your second story window on a bed sheet.  True story. So plan on being there the whole time and supervising, but intervene rarely.  Let them negotiate their differences, this is crucial problem solving skill building. 

Fair Warning

Blow the five-minute whistle when the playdate is coming to an end.  it is important that the kids know what to expect and part of that is when to finish up their games so they can help clean up before it is time to go home.

 

Related articles

• Welcome to Playdate Planet (5minutesformom.com)
• Miss Conduct: Etiquette for playdates? (boston.com)
• The new playdate playbook (cnn.com)

How About a Playcation?

Car Camping at Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, USA. Taken by User:Mwanner, June, 2005. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spring is in the air.  I would love to be able to let the housekeepers take on the chores of wiping up baseboards, cleaning out closets and bringing out summer clothes, washing windows to get rid of the residue of winter’s sleeting rain, so I can pack up all my grandchildren and go to a lavish resort for the week where we play on the beach.  However, I am bound to the reality of my retired life: making the most of limited resources and the most of everyday.  Instead of a weeklong trip, I am planning several playcation adventures to make spring break fun and still be able to use nap time to my advantage, so the housekeepers will have to find someone else to work for…

Choose your own adventure. Start this playcation off by grabbing a Choose you own adventure book, and reading it a couple of days in advance.  Then, following the theme of the book, pack a picnic lunch and select a scenic highway.  Let each child pick an exit or a turn (“Get off here grandma!”) , and have a picnic wherever you happen to find yourself.

 
Camp in the backyard.  That tent that you have had in your garage since 1980?  Get it down!  Toss it up in the backyard.  Make a campfire and roast smores.  Play some great camping games: using a few small rocks and twigs you break off you trees you can start a game of “camp horseshoes”.  This can become an overnight if you want it to.

 
Enjoy an all-day movie marathon. For matinée prices, find a theater with two or more kid-friendly flicks playing back-to-back, then (after buying both tickets) hop from theater to theater. For movie loving kids, this will be a day they will never forget: “Remember when grandma took us to the movies ALL DAY? We had POPCORN for lunch!”

 
Explore your own town at a discount.Visit your local tourism office or visitors’ bureau (or check its website) to see if it has coupons for local attractions.  A great option is Bank of America Museums on Us or Target Arts & Culture.
 
Visit Old MacDonald. Is there a farm near your city? Many working farms welcome visitors, especially kids. At some, you can even spend the night. For a $20 annual membership to Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, USA (wwoof.org), you can search more than a thousand participating farms that host visitors.
 
Take a hike. We live in an area that is beautiful for most of the year.  So when  the weather is temperate, we always can find amazing hikes.  Even if you don’t have the same mountains we have access to, many parks have fantastic trails, and most major cities have wonderful urban trails.  Check out the US Park Service for areas near you.

 

Related articles

• Spring Break Staycation – Staying home doesn’t have to be lame (theinsider.retailmenot.com)
• The Twelve Days of Staycation (iliketheworldfuzzy.wordpress.com)
• Lazy staycation (mommyrunfast.com)
• Staycation (holographicmeatloaf.com)
• Staycation: Get Outside (traveleatrepeat.com)
• Cheap Family Vacation Ideas (adaddyblog.com)

Taking a Walk A.K.A an Excercise of Patience

Wagon Baby (Photo credit: Jason DeRusha)

The babies are napping again.  It was one of the hardest mornings we have had this spring because we decided to take a walk.

First we had the chaos of applying sunscreen, grabbing hats, putting on shoes.  This would have been an organized activity if the four-year old wasn’t trying to coax the almost two-year old into climbing on the living room table and jumping off while I juggled the three-month old in one hand and the sweater of the three-year old in the other.

Then we had bartering for bikes, trikes, positions in the wagon, and the jealousy that is bound to happen when the two-year old realizes this year his spot is in the wagon, not in the stroller he has come to think of as his, that now belongs to the baby.

We have not even made it out of the garage yet, and I am starting to wonder if the benefits of exercising my body outweighs the risks of exercising my patience. 

But off we go.  And after about ten feet of sidewalk we come to a screeching halt (literally screeching) as the three-year old rams her trike into the four-year olds bike.  At this moment I am rescued by, of all things, an ant.  This poor creature has decided to tread in the path of our family parade, and as the four-year old howls, the three year old shouts “buggy!” and all becomes instantly silent as we watch this miracle of mother nature wind his way towards the end of the concrete.

And off we go.  This time we get about a block and we are assaulted by a hummingbird.  You would think our neighborhood has become a war zone, and the buzzing of wings is the sound of an impending attack.  I instantly have trike one way, bike another, two-year old climbing out if the wagon scrambling for cover and my thought is… oh boy, his mom handled the sand-burned nose, but how will she handle the broken arm?  And I think “Note to self, this is not the year to build a bird feeder“.

Moving on from the hummingbird drone, we adventure another fifty yards and cross a bridge over a dry creek bed.  We stop for a few moments to collect some rocks that catch the eyes of the kids.  I suggest trying to find some good ones that we can turn into Pet Rocks this afternoon. After we have a wagon full of options, I exercise my will over the will of three toddlers, and manage to round them up like I am a professional rodeo roper. 

