Seven ways to entertain the grandkids over Christmas


Christmas is a special time of year to connect with your grandchildren. These seven simple and inexpensive activities will keep them entertained for hours over the Christmas break.

1. Write a book

Staple a few pages together to make a booklet and then write a story together – your grandkids will have fun illustrating the pages and making the story come to life. This is a great way for them to make Christmas presents for their friends and family.

2. Work together

The skills that grandparents pass on to grandchildren hold a lot of meaning, so whether you're sharing a family recipe or showing children how to plant tomatoes, there are many ways you can teach grandkids valuable lessons.

3. Take a scavenger hunt

A scavenger or treasure hunt is a fun way to encourage children to be active and connect with nature. Try planting objects and clues in your backyard or local park, and then set them loose with the list so they can tick off each item.

4. Teach sewing skills

Teach children how to sew using wool and burlap sacking material. Simply provide them with a blunt darning needle so they don't prick their fingers. Show them how to thread the needle and then let them create their own designs on the burlap. Burlap can be found at most gardening or hardware shops.

5. Build new roads

Stick coloured tape down on the carpets to make roads for toy cars. The children can also use empty cereal boxes and milk cartons to build cities around the roads.

6. Build an obstacle course

Turn your landing or verandah into an obstacle course from an action movie by stringing up a woolly web. The aim is for the kids to climb over and under the strings of wool without getting touched. If they touch the wool, they must start again. You can increase the difficulty by attaching bells to the strings.

7. Play balloon ping-pong

Balloon ping-pong is a good alternative for younger children – and safer than letting them play balls in the house. Blow up a balloon then make ping-pong bats out of paper plates and icy-pole sticks.

This article was supplied by Australia's leading retirement website YourLifeChoices