Grandmother Seeking Advise

Hi Grandma, how fun for you, I am waiting for news to hear I am going to be a grandma but othing yet, I have a few ideas, at for, you can have tea parties, you can sit and read to her, one think I love to do with my dayacre children is color with them, they love it too, you can do puzzles, you can go for little short walks and just point out butter flies, petty flowers, what ever, you guys can even go to an afternoon walk in movie together, my favorite was baking cookies. Just love up on her and enjoy being a grandma, I'm told it's like becoming a first time mom times 10. J.

My daughter is almost 4 and she absolutely loves puzzles! Books are a great joy too. Painting, playdough, coloring, catch the ball, walks around the neighborhood, dancing to some fun music are all things she really enjoys. When she visits her grandmas, she loves to dress up in their hats, scarves, shoes, etc... Hope this helps and have fun!

Hi,
Definitely take her to Pump it Up (website link below) - There are 3 or 4 in San Diego, there are certain days/times for preschoolers, so plan ahead. It should tire her out too! Also the Children's Zoo at the San Diego Zoo is very interesting.
Good luck!
http://www.pumpitupparty.com/

I have a 4 YO DS (and a 14 mo. DD). I've found that ALL kids of all ages consistantly love 4 things: water play, animals, music, and just being outside. 4 YO's also love dress up, pretend play, and crafts of all kinds. If you find activities revolving around these things you can't go wrong!!

You can find all kinds of craft ideas on-line for free, and it's a great way to recycle, ie. an empty paper towel tube can provide countless hours of entertainment and craft possibilities. 4 YO's still LOVE the dollar store, great resource for cheap entertainment (coloring books, stickers, books, glitter glue, yarn, some toys).
And water play, a simple blow-up pool a few water safe toys equals tons of fun. Big lots has a pretty good selection of inexpensive toys, or even just a bucket and toys. Of course w/ water supervision is a must.
HTH!

Since summer is hot, take her to indoor playrooms - Under the Sea in Burbank and My Playroom in Sherman Oaks. Bring your own lunch and drinks so she can take breaks from playing then go back and play some more. Also, the Noahs Ark exhibit at the Skirball is fantastic, just be sure to order your tix ASAP, they often sell out. Pick up an LA Parent magazine (they're free) or check out their website for a calendar of fun things to do with kids.
Have fun.
M.

Get a park map from your local park and recreation district and try a different park each day; pack a picnic lunch, bubbles, a ball and have fun. Or you could go to the zoo, a movie, run through the sprinkler, bake cookies together, play dress up, etc. I'm sure you'll create lots of good memories for her.

Well for when you are tired, you can relax and watch movies together! Micheals has lots of fun inexpensive crafts, the park is free and fun. The beach, the pier. She can help you bake or cook (stir the ingriedients). Good luck, i am sure she will have a blast with grandma!

Are they dropping her off with you or will she have other adult supervision?? My advice is to do all you can in advance...prepare food in the freezer, don't plan on doing much cleaning or laundry (you'll have many unplanned messes, however). Make sure that you have some vidoes on hand that she will enjoy (ask her mom - Disney is NOT always a good choice - my kids are afraid of them). Plan your big activities in the morning when you are both fresh. Have some sort of baby pool around with lots of pouring and fishing toys so she can relax and play around in the pool while you hang out and have a glass of iced coffee in the afternoon. Silly things like various shapes of pasta for stringing into necklaces, playdoh, go to the dollar store and see what other art supplies they have so she can do that (in the garage or outside!!!)You guys can make cookies together or something like that (you will have to teach her how to clean up too!!) For outings, you can go to the playground, zoo, any nearby duck pond to feed the ducks, library storytimes, etc.
Structure your day with an outing each morning, come home for lunch, video, play outside in the pool or art stuff, maybe take a walk before dinner, eat, bath, read some books and go to BED!!! Enjoy your self - these are the delicious times your grandchild will always remember!!!

If you lead an active lifestyle already, you won't need to change much if anything. At 4yo, they love to do what you do. My own kids saw me working out, so they joined in. They saw me play cards with Dad, so I taught them how to play go fish, slap-jack, and easier games like that. Of course, my step-daughter learned how to add at school by playing blackjack - ugh that surprised me. Going to the store is fun and exciting. Keep her away from the television unless it is down time, ready for bed or nap etc...(although at 4, she might be over taking naps). Going to the park and playing is fun. A few bigger outings might be okay too - like to the Zoo or a kids museum, or a nature exhibit or something like that. I know there is an outdoor mall 30minutes away from us, & my kids always love going there - they have water spouts that all the kids run through (bring a change of clothes on something like that). In short, everything is fun, as long as you make it that way and you do it together! Have fun & don't worry about it! God Bless!

Well, my 4 year daughter loves to help me cook, bake or do anything in the kitchen! Or make anything with food. Get some macaroni and string...let her make a necklace,then color it with paint/markers. She also loves to play board games, color, draw picutes, type on the computer, do puzzles, watch Dora/curious George, playdoh, make cards for people.

She also loves to help me clean the house...get her a rag, sponge, whatever and have her play "housekeeper".

Good luck! Also, let her play by herself. Just because she's with you doesn't mean you HAVE TO ENTERTAIN her the whole time!