This feels like a good place to turn around, so a whopping two blocks from our home we start back. But exercising as a grandparent staves off so many ill effects of aging, it is as good for me as it is important to teach the little ones to play every day so they do not fall victim to inactivity. 

I vow that tomorrow’s field trip will involve more exercising of bodies and less exercising of patience as we park a bike, a trike, a wagon, and a stroller in the garage and lay out our new rock collection for our craft this afternoon. 

Making Pet Rocks:

Materials:

Rocks (of any size, shape, or color you find interesting)

Paint and brushes (or just let them use their fingers)

Paper, markers, glitter

Glue

1. Clean the rock surface

2. Create a face for your pet (If you want, you can make them people, animals, or aliens).

 

Related articles

• Love Bug Pet Rocks (lets-explore.net)
• In between seasons. (mommablogsalot.com)
• To hit the gym or not (lifejottings.wordpress.com)
• B.C. children need to get active to lose it (with Video) (vancouversun.com)
• Play and Lose Weight Now ? (dynamicweightloss.wordpress.com)

Sunny Day Trip Tips

The playground (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is the weather nice where you are?  Yesterday, my grandchildren and I were outside in sunny beautiful 84 degree weather.  It was the perfect playground day, except for the small spill my youngest grandchild took which sheared a bit of skin (and all the sunblock) off the tip of his nose.

The return of the sun is a great chance for me to share some of my sunny day trip tips, since 80% of a person’s lifetime exposure to sun occurs before the age of 18 it is always important to block up at gramma’s house!

1. Always bring your sunblock.  So many of us forget to sunblock up if we are not in the water, but it is just as important for exposed noses out of the pool.

An SPF of 30 or higher and one that protects against UVA and UVB is best.  UVA can cause skin cancer even when the sun is not out!

2. Where’s my hat?  Unless you are a fan of sunblock in pigtail parts, consider a hat, it is definitely a great option and way better than SPF to protect the head if your little one will keep one on. Long sleeves and long pants are better than exposed skin, but sometimes it is tough on nice days – try to cover what you can reasonably.

3. I wear my sunglasses at night… It’s not just a popular song from the 80’s or a cool fashion statement, it is a greet way to protect eyes from sun damage – verify that the lenses in the frames offer total UV protection

4. Avoid peak sun hours: 10:00am to 3:00pm.  Most of the kids are in school then anyways, but an early morning or late afternoon trip is better for reducing peak UV exposure.

5. Check the expiration date on your sunscreen form last year: yes you can save a few bucks by using last year’s bottle.  If there is an expiration date, follow it; if there is not, the sunscreen has been verified by the manufacturer to be good for three years.

6. Consider a wash additive sunscreen for whites/ light colors.  Dark colors really do reflect the sun better than light colors.  Use sunscreen under your child’s clothes or use a sunscreen add-in for lighter colors to add protection

7. Seek shade if your shadow is shorter than you are… the UV rays are intense at this time.  Kids love this trick, and it is a great way to train them to stay in the shade during peak hours.

I hope you enjoy the Spring as much as we do, there are so many ways to get out and enjoy the day, and so much day to play in now that the sun is up earlier and in bed later!

Related articles

• The New FDA Sunscreen Regulations and Effective Skin Cancer Protection (savings.com)
• A Review of the Five Best Sunscreens that are Safe for Both You & Your Child (savings.com)
• Health Tip: Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage (nlm.nih.gov)
• 7 Sunscreen Myths (webmd.com)
• Sunscreen: Are you really covered? (webmd.com)

Thumbprint Butterfly

Materials:

Construction paper

Paint

Markers

 

1. Cut construction paper into a butterfly shape
2. Using paint, dip thumb or fingers and tap onto construction paper to make body and decorate wings
3. Add a face or other decorations using markers, glitter, or other items

Related articles

• Tiny Hands+ Construction Paper= Adorable Handprint Butterflies! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
• Easy Messy Handprinted Polka Dots (abeautifulmess.typepad.com)

Spring Ladybug Craft

Materials:

Red construction paper

Green Construction paper

Black construction paper

String

Glue

Google eyes

 

1. Cut out leaf template
2. Make a circle loop using a strip of red construction paper
3. Cut out different sized circles using black construction paper
4. Glue red loop to green leaf
5. Glue black dots (on for face, and other smaller ones as spots) to red loop
6. Glue google eyes to black face
7. Tie string to leaf stem

Related articles

• A Paper Plate Lion and Lamb (jdaniel4smom.com)
• For Cabin Fever Days (csahm.com)

Tricky Little Leprechauns

Image via Wikipedia

A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology. Leprechauns spend all their time busily making shoes, and store away all their coins in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

If ever captured by a human, the leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their release. Popular depiction shows the leprechaun as being no taller than a small child, with a beard and hat.

