Six Tips to Create a “Grandma Camp”

playball

A “Grandma Camp” allows you to give parents a break and spend special time with your favorite grandkids — which is to say, all your grandkids! While it’s easier to plan a grandma camp with grandchildren who live closer to you, you can still do it with those living far away. Follow these tips to bond with your grandkids and create a new family tradition that everyone will love.


1.Plan ahead on the date

Kids these days are overscheduled for everything. So the first rule of grandma camp is to pick a date months in advance. Not only does advance notice give you time to prepare everything for a successful camp, but it ensures that everyone can meet on a day or time that’s convenient to them. Other reasons to plan in advance? If parents want to take a weekend getaway or plan an extended vacation, they have time to research and request vacation days from work. If grandchildren need to fly across country to see you, parents can shop around for inexpensive tickets.

2. Ask parents for input

It’s always a good idea to check in with parents on what types of activities are and are not recommended during grandma camp. If four of your five grandkids know how to swim, do they want you taking a trip to the lake and trying to teach Little Timmy how to swim or would they prefer he learn at home? The expectations can go both ways, too. For example, you might want to host a three-day grandma camp while parents would prefer a week-long camp.

3. Plan fun activities activities

Check in with interests, activities and hobbies your grandchildren practice to plan fun activities for camp. Is Little Timmy learning his ABC’s? Stock up on reading toys and books. Is Big Sis Janet taking violin lessons? Perhaps there is a music school or camp nearby she can attend while doing grandma camp.

If the idea of planning a week’s worth of activities exhausts you, look for community resources. You may be able to send the grandkids to day camp for part of the day to take some of the pressure off you. Or you might succeed in introducing kids to other grandchildren visiting their Nanas.

4. Allow them to call mom and dad throughout the camp

It’s natural for kids and parents alike to miss one another. Allow kids to call their parents and check in. Parents can find out how things are going, offer tips for fussy eaters and troublemakers and benefit from feeling like everything is going well.

5 Take photos

You’ll definitely want photos of precious moments with grandkids, especially if you don’t live close to them and don’t get to see them often. Take plenty of photos to email parents throughout the camp to have as mementos. You may even want to create a scrapbook or photo group as a holiday gift for grandkids or their parents.

6 Make t-shirts

As one of your activities, make fun t-shirts with the grandkids that say “Grandma Camp.” These can be as simple as Sharpies and plain tee shirts or as elaborate as fabric paint and stencils. Have kids wear then on your outings together, and don’t’ forget to make one for yourself too!

These tips will help get you started on a successful grandma camp. Begin planning well in advance to dedicate time to logistics such as food, sleeping arrangements and outdoor excursions. Planning can help the camp go smoothly and create so many positive memories your grandchildren will treasure!

About The Author

Lindsey is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area and she writes on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands. She writes about hosting a fun grandma camp with all the best activities and toys. She specializes in writing guest posts on social media and education. Currently, Lindsey is completing work on her master’s degree.

The following two tabs change content below.
Avatar photo
Tammy Embrich -- Full time work from home, writer, blogger, YouTube content creator, and LOVES playing with makeup. She is the proud grandmother of 2 wonderful grand blessings. You can visit Tammy at MakeUp Products Online .
Avatar photo

Tammy

Tammy Embrich -- Full time work from home, writer, blogger, YouTube content creator, and LOVES playing with makeup. She is the proud grandmother of 2 wonderful grand blessings. You can visit Tammy at <a href="https://www.makeupproductsonline.com"><strong>MakeUp Products Online </strong></a>.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.