A schedule works best. For example, eat breakfast every day at X time, get dressed, then is an outdoor walk/treasure hunt. You make a list of find X number leaves, rocks, etc. Bring a paper and crayons and show her how to make rubbings of patterns.

Then she will need some downtime too--so back to the house for an hour and a half or so of t.v. and toys or just toys (she should be able to entertain herself for short periods of time.) Then snack or lunch----the zoo is a great place to walk around with a 4-yr-old. A visit to the park--so she can burn off energy-is recommended.

You'd be surprised--she'll probably be very interested in things you do as well---if you're a golfer, you could possibly rent or buy from like Kmart a cheap set of clubs for her to lean to play with. Or whatever sport or activities--museums are even fun at this age!

Enjoy! I'd say an outing every morning and one every afternoon. And don't forget--she'll love just being with you and showing you everything. But do schedule downtime--for BOTH of you!

We just returned from a vacation with Grandma. Together thay made memory flash cards using old index cards and rubber stamps. The played "concentration" a lot. My daughter is two, so your grandaughter might need more than that, but I know a lot of working moms like myself don't have time/energy to do "arts and crafts" with kids at the end of the day. Have fun! db

Depending on where you live, there are lots of things that you can do. My Mother-in-law has my 4 yr old all day on Fridays - her request, not mine. ;-)

Here are things that she does with my daughter:
- She has a local park by her house where other parents/grandparents go to watch the children play...4yr olds tend to play easily by themselves and with others and you can sit and watch.
- Painting...I haven't seen a kid yet that doesn't like to paint. Of course, make sure it's in a place where you don't care about paint dripping, or being dropped. Outside is great...and your granddaughter will go crazy and you can sit and watch. Go to Michael's arts and crafts and pick up some inexpensive supplies. She'll have a blast and you'll have some new art for your house and your granddaughter's!
- Playdough. Again, kids love the stuff and it keeps them occupied.
- Reading. I don't know about your granddaughter, but my daughter absolutely LOVES going to the library with her grandma.
- My Kids Clubhouse in Poway off Poway Rd. An AWESOME place to let the kids go crazy, and you can sit and relax. It's a very secure place and very inexpensive.
- Gardening. My daughter absolutely loves gardening with her grandma...pulling weeds, clipping to make flower arrangements in the house, etc.
- Record a few shows or ask the parents for a few DVDs that your granddaughter likes to watch for some "downtime" relaxation. There are some great shows on TV that my daughter likes like Caillou, Dragon Tales, Clifford, and Curious George, all on PBS. My daughter also likes a show called Charlie and Lola, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse which is on Disney Channel.
- Dessert making. My daughter LOVES making cookies, homemade ice cream, homemade yogurts and puddings with her grandma. They have a lot of fun.
- Picture taking. We give my daughter our old digital camera and she also likes the kid friendly version we bought for her at Target. She gets to take photos of Grandma and Grandpa, of Grandma's garden, paintings, the park, trees, etc. She really enjoys it and it keeps her mind occupied and gives her an artistic outlet. Her Grandma just walks around with her pointing out cool things to take photos of, and then at the end of the day she shows me everything that she took pictures of.
- Board games. While they are still a little young to stay focused for too long, my daughter loves board games for her age like Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, and the Ladybug game. All great about keeping her focused on the task, and she also learns patience and good sportsmanship.
- Practice/Learning. We usually have learning books that we bring to Grandma's house so that she's encouraged to keep practicing her letters and numbers while she's away from school on Fridays. They have them in Target, Walmart, and even in Michael's arts and crafts. They are a great way to keep the child moving forward in their learning, while still having fun. Your granddaughter could even write letters to her parents while they are away for fun. You can get an envelope and she can stuff it, and then you guys can present the letters when they return so they get "mail" from their daughter. My daughter just LOVES that...she even draws a stamp on the outside of the envelope.

I hope that's helpful. The great thing is you can do the same things for all 5 days and your granddaughter probably wouldn't get tired of it! But any kind of activity is good like being at My Kids Clubhouse or a playground so that she tires out and sleeps well for you! And of course, there's always the evening rituals of dinner, bathtime, reading and bedtime...that's from usually about 5pm onward... ;-)

Good luck! I'm sure you guys will have a great time!

A large plastic table cloth, crayons, and plenty of books from the 99 cent store. When she is bored with that she can clean her mess so you can go outside and sit in the shade in your lounge chair while she rides a bike, skates, or plays dolls/barbies on the lawn. Kids love simple meals, such as, tator tots and grilled cheese sandwich, hamburger and fries, hotdogs, etc. A splash in the bath tub and off to bed she goes.

Set your rules and let her know the rules and stick to it. My two year old clears her plate when she is done, as I make her.

Have one special surprise, like chucky cheese, or McDonalds play house, or even an afternoon at the park.

Have fun!

Is there a pool or club or something that would give you some time doing physical activity? Most kids don't have enough time with their moms and dads and just playing all day would be wonderful!!! Have fun!!! Take naps!!!
D.

God Bless Grandmas. Ours is a onderful hands-on grandma too, but she also gets tired with our very active girl. She has picked up quite a few toys at garage sales, dolls and puzzles and such. Since they are not her "normal" toys, our little girl is fascinated by them everytime she goes to grandma's house. Our little one is also loves to play outside with a ball or chalk or in the sprinklers while grandma relaxes on a lounge chair.

