Adventure With Grands (12 And Under)

In this season of life, building memories with my grandchildren is a top priority. I’m always trying to figure out creative ways to accomplish this goal without taking too much on. Since there is a unique window of time when a grandchild is eager (between 0 and 12)—I want to take full advantage. Soon enough, they will be swept away in growing-up and the natural stages of cooling off. But the great news is when grandkids are 12 and under, it doesn’t take much to rock their little worlds!

To make it simple, we need to work with what we have. It will be different for everyone depending on circumstance, location, etc. If you have a pool, you might consider water adventure. For instance, putting together a challenge-course could be loads of fun. It could include diving for toys at the bottom of the pool (and placing toys on the steps for younger kids). Trying to get a beach ball across the pool using only a squirt gun is fun, and so on. If you are close to a nature area, hiking might be exciting. Organizing a nature hunt could be just the thing. Being on the lookout for different kinds of plants and colors is both fun and educational.

Since my grandchildren love going on golf cart rides, so I decided to put together a neighborhood scavenger hunt. My husband and I went out a day earlier and made a list of interesting sights. The next day, my oldest granddaughter held a clipboard and pen and was happily in charge of checking off finds–like a silly mailbox or a pink flamingo stuck in a neighbor’s lawn. Needless to say, there were a lot of giggles and hollers as we came upon the things on our list, “There’s the purple house,” yelled one grandchild “And there’s an American Flag” squealed another. Up and down the streets, we went with laughter and delight. What was great about this adventure was that all could participate, even the baby, who blurted out sounds as if to say she had found something, too.

These are just three ideas that are easy and can build lasting memories. It doesn’t have to be expensive; it’s the investment of time that matters. There are opportunities all around us to be creative. What are the things around your house or neighborhood that might make for a unique adventure?

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