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Concentration/Memory a memory game of matching pairs; uses a 52 card deck or Memory deck 2 or more players, 3+ years old Crazy 8s a matching card game with 8s wild; uses a 52 card deck 2-4 players, 5+ years old Found It! an indoor scavenger hunt; uses a Found It! deck 1+ players, ages 4-7 years old Go Fish a matching of four cards to make sets; uses a Go Fish deck 2-6 players, 4-8 years old Old Maid a matching pairs card game; uses an Old Maid deck 2 or more players, 4+ years old Rummy a matching card game to build “melds”; uses a 52 card deck 2-6 players, 7+ years old Skip-Bo the ultimate number sequencing card game; uses a Skip-Bo deck 2-6 players, 7+ years old Spot It! (comes in many topics) a round deck of cards with themed pictures to match; uses a Spot It! deck 2-5 players, 4+ years old Uno the classic color and number matching card game; uses an Uno deck 2-10 players, 7+ years old War the age-old number comparison card game; uses a 52 card deck 2 players, 5+ years old Resources for Directions Google: 10 Kid-friendly card games Wikihow.com It's that time of year again! Dig out your box of Easter baskets and plastic eggs. Here's a quick list of useful options (instead of candy or foods) to fill Easter eggs:
Lunch is that midday meal we often grab on the go or perhaps nibble on as we work through a To Do list. But don't you agree that the best lunch is when we find an opportunity to stop the day and enjoy munching food with friends and kids? Here are some suggestions to make those lunchtimes just plain FUN!
1. Pack a brown bag for each person. Fill small snack bags with nibbles like crackers, cheerios, baby carrots, teddy grahams, grapes, etc. Write a name on each bag in puffy paint! 2. Load the picnic basket with goodies and head to the backyard or to the park! Add a colorful tablecloth, paper plates, napkins, and drinks. 3. Adapt the latest craze of food presentation - Charcuterie Boards! Kid food snacks scattered in fun, colorful ways. There are website links for the ideas above plus a few more thoughts In this week's newsletter! If you don't get Camp Grandma Secrets, just sign up in the subscribe link on the top right corner. No strings attached or addresses shared! My Handy List for Camp Grandma Bargain Hunts:
Camp Grandma needs a few treasures to enhance your theme and playtime. It's always fun to have a special closet with a few bins or trunks labeled "JUST FOR GRANDKIDS". Keep your eyes open for bargain goodies at garage sales, resale shops, dollar stores, and Good Will:
Today is Teacher Appreciation Day! Woohoo!
Here are a few ways to applaud the wonderful men and women who faithfully attempt to educate our future movers and shakers: 1. Teach your child to say thank you as they leave the classroom each day. 2. Send a sweet treat or home baked goodies. 3. Give a coffee or restaurant gift card. 4. Ask what classroom supplies are needed and buy them. 5. Give a gift card to a Teacher Store. 6. Send a thank you note each time your child accomplishes something monumental. 7. Volunteer in the classroom weekly, or even occasionally. 8. Tell the principal what an impact the teacher has made on your child. 9. Teach your child to listen and follow directions at home. It will make the teacher’s job easier. 10. Be slow to criticize. Teachers are only human - doing the best they can. A photo booth adds character and silliness to your photos. It’s a sideshow unlike any other and produces hilarious pictures. It pulls kids into the action while painlessly giving you easy shots.
Smile! Say “pizza!” Documenting Camp Grandma is part of the glue that binds one year to the next. Whether you make a digital version or a handmade one, resolve to assemble your photo memories in a tangible way. I prefer to assemble scrapbooks by hand, but I know grandparents who have mastered the digital process and make beautiful hardbound books. Pick one way. The goal is to record memories!
If a scrapbook seems overwhelming, look over the following simplified version of how to assemble a scrapbook with photo prints, colored paper, and stickers. Buy supplies
That’s it! Congratulations. You’ve done it. What a memory you have made! Look over the pages and smile as you remember the days. Speaking of snow...if you can gather your grandchildren in the winter for a day or two, here are a few ideas for a simple snow-themed gathering.
Theme: Let It Snow! Decorations: snowflakes, snowmen, Let It Snow banner/flag/sign, snow fort molds, snow shovel, sleds Surprises: new mittens, saucer sleds, fake snowballs Activities: go sledding, build a snowman and a snow fort, stage an indoor snowball fight Crafts: cut out snowflakes, make a snow globe, tie fleece blankets Food: snow ice cream, snow cones, snow flake cut-out cookies (These last two recipes are in the back of DIY Camp Grandma!) Books/Movies:
Photo Tips: Take a quick shot with everyone bundled up!
