The Grandkids Are Coming: A Few More Thing to Think About Before They Arrive

 Inexpensive toys that don’t take up space such as washable markers or colored pencils, coloring books, drawing pads, Hot Wheels type cars, beads for stringing jewelry, puzzle books, bubbles, puzzles, a couple of decks of cards you don’t mind getting destroyed are very handy to have in the house. Dollar stores are a good source of craft materials and jigsaw puzzles.

Some kids like card games like Skippo and Uno or board games. If you can find the board games at a yard sale so much the better.

Kids ages 8+ like card games. Brush up on the rules to some before they arrive. My grandmother taught me to play ginrummy. If you have a crowd of kids murder is a popular card game. Major cool grandparent points for knowing how to play.

A few deck of cards for building cardhouses will keep kids TV free on a rainy or hot afternoon.

Kids also like dice games. Our local dollar store carries dice.

If you don’t have access to a pool, younger children enjoy kiddy pools and sprinklers.

Childproof your home if your grandkids are little and mobile. You might think that children should be taught not to touch things not belonging to them but do you really want them learning this life lesson around your Ming vase? Put away that which is precious and breakable even if the kids are older. Wrestling matches happen appropriate to the room or not.

If you are keeping your grandkids for a while consider asking for and getting a emergency consent form from their parents in case the grandkids need medical care. Make sure the form is notarized by a parent  and get a copy (front and back) of the child’s insurance card.

Comments

[Mamaflo]

Sounds to me like your grandkids are going to have a great time with Grandma!!

[ang]

I love the game UNO, easy to play even for the young ones. Also, if you are brave, water balloons are great. The kids love to see you get wet! Wiffle ball is fun too, as is kick ball with those red rubber balls. We also played with those BIG bubble wands, with a little patience we made ginormous bubbles! Little ones like putting on tattoos, they think it's funny when you wear one too! They love to see themselves in pictures too so take a lot and look at them on your computer, maybe print one out and send them home with it for a memory!