Grandparents Day, celebrated the first Sunday after Labor Day each year, was made a national holiday in a proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. It’s designated as a day to not only recognize and honor grandparents but also to foster intergenerational connections that can benefit older adults and their younger family members. While Grandparents Day is an excellent opportunity to connect with the older generation, this list of activities can provide fun for any visit. Here are some Grandparents Day activities that can become shared experiences and create meaningful memories and connections for everyone involved.
Outdoor Grandparents Day activities
There’s something special about heading outside to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, and one another’s company. Getting into nature has been shown to decrease stress, improve mood, and enhance cognitive abilities such as attention span. These benefits are for everyone, from the oldest grandparent to the youngest grandchild. Below are some options for grandparents and grandchildren to spend time outdoors together.
Take a nature walk
Perfect for any age, a nature walk can offer opportunities to connect with one another and the great outdoors. While you can certainly head to your favorite trailhead, you can also take a nature walk in your own neighborhood. Compile a list of animals, plants, and objects to look for, and check off your list as you stroll. If your older adult loved one has mobility challenges, you can simply sit on a park bench and watch the people and nature around you.
Plant a container garden
Plants and flowers can cheer up any space, and potting them with loved ones makes for an even more special experience. Grab a few pots, garden soil, and starter plants from your local hardware store or plant nursery, and spend the afternoon planting a container garden your grandparent can keep outside or bring into the house. You can plant flowers, herbs, vegetables, or a combo of all three. Don’t forget to serve some lemonade to keep you energized during your hard work.
Go stargazing
Spending time in nature doesn’t always have to happen in the sunlight. In fact, heading out to gaze at the stars can feel like an extra special outing for an older adult who might not get outside after dark too often. Use an app like SkyView (available for Android and Apple) to help you locate and identify stars and constellations. Bring a thermos of tea and some favorite snacks (maybe Moon Pies). Remember that you don’t have to travel far to look at the stars. You can simply sit in your loved one’s backyard for an excellent view.
Grandparents Day activities for a loved one with limited mobility
If your older loved one has limited mobility, finding an activity that everyone can enjoy together can feel more challenging. However, a few adaptations can make the experience enjoyable for everyone, including seniors with mobility or balance issues.
Hold a movie night
Roll out the red carpet for the whole family and plan a movie night at your grandparent’s home. Your loved one will be comfortable at home and not have to get in and out of the car or navigate unfamiliar buildings or rooms. Choose a movie to stream or pull out old family videos to watch. Consider serving popcorn, candy, and drinks. Get the kids involved by inviting them to create special tickets for everyone to use for admission to the event.
Plan a spa day
For a senior with painful joints or limited fine motor mobility, a hand massage offers a relaxing sensory stimulation experience. Plan a spa day for the family, complete with diffused essential oils, spa music, and refreshments like water with cucumbers and fruit kabobs. Gather supplies for hand massages, including warm, soapy water, hand towels, scented lotion, and nail polish. Add a cozy blanket and eye mask for an even more relaxing afternoon.
Read together
Pull out your favorite short stories, poems, or novel and hunker down for an activity perfect for a rainy afternoon. Spending quiet time together can be relaxing and enjoyable, but reading aloud can also be an excellent way to connect with a loved one. Grandparents can read storybooks aloud to younger children, and for slightly older kids, this is the ideal way to practice their reading skills. Grandparents will love being a part of that milestone.
Grandparents Day activities for people living with dementia
It can be challenging to know how to connect with older adult loved ones with dementia, but there are still activities that can create meaningful experiences for everyone. Dementia can make visits feel intimidating for some kids, so be sure you plan your visit long before you knock on the door of your older loved one. Talk to your children about dementia and cognitive decline at an age-appropriate level, answering their questions and reminding them that spending time together leaves everyone feeling good, even if a memory isn’t saved for a long time.
Dance and sing
Music is a wonderful way to connect with someone living with dementia, especially in the middle or late stage of the disease’s progression. Put on their favorite songs from their youth and dance in the living room together, singing as loud as you want. Grandparents with limited mobility can move to the music while seated. For the youngest kids, your loved one’s living room becomes the perfect stage to show off the songs they have been working on in school.
Look at family photos
Creating a family photo book or digital frame of family photos is a great way to get teens involved and to talk more about family history. Although compiling the book together can be a fun shared activity, you might consider putting together the book before your visit and then using it to spark conversation and reminisce with your loved one. Photo albums and digital frames are a good idea, but looking at and sifting through a box of old photos can also be a calming experience for older adults with dementia, who sometimes fidget or wring their hands when feeling restless.
Paint or draw together
Creativity is in everyone, and anyone can create a masterpiece. Bring out the paper and colored pencils or watercolor paints, and bring everyone to the kitchen table for a craft day. Put on relaxing music, and let everyone create their own project. If you’re looking for a way to jumpstart the project, you can print out or draw a scene on the paper ahead of time and let everyone color it in.
Getting out and about
Getting out of the house and sharing an experience in the community can be a great way to connect while trying something new. These activities are excellent options for active grandparents as well as tween or teenage grandkids, but people of different ages and abilities can still enjoy them. Just be sure to bring mobility aids like wheelchairs or walkers if needed.
Catch a sporting event
Professional sporting events are great fun, but you don’t have to travel far or spend a lot of money to enjoy some time out of the home together. Local minor league games are just as exciting. Head to a nearby semipro game, or even look for a local Little League team to watch. Bring money for a hot dog or pack your own snacks if it’s allowed.
Play pickleball
Pickleball is popular for a reason: It’s an enjoyable activity for people of all ages and is easy to learn. Buy a beginner’s set, head to your local courts or set up the game in a paved area at a park, and try your hand at a few games. Take it slowly, wear sunscreen and athletic shoes, and pack plenty of water.
Take photos
Grab your camera or smartphone and head outside to capture photos and videos of the great outdoors. You can offer prompts like “Find something blue” or “Take a picture of something that starts with an ‘s’” or just let everyone take photos of anything that inspires them. Once you’ve taken your photos, relax in the shade and let the kids show everyone how to edit the photos and apply filters or how to turn the photos into a social media video. Be sure to take photos of one another, and head to a pharmacy to print them out to keep as memories of your time spent together.
Grandparents Day activities keep your family connected
Conversations and connections happen organically when you supply a shared experience for everyone to enjoy. These Grandparents Day activities provide opportunities for connection and meaningful experiences with the older adult loved ones in your life. Have fun celebrating the grandparents in your family with these activities for family members of all ages.