I was contacted by Mijha, one of the co-founders of Jambo Books, to preview their Jambo Book Club recently. (FYI: "Jambo" means "Hello" in Swahili!) Mijha and her husband created Jambo Books to offer high-quality books starring children of color in situations where children's literature rarely places them - making friends, raising pets, loving grandparents, and fighting dragons. The focus is on finding books to give children books with a diverse, vibrant, and kind vision of the world.
The box of books sent to me was wonderful. The books came in colorful packaging, and I loved the stories. A subscription gives you a box of 2-3 books each month always with multi-cultural characters. Check out their site at JamboBooks.com Isn't this a fun box to get In the mail? "Change is possible, but focus is required.
So pick just ONE WORD." ~ Mike Ashcroft I read the book, My One Word, by Mike Ashcroft and Rachel Olsen, over ten years ago, and have encouraged many people to join me in this annual habit. It's a life-changing process. Today's newsletter explains how to pick a My One Word for yourself. It's good with kids too, but that's another blog post! Here we go:
Go for it. This is a great exercise for your mind and soul. My One Word for 2022 is DELIGHT! The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. :-) ~ Zephaniah 3:17 NIV School Age through Young Adult
Infant - Early Elementary
Quilted wall hangings are a unique Camp Grandma project that last a lifetime. If you can sew a straight line, you can make a quilted wall hanging. If you don’t like to work with fabric, perhaps you can persuade a friend to help you.
samples of quilted wall hangings below: Thanks to Cherie Westover, one of our DIY Camp Grandma friends, for this simple practice to think about being thankful. "We wrote something we were thankful for everyday up til Thanksgiving! The little ones loved It!" Here Is her Gratefulness Pumpkin 2020: Find a black Sharpie marker and an uncarved pumpkin. Start this November habit now. You'll be grateful you did!
One of the best things you can have on hand to occupy grandkids is a Craft Box. A craft box is a collection of art supplies to use for specific projects or for just being creative. My supplies are stored in a large Rubbermaid bin with a tight lid. Most children love using markers, colored pencils, crayons, and paints. Organize your supplies in zip-loc bags or small boxes, and add a few idea books. Of course, you'll want a supply of drawing paper and construction paper too. Here's a complete list of supplies you might want to look for:
Fall is a fantastic time to invite grandkids for an overnight. Go to the public library and check out a few books on fall to read aloud. Try to get an abc book about fall too! Then... Jump into a funtastic activity for preschool and school-aged children! Once upon a time, I kept three of my grands for an overnight, and we spent the whole Saturday on this project. 1. Find a piece of paper and print alphabet letters from A to Z on the left side of the paper in a column. 2. Brainstorm everything you can think of about fall and write each idea next to the correct alphabet letter. Google "words to describe fall" to help you complete your list. Use the library books. 3. Think of places where you can take a photo of each item. List a place next to each alphabet letter. Use your house first, of course, then your neighborhood, and last your community. Decide on a cover photo too! 4. Decide who will take the pictures and who will check off each letter as you photograph. 5. Wander through your house and yard. Walk the neighborhood. Pile into the car and drive around your community snapping pictures with your phone. Remember: the beauty of a cell phone is the ability to trash a bad picture and take another one! 6. When you have a picture for each letter, stop by a one-hour photoshop and get your pictures developed. Buy an inexpensive plastic photo album and a set of alphabet stickers too. 7. Once you are home, label each page in alpha order with a picture, ABC stickers, and words. (I opt for this method rather than a digital book because kids can participate better in the final assembly.) A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do. ~Lois Wyse Let's create an intentional 3-5 days to be with these wonderful little people we call grandchildren. Whether you are completely ready to go or haven't started yet, let's review the basics for actually being with your grandkids this summer. For many of us, our lives have been crazy and mixed-up during the pandemic. Grab whatever days you can get and make the most of it! #1. Pick a name. Make it one you love. It will be around for a long time. Camp Grandma, Cousin Camp are two of the most popular. Adapt as you want. Start branding yourself! #2. Pick a place. Grandma's house is the easiest and cheapest, Perhaps you want everyone to meet at someone else's home and visit local places. Call it Family Camp! You can also go to a themed park like Legoland, Six Flags, or Disney World. You can even drive to a water park and enjoy a 3 day camp filled with roller coasters and water rides. #3 Pick a date. Coordinate family schedules and try to arrange 3-5 days for your camp. Over the past few years, I've created a book to help you plan. The first edition is now available on Amazon. DIY Camp Grandma. It takes you through the ten steps of creating a Camp Grandma - from checking the calendar to setting out the welcome mat. But. A new, updated and expanded, version of DIY Camp Grandma, is coming out this fall. I'll keep you posted on its progress. This is one of the BEST surprises you can select for Camp Grandma. And. it will double as a visible connector when your group is on a field trip to a playground, a museum, or an amusement park! T-shirts quickly bond your group. Especially when all adults who attend wear one - including you!