Children are always captivated by tales of fairies and the idea of a mischievous little leprechaun spiriting around your house this week stashing and re-stashing his pot of gold is almost too good to pass up for a prank-loving grandparent.

Examples of ways the leprechaun can “prank” your grandchild:

1. Stealing a sip of their milk (or water).

A small drop of green food coloring swirled into your grandchild’s drinking glass is all you need to start searching for the naughty leprechaun who stole a sip!

2. Taking a nibble of their apple.

Food coloring on the tip of your (clean) finger spreads nicely onto the edge of an apple or pear slice.

3. Hopping In the Tub!

What happens when a leprechaun beats your grandchild to the bathtub? Green water (or green-tinted bubbles), that’s what.

4. Fingerprints on the Door

(or on the closet, or back door). Two tiny thumbprints in washable ink (think: crayola markers) are all the evidence your grandchild needs to know that silly leprechaun was spying on all the fun you are having this week. Give their Shoes a shot of the green thumb for some extra added mischief.

5. Clovers in the Yard.

What better way to tart guessing than a small scattering of clovers in your very own backyard, or on your porch.  Is this where the little guy is taking his nap?

Related articles

• The Leprechaun (kieraworld.wordpress.com)
• St Patrick Day Party Games (grandmacents.com)

Free Things to Do: Bank Of America’s Museums on Us

Image via Wikipedia

Bank of America’s Museums on Us promotion similar to Target Arts + Culture is a program put on by Bank Of America in which you can get discounted or complimentary passes to a variety of arts and cultural sites in your area. In many cities you can get discounted or free tickets to local venues. The larger the city, the greater the number of options.

For example, Phoenix has three free venues (Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Children’s Museum, Musical Instruments Museum) while New York City had seven free venues. If nothing else, it’s worth checking out to see if there’s something fun you can do on the cheap!

Bank Of America Museums on Us

Target Arts + Culture

Museum Deals for the Family

One of the goals of GrandmaCents is to bring you great suggestions for fantastic adventures for very little money.

My grandchildren love to take field trips to museums and one of the great cost saving tricks available where we live, and in most major cities is the  Association of Children’s Museums Reciprocal Program.

If your local children’s museum participates in this program, you can purchase a tax-deductible family membership to that museum and you’ll get free admission for four visitors (from the same household) to more than 165 children’s museums nationwide. In Illinois, where I am originally from, your family can join the nearest kids’ museum for about $100 and have access to the nationwide network, including 12 children’s museums within the state. Even if your gang visits only one museum once a month, that comes out to a bargain $2 per person per visit.

Follow this link to check out participating museums in your area:

Children’s Museums reciprocation

 

Family Snow Days

Image via Wikipedia

I was looking at the weather report and chatting with my family back home in Chicago and man, I am sooo sorry for all of you who are going to be cold and stuck inside.  I remember all too well just when you though it was safe to hang up your jacket… BAM!  A late winter/early spring snowstorm has you bundling up again.

I have a few things I hate to do in the snow (shoveling, driving, de-icing windshields), but I have many more that I love to do in the snow. Or inside when it’s snowing.

Have a Snowman Competition: bundle up and while it’s fresh get outside and see who can build the smallest snowman, the biggest snowman, the silliest snowman, the most unique snowman.  What happens if you stand him upside down?

Start a Snowball War: not just a fight – go for the gusto – make teams, build forts out of snow embankments.  This is a great time to introduce the grandkids to the old fashioned game capture the flag.  Loser has to make the hot chocolate (so grandmas and papas, this means you lose).

Make Snow Angels: get down in the snow and wave your arms up and down and fan your legs in and out.  Make an angel family.  Get out the camera and capture this – one day your granddaughter will not even want to put her hood up for fear of wrecking her hair style, so while they are young enough, roll around with them.

Build an Ice Palace in your Backyard: gather up the snow and create your own bunker to hunker down in.  You can get really crazy and decorate it with twigs and leaves. Princes love defending ice palaces from raging dragons (think red jacket and roar your best roar, Dragon King) and princesses love  being rescued by knights in shining armor.  Your backyard can be fodder for all these creative ideas.

Catch Snowflakes: ever heard that no two snowflakes are alike?  Share that little bit of knowledge and go catch some to see if it is actually true.

Go on a “Buried Treasure” Hunt: What is in your backyard that the snow is hiding? Do yo have rocks, leaves, little creepy crawlers?  You can organize the hunt with a list of things to find or you can just get out a sand bucket and shovel and start digging away to see what pops up under all that white stuff.

Make Up Stories: One of my favorite pastimes that is great for encouraging imagination is to start a story and let the grandkids take it from there.  On a snow day you can sip hot chocolate or warm milk, sit in a circle and start off with, there once was a princess stranded in a castle, while the snow fell all around her.  She sat, looking out the window and to her surprise she saw… let her take it from there, who knows what will come up? No Princesses?  Make it a wild adventurer, and archeologist, a mad scientist.  Whatever main character fits your grandchild will do.

I hope you enjoy your snow day today.  Warmer weather is around the corner, and next winter you may not get this special chance to play.