I have found crafts and cooking are always a huge hit for my 4 year old. Both activities are relatively low key and take a while to do. Plus, she will love this special time with Grandma!

Hi! Check out the local resources in your area. Does the public library have a toddler story hour? Do any local movie theaters show free or discounted children's movies? Do you have access to a swimming pool? You will feel less exhausted and your granddaughter will be less likely to get bored (and therefore antsy and a bit hyper) if you get her out of the house as much as possible. I do all these activities with my kids, even though they are older, because it's great entertainment and gets their wiggles out without creating a lot of work for me or messes to clean up at home. (Re: the pool, of course do not take her to a pool if you cannot or do not want to be IN the water with her every single second. The water is huge fun but is also a huge safety hazard and adults should never turn their back on a small child in a pool for even a second. Sorry for stating the obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people underestimate their kids' swimming abilities and make the mistake of going inside to take a phone call or going to the ladies' room leaving the kid in the pool -- this can be a fatal mistake, so I harp on this heavily.) ... If you have a playground near your home, take her there for an hour each day. If the weather is cool enough, bring a picnic lunch or snack. For activities at home, try a lot of crayons and coloring books, have her make necklaces from yarn and uncooked noodles (cheap, easy and the cleanup is easy, too) and if all else fails you can always rent a few kid movies or borrow them from the library. Baking cookies together is always a huge hit with kids, though this inevitably creates a big mess in the kitchen. (Is your granddaughter good about helping with cleanup?) Another big girl-treat is to take her for a manicure. Usually nail salons charge less for a child's manicure (my local one charges $10, then I add a few dollars for a tip). Not only are little girls thrilled with having grown-up fancy colored nails, the process is so calming and gentle, it's a nice quiet activity if you're both getting worn out. Have fun!

Hi! I'm a mother of 3 (36,33,19), grandmother of 2 (2,2mos), and Special Educaton teacher for 18 years.
Some suggestions for expending her energy and conducive to naps :-) Take her to swimming lessons then to lunch; take her to a park to play with others and enjoy lunch there. Take plenty of pictures.

Other suggestions: Check in to local museums and libraries for classes/activities available on , hopefully, a daily basis. Then go out to eat to discuss what she learned/enjoyed. When at home have her draw/paint/use modeling clay to capture what she enjoyed about the day. If she uses modeling clay, take a picture.

Board games like Chutes and Ladders that don't require reading to play. Play Hide and Seek. Create a picnic together to eat out in the backyard. "Cook" together; she can help make a salad, pour ingredients into a mixing bowl...

Spend the last day putting together a scrap book. Have her add the date and a caption for each day's picture. Take a picture of her putting her book together as the last page.

Have fun!

I often leave my 3.5 year old son with his grandmother.. (at least once a week).. and some of his favorite things are craft projects.. even just drawing on paper plates.. Craft stores have great ideas and I am sure the internet too! Also San Diego has a lot of great parks (Zoo, Wild ANimal Park, Sea World, Lego, etc.). We will normally go when it opens and stay until lunch time that way it is not too hot or tiring). And he loves to help cook.. even if it is just adding the water to a batch of cookie dough.. then decorating them when done.. You will do fine! Good luck and have FUN!! I find that if you have fun they have fun..

You got a lot of great ideas here.
Just wanted to add...that don't feel you "have to" entertain her every waking moment. That is just too stressful. Main thing she is happy, fed, supervised for safety, and spend quality time with Grandma.... show her photos from when you were growing up, the relatives, any special "token" or souvenirs and tell her stories about it. My girl, from when she was just a toddler LOVED hearing stories like that from her Grandma.

And by all means... if you are tired and fatigued...simply explain to her... at this age, you can certainly do that. Don't feel "guilty" about it... tell her Grandma's need to rest and take care of themselves for health and otherwise. That is what my Mother does, when she is simply too exhausted to constantly play with her grand-daughter. Grandparents and elderly need to be attentive to their health/bodily conditions too... there is nothing wrong with that. When my Mother watches my children, I always tell her "Mom don't feel pressured to entertain them... if you are not feeling well, just kick back, I don't want you to over-exert yourself either, you're not young anymore..." (I'm not saying you are old, but just per my Mom and out of respect for her age). :) And there were times, she tweaked her back from playing/lifting them. You need to take care of yourself.

Yes, this is a special time with your Grand-daughter... but "activities" don't always have to mean "constant" and all the time. Have "quiet time" with her too... for example: My mom likes to lay down with my girl, and cuddle and tell stories to each other, when she is feeling overwhelmed. Or, she puts on a video! Nothing wrong with that either.