Design a camp logo; then add the theme and year. Get your shirts made at a local business. OR. Make your own with Tie Dye or iron-on photos. OR. Go to Amazon and buy matching pre-made T-shirts. A small hint: Avoid putting names on the backs - for security reasons and to make generic hand-me-downs. In case you're interested, T-shirts make great keepsake T-Shirt quilts when grandchildren graduate from high school. Save and store until the big day approaches! Smiles on children are a gift to grandchildren. It's tricky to get them all to smile at the same time, but I never quit trying. The gift of a toothbrush is my sneaky way to keep those smiles bright and white by encouraging good dental hygiene. And it's fun for kids to get an invitation with a packing list that says to leave your toothbrush at home! Look at the options for tooth care...
Happy shopping! Take care of those pearly whites! Kids love a new backpack. Another great idea for Camp Grandma. Check with parents to ask about specifics for your grandkids.
Start looking early to find good sales. Happy Shopping! Outside toys are a wonderful addition to Camp Grandma. Give plenty of options with wheels to draw kids out the door for play. Children need to flex their muscles and burn off energy, so collect whatever fits your driveway, yard, and parental preference.
Our favorite and best success was a child-sized, ride-on John Deer Gator. It is a tough little people vehicle that maneuvers grass well. Charge it often and replace the battery every two years. Our Gator has lasted for close to fifteen years! Happy Wheeling! Surprise! Guess what I have for you!?!
Small faces look up quickly, anticipating the unexpected. Eager little ones jump up and down. Shy ones stand back but are determined to be part of the party. Say "Surprise!" and you have everyone's attention. Surprises can be bought. Surprises can be made. Almost anything can be called a surprise if you create mystery and suspense. Surprises at Camp Grandma make memories that say I love you long after camp is over. As you plan, Camp Grandma, look for one or two items as a souvenir. It may correlate with your theme; it may not. Think about what can be packed easily and sent home. Here is one sure hit! Give a HAT to each camper! Do an on-line search to explore all the options. You can select from animal hats, baseball caps, beanies, bonnets, bucket hats, cowboy hats, hard hats, helmets, party hats, Santa hats, sombreros, bandanas, or visors. Remember to write names inside! My grandchildren aren't this little anymore. Those days were such a joy - and significantly more simple. These days are complicated and a bit overloaded for all of us. But in the midst of it, my grandchildren are persevering and growing into amazing young adults - excited to learn and to launch!
Here's the gist of my daily prayers for them: Lord, the world has been way off kilter for almost a year now, Our lives have been altered. Please comfort my grandchildren as they endure enormous changes in school, in friendships, in church, in families. Give them eyes to see and to be the good that can still happen. Give them strength and courage to face each day. Calm their fears and uncertainties. Help them remember You are always with them. May Your peace settle deep within their souls. Amen. Actually, it's also an app on your phone! The makers of Marco Polo call the app a "video walkie-talkie". Whether you are a grandparent or not, you'll want to check out this handy app.
Some information straight from their website.
Marco Polo simply gives you a way to send and get videos. Then you respond whenever...it's easy and fun. Two ways I use this app. They are simple and quick to learn. #1 If we're on a trip, I carry my phone and reverse the lens so it records the view as I walk & talk through a park or drive past something interesting. #2 I read picture books aloud. I turn the lens toward the page and read. Turn the pages and keep reading. Just remember to press the blue video camera to Start and the red circle with a white square to Stop. Record on your phone and then kids listen on a computer, tablet, or phone when they have time. Check it out for yourself at marcopolo.me. The Pandemic is still among us; life is so different. Find ways to encourage those grandkids. Brighten their days with fun hellos. |
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