I really feel for you, it's not always easy for Grandparents/elderly to keep up with young ones. No fear. Pace yourself, and at 4 years old, a child can be explained to, in an age appropriate way. ALSO... have her Mom speak to her before she drops her off at your house... so that she is aware of how to be a "guest" at Grandma's house. :)

** I just wanted to add, that Grandparents shouldn't be taken for granted and assume that they will "babysit" at other's convenience, without warning. Like anyone...they should be consulted with first and simply asked IF it is okay if they can/want to babysit on the planned timeline. It's just not nice that children are sometimes dumped on their doorstep. With my Mom, I always try to remember to ask her first... I always say "Mom, you can say no if you want, but can you watch the children for 1-2 hours." I always give her a time frame, from start to finish, so she can know that there will be a finish time. If my Mom says no, then fine. I don't push it or put a guilt trip on her. Grandparents have the right to say no too...it can really be a burden for them too because often times they don't want to say no even if they are not feeling well. My Aunt used to habitually drop her son off at my Grandmother's house to baby-sit...even though my Grandma would say that she's tired or not feeling well. They did not even think that maybe my Grandma was not well... and then lo and behold, my Grandma got very very sick... and later passed away, she had been very ill and my Aunt never thought to think twice about it or her health. It is very sad, to assume the role of Grandparents and babysitting.

All the best to you, and take care, don't stress about it... although I know it's not easy,
~S.

Hi S. :)

I'm sure you'll get tons of responses, so not to worry :) First and most importantly, JUST BE with with her. Every second doesn't have to be filled with action and excitement. She'll be overloaded. 4 year olds have wonderful imaginations and can easily entertain themselves if you need a break. Have her bring her favorite toys from home and any of her favorite movies she can share with you. If she likes to do art work- coloring, painting, clay... whatever- have her bring some stuff. Maybe you can surprise her with some new supplies. Costco often has wonderful Crayola tubs filled with various types of markers and crayons as well as their Color Explosion sets of paper and markers. Kids love those. Target has many different choices of the oversized coloring books (Disney Princess, Tinkerbell, Dora, Pooh etc...); they even have giant coloring pages that are more like smaller sized posters. My children are young like your granddaughter and really enjoy coloring those. Another thing she might have fun doing is putting together puzzles with you or making beaded bracelets/necklaces. Since you have a computer, she might also like a Webkinz. If she doesn't have any or know what they are, they are plush toys that come with a secret code. You two would visit the Webkinz website and input the secret code. By doing this, you are adopting a virtual version of the animal purchased. There is an entire Webkinz world to explore with educational games and fun from start to finish. It is a child-safe website and a very enjoyable way to spend time together. I started helping my 2 year old son last October after I bought a bunch of these things as party favors for my daughter's 5th birthday. He now knows how to use the computer by himself! If you do decide to buy one for her, the normal size are about $13.99 and the Lil Kinz are about $10.99. I've seen the big ones cost $16.50 in some places and that's too high.

Also, if you could take your granddaughter out and show her anything that you like to do, since you said you live a very active lifestyle, then she might really enjoy that, too :). Show her old pictures of your son or daughter when they were her age and tell her stories about what they were like. One thing I always cherished about time with my Nana was all the wonderful experiences she had and stories she told me, and the special ways that ONLY SHE could spend time with me. My Nana just passed away in March; she died in my arms. She and I did everything together and were so very close throughout my life. I LOVED to be with her ever since I was a child- it never mattered what we did as long as we were together :).

Don't put any ideas ahead of you as to what you think this time will/should be like because it will turn out completely differently. Just BE in each moment and perhaps this visit will be the opening of a lifetime's most precious gift for you and for your granddaughter :).

In Love & Light,
J.

You are lucky!!! Yes, you will be tired after the extended visit, but I hope you cherish every moment! Some ideas of activities are: sidewalk chalk, bubbles, swimming or splashpark, tot-lot or playground, out to lunch at someplace neat like Souplantation where your granddaughter can choose her own favorites! Some theatres offer free movies once a week at 10:00 or 11:00...even double features! You can check to see when story-time is at your local library. Play dress up! Get on your granddaughter's level, and I'm sure it will all come rushing back to you. Have fun and enjoy!!!

Hi S.,

My mom takes my sons, ages 10 and 14, for a week at a time during summer. One thing I've noticed in talking to both the boys and my mom is that everyone is exhausted by overdoing the activities. My mom thinks the day is "boring" if they don't go to the beach or the waterpark and my boys say they'd be just as happy hanging out by her backyard pool, swimming and reading. Go figure.

So, plan activities that you can manage. Plan a kids movie each afternoon. Your granddaughter will be entertained and you can take a nap (at least I always do <g>). Check out your local library or call a local elementary school to see what's up for kids her age in the community. That might help take some of the burden off you.

Have a fun time!

There are many things you can do but the most important thing to remember is you don't always have to play the whole time. kids like to color, read, bake cookies, play at parks, watch cartoons, go pick strawberries, the beach, the library, story time at the book store, ect...
Legoland is a great place to go with a 4 year old. having some kind of schedule throughout the day is good too. Good luck and remember to have fun!

S.,
You don't say where you live, but check out some of those free family magazines that are available at supermarkets and children's stores. If you live in the San Fernando Valley, I would recommend Tinker. It's on Woodman Ave. just north of Ventura Blvd. It's an imaginarium! You pay one price and the child can create, create, create. I have a 9 and 11 year old and they love going - along with their smaller cousins. There are some amazing parks. In Griffith Park, there is Shane's Inspiration and the Merry-Go-Round, and, of course, the zoo and the pony/train rides. Oh, to have a little one to share that with again - Enjoy.
J.

familyfun.com has tons of great games, crafts, activiteis and recipes.

Plan a big event every other day, too much might make her crabby. Not sure of your location. Balboa fun zone is a fun place in Newport Beach. Adventure City in Buena Park. Mini golf and bowling. Corna Del Mar beach. If your looking for a special treat-Libby Lu does hair, nails and makeup for girls. There is one in Downton Disney (other places too). Lunch at the Rainforest Cafe and walk around Disneyland hotels waterfalls. Go to Build A Bear workshop or Friends to be Made (dolls). Ceramic painting.
San Diego wild animal park. Discovery science center in Santa Ana.

Close to home stuff-whats better than baking with grandma. Make some sugar cookies and decorate. Make breakfast for dinner and have a slumber party, even decorate pillowcases. Let her help you out around the house. Go on a nature walk. Take her shopping for something special.

Here is my favorite quick playdough recipe
1 cup salt
3 cup flour
1/3 cup oil
mix and add colored water to desired consistency

Hi S.!
My name is L. and I love kids and playing with them. Ok you said shes 4 years old. Does she like to color? I have found that a child coloring by their self will not color very long. If you sit down and color with them they tend to want to stay put longer(it's not because they LOVE coloring) it's because they LOVE you! Just about anything you do together is going to be a memory. Let her help you outside in the yard or help make a shopping list. The feeling of being a "big girl" really gets them excited.

Good Luck Sweetie!
L. B.

Here are some activities you can do with your granddaughter that won't wear you out:

Take her to the park, library, children's museum or local pool.
Play board games.
Play the story game (one of you starts a story, the other continues and you pass it back and forth til the story's over)
Treasure/scavenger hunt
Arts/crafts

And when you're just too tired to do anything at all, make some popcorn and curl up with a video together.

Since you haven't been around small children in such a long time, please remember that they need to be watched very closely - especially in public. They are curious and fearless and can be gone from sight in an instant.

I hope you have a spectacular time with your precious granddaughter!!!

Hi S.

Good for you! A whole five days? Don't be daunted... you'll have a great time. First thing to remember is that girls are more likely to be contented with an activity for longer, so don't panic about having enough to do!

The other thing is that it does a child no harm at all to be 'bored'.... it encourages imaginative play and the enjoyment of one's own company.

My daughter loves:
1. Going on walks in her pushchair
2. Playing with dolls, pretnding to feed and change them
3. Feeding the ducks
4. Anything that involves art/creative making etc... so drawing, colouring, sticking - just cut up some old card and bits of colourful paper, or images from old magazines. Get a glue stick and some blank paper and she'll be in heaven!
5. Bubbles...buy some bubble mixture and blow bubbles in the garden - fantastic!
6. Cooking/baking... getting her fingers dirty! Helping to stir, mix, lay the table, make a salad.. anything that makes her feel involved
7. Cleaning! I know I know, but give her a duster and point her in the right direction and it'll keep her occupied for a while! My daughter loves it, but she does it with fistfuls of wet wipes which drives me MAD!!

Good luck - most of all, enjoy your time together!
C. x

All wonderful ideas so far! Some of my 4 year old's favorite at home activities are playing with playdough, finger painting, and baking with me! Oh what fun my children have had with those activities. You may want to schedule, if not a nap time, then a quite time of reading sometime during the day. Outdoor activities they enjoy are park days (especially swings and sandbox w/ sand toys) and swimming at a rec. center with the beach entry (very shallow) and slides. Good luck!

well maybe pick up some coloring books (what kids doesnt like to color), and a couple easy games for her. see if her mom will bring something she likes to do out side (like a tricycle or ball). also since it will be nice and warm maybe get a small kiddie pool that she can play in durring the afternoon. im sure youll take her to the park a few times. maybe try other places too like if you have a childrens museum that allows them to be hands on. oh speaking of hands on play dough is a good option too!. anyways i hope this is helpful too you! good luck!

The key is keeping is keepong her "involved". If kids are involved in some way in most every activity they generally will be easier to handle. If you go to the store, give her a list of stuff to help you find. and before you leave, she can make her own list by "drawing" pictures of the items she will be responsible for finding. This is a great exercise and is worth at least an hour of entertainment. Some things I do with my 5 year old are:
I use a tupperware bin (rather large) and fill it with sand or water or shaving cream and allow her to "draw" and play in it with measuring cups or other household items. keeps her busy for a long itme (and as a benefit starts creating the concept of volume)
we draw with sidewalk chalk outside
feed ducks at the park or local arboretum
hang out at the beach, pack a picnic and at the end of the day go for an ice cream...

You should check out www.EducationAndEnrichment.com

There is a Daily Local Events & Activities Calendar right on the home page!!

Have fun!

I just need to say God Bless you! My in-laws are taking my 5 year-old and 2 year-old this Summer for 8 days and they have the same worries. I didn't read the other posts, but I suggested to my in-laws was lots of pool time and if there are any neighbors with kids, maybe a playdate or two.

Take this opportuntiy to embrace the gift of your grand daughter's visit. Spending time with them is so truly rewarding. Sometimes, people think they have to always do "something" to entertain children and many times, just being together is the best thing for both of you. I always included my children in most everything I did and I was always explaining what and why we were doing it. (Even the most grown up things). Example, when I paid bills, they got to put the stamps on the envelopes, while folding clothes, they got to fold the wash cloths, when I cooked dinner, they got to help (usually just getting things for me out of the cupboards, refrigerator, etc). Kids LOVE to help and the simplest of things made us very close and to this day they are my best friends and I am theirs. I hope to achieve this with my new grand daughter as well. When you do have time and want to play or entertain her, games are always a winner. Sometimes the made up games are best (I always tried to get creative to keep it interesting),coloring, drawing on paper, reading to them, making up stories, going to the playground, rolling around on the floor with them. Kids love to feel included in your world and see you in theirs. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to totally entertain your children and grand children. If you can afford it, movies, theme parks, zoos, water parks, etc are options too. Enjoy your visit. Make the most of it, you will not regret it.

My 4 year old loves dress up and putting on shows for us. She makes up dance routines to kids music. We also enjoy, playing at the park, the pool, coloring, Wild Animal Park, Disney Movies (for when you need a rest), looking at the puppies at the pet store, going out for ice cream or frozen yogurt, painting, baking, reading books, stickers, and oh so much more....... Good luck. Have fun!

Hi S. -

Where do you live? If you're in the SF Valley, there's a real cool place called Tinker that has craft classes. Or just look into your local Park & Rec to see if there's something you could enroll in together for just the few days. Sometimes there are drop in day camps (or was that something from my childhood?).

A terrific website is GoCityKids.com. You can select just about any metropolitan area in the country as far as I know and find all sorts of things going on in your area. Lots of choices of types of activities. Oh, and also check out your local library. There are usually lots of things planned for kids in the Summer. And bring home a pile of books, of course.

I'd be a bit daunted too and it wasn't all that long ago for me -- but to suddenly have a 4-year old for several days would be intimidating. Think physical, but be careful of too much sun & heat, as I'm sure you know. A paramedic told me it's important to make sure the kid eats protein at breakfast before going out in the heat. I had thought hydration was the most important thing, but a good base in tummy is important too.

Have fun, I'm sure both of you will cherish this time.

Cheers,
Colleen

There's a great book called Countdown to Grandma's House that I bought my daughter the first time she went to visit Grandma for a week. The grandma in the book looked a bit young but my daughter loved reading it up to the day she left and then she brought it with her where she got to read it with grandma. She will be happy to be with you and a planning a few things during the week with her will make her feel special. She doesn't need a packed schedule. Have a few toys you know she will like for the 'down' time but otherwise, let her discover the world with you.

I don't think you have to be compelled to do lots of big things. Your granddaughter will love just spending the time with you. Parks and libraries are great! Swimming pools are lots of fun. Museums are excellent. Relax and take it slow. Enjoy not having to rush around with her. She'll probably have fun running errands with you. Trips to Target and the carwash are a blast for that age group.

The zoo is always fun. She may be too tired to walk to rent a strooler. They have a small zoo in Santa Ana that is fairly low cost. Good luck. Schedule naps. Also picnics at the park to break up the day. Art projects at home are always fun too. Let her help you prepare your meals & do chores. When my kids were that age they still thought it was fun to help me clean. I would give them a bottle of soapy water & a rag & have them do a section of floor. :) Kill 2 birds with one stone. Have fun.

Depending on where you live you can take her for story time at your local library. Check your city website. Also, there are "bounce house" businesses where they have whats called Pop In Play time. This is a great option because she can play and you can either watch or play with her and it is low cost. Parks are great because typically there are other kids there playing. The good things about these options is that she will get plenty tired.

Good Luck and just love having that special time with her.

To keep you from going insane or passing out - try to have a routine. Maybe even something similar to what she is already used to. Example; Breakfast, go to the park for 1-3 hours, come home and eat lunch then quiet time or nap if she still naps, snack, color/paint/bake something (this age loves to help in the kitchen with pouring and measuring), dinner, mellow video/noggin (preshcool channel on 24/7) while you tidy up, bath, read a book then bed. Keep your days simple. I wouldn't do a big outing every day. You'll be beat and she doesn't need it. She'll have fun just hanging out with you. Make sure her Mom leaves a stroller for you so you can go on a walk if you want or take it with you on an outing. Do you have a friend or a young neighbor that could come over at least one of the days and hang out/help you?

Don't worry, you will do great and she will LOVE spending this time with you!

M.

The South Bay Botanic Garden has a great children's garden, as does the Huntington Library and Gardens. Also, do some gardening at home with her, get some work done and have her help. My kids LOVE to water plants, plant seeds, dig dirt, etc...

I have a 4 year old girl. So, I can give you some good ideas. Day 1: Park Day
Pack picnic lunches. You can sit under a tree and enjoy watching her play.
Day 2: Trip to the Zoo
Day 3: Movie Theater Day (Wall E rated G)
Day 4: Visit a nursery. Pick out flowers to plant.
Day 5: Bowling or Beach Day
Filler activities: coloring, painting, games (my daughter loves Balloon Lagoon by Cranium), library, baking...
She is so lucky to spend this time with you! If my girl has an active day, she'll sleep 7pm-7am. Hope this helps! Good luck!
K.

Mainly, just don't over do it. Your grand daughter will be with you for five days so you do not have to schedule every minute. My BIL always makes that mistake when my daughter visits him and then can't figure out why he is so tired. I would have some basic arts and crafts, buy some felt and cut out face parts so everyone can make silly faces, Styrofoam shapes with sequins attached by sewing push pins and some pipe cleaners can keep her busy for a long time if she is the type who can focus and sit still (my daughter-yes, my son-no way!!), but that might be for when she is a little older. Also, a tea set for some quiet tea parties (thrift stores or garage sales help with the $$). Big nuts and bolts from Home Depot are enticing for 3/4 year olds. If you have a back yard, a sprinkler and or kiddie pool. You can sit and watch while she plays. Small sand box with some toys from the local dollar store. The book "The Preschooler's Busy Book" by Trish Kuffner has some great ideas from stuff you have around the house. Good luck and enjoy!

There are a few things that you can do with a 4 yr old to help fill the day: for low-budget fun, you can play games, whether Go Fish, computer games or board games such as Candy Land. You can visit the library or book store for story time, have a pedicure done, rent movies. My daughter loves to color, so she and grandma color or do arts & crafts projects. It seems like a lot of time to fill, but it will go by fast. Enjoy..

my sister (the greatest auntie in the world) does a little thing w/my son. she has a box & she writes down activites on small pieces of paper. then, every time she has him, she lets him pick (with his eyes closed) from the box. whatever comes out is the special thing they do that day. this way, you have control as to what you are willing/able to do, since you've decided what activities get put inside the box ahead of time. girls are so much easier than boys (in my opinion) as far as, they don't necessarily require hours upon hours of physical activities. some outdoor activites could be - a picnic in the local park (you get to sit down!), tour the zoo, take a walk to go to lunch or ice cream, "work" in the garden/make mud pies, walk through place like descanso gardens (relaxing & beautiful).... some indoor activities could be - rent movies & eat popcorn in bed, coloring books (color along side her!), age appropriate puzzles, play hide-n-seek. have fun!!!!

Hi S.,
How wonderful!!
4 year olds love to color in coloring books with simple pictures and fat crayons.
They love to paint. A Q-tip and a pickle jar lid of water and a 99 cent store purchase of water color paints and a coloring book page placed on a cookie sheet so it won't hurt your table. I bought a plastic childs placemat that we do all our crafts on.
Play dough with cookie cutters and a plastic knife and toothpicks are fun at that age.
Get a step stool and let her mix ingredients with you to make cookies together.
Sing fun songs together.Do finger plays.
Take her to the park after lunch and let her run around to work off all her energy.
Go for a walk together.
Read to her. (Settles them down good for bed time)
Pray for her and with her.
Have a wonderful time together and make lots of special memories together for you both to always treasure.
Have fun, D.

S., my children love to see their great-grandmother, who is very active. She is very simple about things as that is how she grew up and I thought my children would be bored stiff, but they are throughly in love with her. She keeps it simple, she keeps empty containers around and when they come over the go treasure hunting and then keep little rocks, leaves or whatever they find in the box and put a lid on it. Another idea is keeps empty toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls and either walks around the house annoucning things or puts little objects in there that will fall through. She also keeps a supply of bubbles with all kinds of different wands, and sidewalk/street chalk and they will draw for hours. Now on a different side, if you live close to Michaels store, on the weekends often they have craft classes that let me interact with other children and are not very expensive. The last best thing she does is read, gets silly books and just reads....good luck as I'm sure you will have a great time, will be exhausting..but well worth it.
M. D.

the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Center, the Zoo, the Zimmer museum, the natural history museum (butterfly exhibit), Disneyland!

S.,

My advise to you would be to alternate activities that use more energy with activities that use less. An example of that might be:

-get up & get dressed for the day
-make & eat breakfast
-clean up from breakfast
-sit down and read together for an hour
-take a leizurly stroll around your neighborhood to look at things together for an hour
-sit down and color or draw for an hour
-make & eat lunch
-clean up from lunch
-sit down for a movie/TV time

And so it would go throughout the day. You do an activity that involves moving, and then an activity that involves sitting down. She would still be involved in activities with you throughout the day, but you wouldn't be expending all of your energy all day.

Also, be sure that you clean up between activities so that you don't end up with a mess at the end of the day.

Good luck,
A.

I like the idea of what some moms have said of keeping your days simple. You have to be a good judge of what tires your granddaughter out too much and makes her cranky. But when you do go out, I highly suggest the park, if you are up to it, the beach (but only if you can keep her in line near the waves and make her understand not to go too far in), and a movie is always nice as a change of pace. It looks like there are some good kids movies coming out soon, and I know that my mother and my mother-in-law who were not very physically active with the kids loved having this as an activity to do with them.

I am lucky too. I have an adorable three year old granddaughter who keeps me active all day without ever leaving the house. I kind of make lesson plans when she visits like I would if I was teaching. For example, at home she won't have anything to do with plain yogurt but at my house she loves to make pink yogurt. I give her a spoon and a jar of strawberry jam with a spoon. She puts a spoon in mixes it with the plain yogurt and loves it. Another thing we do is that she helps me around the house. She loves emptying the clean dishes in a filled dishwasher and putting things in the correct place. She helps me in the yard and love to be in charge of the pooper scooper. We fold laundry.
Actually, we hardly spend time playing with toys or watching TV. She loves decorating cookies and has even learned how to sew with a needle and thread. Her blankie was falling apart and we fixed it. She was thrilled. We take walks in the front of the house and walk to a local park. She loves to look in my drawer in the bathroom and straightens it out. She is too cute and I can't imagine her at 4. She also fools me that she is going to take a nap when I'm the one who needs the nap. She wants to learn to crochet which I don't know how to do. She also loves puzzles and if you have a computer she will love typing a note to her mom which she unknowningly is learning her alphabet and how to read. Have a set schedule and stick to it. You have to be the boss. She has to know the boundaries. You will be just fine! I can't wait to be given five days with my one and only little grandchild. I still remember my grandmother as if she is still living and she'd be 125 by now. The memories you make today will last a lifetime and she will hand them down. I promise. We talk constantly and she helps plan the activities. She even taught me that the house icon on the computer should be pressed if I don't know what to do. At four they know and are capable of a lot more than we think. Today's youngsters are way more savvy than we were. They love to paint (water color), draw, do some crafts. I can't wait to hear from you.

Hello! Sounds like it will be tiring - heck, it tires me out and I am the mom ... but it should be fun.

Some things to try ....
1. Maybe a trip to the zoo, the arboretum, or the acquariam - all take a few hours and are interesting to the kids.
2. Find a local park - in Pasadena, there is a park on Orange Grove, just east of Madre St. that is great - slides, swings, climbing toys ...
3. Bubbles ... but a large container of bubbles and some large wands to make big bubbles with - that is always fun.

Good Luck!

Dear S. S.,
If the "Parents" did not give you time to think about having
your Grand-daughter for 5 days.....This IS WRONG!!!!
If they put you on the spot for an immeadiate answer...This IS ALSO VERY WRONG!!!!!!!!!
If this is as it sounds, Your private life has not been taken into consideration. The "Parents" should understand that 5 days is a long time!!
I once had my God-Daughter for 3 days, and I was never so happy to see my best friend of 37 years-as I was that day!

In my opinion, You need to explain to the Parents that you
are exhausted after 5 hours!! I am too!!!!
Hopefully they will reconsider their foregone conclusion that you are perfectly up for it.
Good Luck,
C. Saunders

If you find yourself with your Grand-Daughter, take her to an indoor playground.(If you can stand the noise), you can keep an eye on her there. You can sit and hopefully relax!
Plus, you can call me--if you wish, I'd be happy to give you somemore ideas!
###-###-####
...And maybe- she will be eager to learn how to embroider,
sew, or even cook!! The girls are very receptive at that age!

Well S.
If you live in Cali their is Chucky cheese, also mommy and me movies at certain movie places. Also you have lego land,knott's berry farm to name a few. It also helps if you have a neighbor that might have a grandchild of the same sex and age as your granddaughter.
Good luck
D.

Hi there!!

I'm a mother of two...one 15 and one is 3! I have been around children all my life, and am a teacher at an outdoor shcool, and previous jobs have all been teaching.

Art---ANY ART!!

Hi S.,
Check out Gocitykids.com. It has information on things to do with kids of all ages by city. They have museums, fairs, etc. My son is five and he gets tired if we do too much so maybe try one outside activity in the morning/early afternoon. Definitly have some quiet time late afternoon where you can watch a video or play a quiet game and have a snack and relax before dinner. My son likes to play match games. He also likes to spend time together reading books - which doesn't take too much energy!

Also, ask your grandaughter what kinds of food/snacks she likes to make sure you have some of her favorite things.

Have fun!

The park is always a great place to go and it tends to wear them out.

1. Library - most libraries have a story time and craft session
2. movie
3. a trip out to lunch or to an ice cream parlor

I don't know what her behavior is like but you can promise her something special at the end of the day, like dinner at Chuck E. Cheese and remind her about it throughout the day if she gets out of hand for you. She has to listen and behave to be able to go. Thats a good 3 hrs- I lived there when my kids were young. She can make cookies or cake with you 1 night for a special night. You can go to Blockbuster and let her pick 2 or 3 movies and have popcorn and movies night. Or if she is good at the movies go to one(there are alot of kid movies out now.) I am sure her mom can tell you what she enjoys and you can incorporate those things into your day. I am sure you will have a great time together! Have Fun!

I have a 2 and a half year old. Plan to go out in the mornings for a walk, or to the park, a playground area, or whatever. Do a morning outing. Then have lunch and maybe do a calming/quiet activity in the afternoon, like reading books, coloring, painting, puzzles, etc. ( I don't know if she naps, if so that will give you time to rest) Then schedule something fun outdoors for the afternoon, like playing with water, riding a tricycle, playing outside, etc. Then have dinner and maybe she can watch cartoons or a movie after dinner.
You could also invite other children over to play with her for one of the time blocks, either morning or afternoon, but no more than 2 hours or they will drive you crazy. Have something ready for them to do, coloring, playing with toys in the yard, a snack together, etc.
You could also plan a day out, like to the beach, amusement park, museum, etc.
Hope you have fun!