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25 Fun Activities to Do With Your Grandkids
- 6 days ago
- 9 min read
Simple Ideas for Laughing, Learning, Exploring—and Making Memories Together
When the grandkids come to visit, you don’t need an elaborate itinerary, a trunk full of toys, or reservations at the most expensive attraction in town. Sometimes the best memories begin with something as simple as a deck of cards, a mixing bowl, a walk around the neighborhood, or the words: “Want to do something together?”
Whether your grandkids are visiting for an afternoon, spending the weekend, or staying for summer vacation, these 25 activities offer plenty of ways to have fun, encourage creativity, get moving, learn something new, and—most importantly—enjoy time together.
Some take a little planning. Others can begin in five minutes. Pick a few favorites, keep this list handy, and let the grandkids help decide what comes next.
👉 Grandparents: Save the following list for their next visit! PDF File Available Below.
Creative Activities to Do With Grandkids
1. Create a Sidewalk Chalk Masterpiece
Hand everyone a piece of sidewalk chalk and turn the driveway, patio, or sidewalk into your family canvas. Draw pictures, create a giant rainbow, make a hopscotch course, trace one another’s outlines, or design an entire imaginary town. For an extra challenge, have everyone contribute one part of a giant family mural.
👉 Grandparent Tip: Take a picture before the rain washes it away. Today’s chalk drawing could become tomorrow’s favorite family photo.
2. Paint and Hide Kindness Rocks
Collect smooth rocks from the yard or pick up a small bag of craft rocks.
Paint them with:
Smiley faces
Hearts
Ladybugs
Funny monsters
Inspirational words
Family inside jokes
Once they’re dry, hide them around your yard or community where others may discover them. It combines creativity with a simple lesson in doing something kind for someone else.
3. Build a Family Craft Box
Instead of deciding on one craft, create a box the grandkids can explore whenever they visit.
Stock it with inexpensive supplies such as:
Then give them one rule: 👉Make whatever you want!
Sometimes fewer instructions produce far more imagination.
4. Make a Family Time Capsule
Find a sturdy container and let everyone contribute something that represents life right now.
Ideas include:
A family photo
A handwritten letter
A drawing
A list of favorite songs
Current favorite foods
A small toy
Predictions about the future
A note from Grandma or Grandpa
Write a future opening date on the container—perhaps one, five, or even ten years from now.
Few activities make the passage of time quite as wonderfully obvious.
5. Create a Grandparent-Grandkid Photo Challenge
Give the grandkids a list of things to photograph around the house, neighborhood, park, or backyard.
Try subjects such as:
Something red
Something tiny
Something older than Grandpa
Something shaped like a heart
Something funny
An interesting shadow
A flower
An insect
The best smile
Something that reminds you of your family
At the end, compare photos and choose some favorites. Better yet, turn the best pictures into a small photo book later.
Games and Screen-Free Fun
6. Have a Family Board Game Tournament
Pull out several age-appropriate board or card games and create your own mini tournament.
Keep a simple scoreboard and award wonderfully ridiculous titles such as:
Family Champion
Best Comeback
Luckiest Player
Most Dramatic Loss
Grandpa’s Questionable Strategy Award
The trophy can be nothing more than bragging rights until the next visit. And sometimes that is more than enough.
7. Create an Indoor Treasure Hunt
Hide a small treasure somewhere in the house and create a series of clues leading the grandkids from one location to another.
For younger children, use pictures.
For older kids, try:
Rhymes
Riddles
Simple math problems
Family trivia
Codes
Word puzzles
The treasure doesn’t need to be expensive. A favorite snack, small toy, book, or coupon for choosing dessert can make a perfectly good prize. The hunt is the real attraction.
8. Build the Ultimate Blanket Fort
Gather blankets, sheets, pillows, chairs, couch cushions, and a few clothespins.
Then construct something magnificent.
Once the fort is finished, turn it into:
A reading hideout
Movie headquarters
A pretend campsite
A secret clubhouse
A board-game room
A picnic spot
Flashlights make everything approximately 47% more exciting. This is an unofficial grandparent statistic, but we stand by it.
9. Have a Puzzle Race
Choose age-appropriate jigsaw puzzles and see who can complete theirs first—or work together on one larger puzzle. You can also make your own.
Let the grandkids draw a picture on cardstock, then carefully cut it into puzzle pieces for someone else to assemble. For younger children, keep the pieces large and simple.
10. Play “Grandma & Grandpa Trivia”
Turn family history into a game. Ask questions such as:
What was Grandpa’s first job?
What was Grandma’s favorite subject in school?
Where did Grandma and Grandpa meet?
What games did we play as kids?
What was our first car?
Did we have cell phones when we were your age?
What did a candy bar cost?
What music did we listen to?
Then reverse the game and let the grandkids ask—or quiz you about their lives. They may be surprised to discover grandparents actually existed before the invention of Wi-Fi.
Outdoor Activities With Grandkids
11. Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt
Head outside with a simple checklist.
Look for:
A pinecone
A feather
Three different leaves
Something yellow
A bird
A spiderweb
An acorn
An interesting rock
A flower
Animal tracks
Take photos rather than collecting living plants or disturbing wildlife. A neighborhood walk can suddenly feel like an expedition when everyone has something to find.
12. Plant Something Together
Give each grandchild something to plant and care for.
Easy choices include:
Write the grandchild’s name on a plant marker and photograph its progress whenever they visit. If your grandchild lives far away, send occasional pictures showing how their plant is growing.
13. Have a Backyard Olympics
Create several simple events and let the games begin.
Try:
Make homemade medals or certificates afterward. Remember: grandparents are permitted to compete. They are also permitted to demand a rematch.
14. Go on a Bike Ride or Neighborhood Adventure
A simple bicycle ride can become a memorable outing when you give it a destination.
Ride to:
A park
An ice cream shop
A playground
A pond
A library
A picnic area
With younger grandkids, scooters or a family walk work just as well. Choose routes appropriate for everyone’s abilities and use proper helmets and safety equipment.
15. Try Backyard Stargazing
Wait until the sky gets dark, bring out some blankets or lawn chairs, and look up.
See if you can find:
The Moon
The Big Dipper
Planets
Satellites
Shooting stars
Familiar constellations
Use binoculars or a beginner telescope if you have one, but don’t let equipment become a requirement. Sometimes the most memorable part is simply lying under the stars talking with your grandchild.
Cooking and Food Activities
16. Bake a Family Recipe
Pull out a recipe with some history behind it.
Maybe it’s:
Grandma’s cookies
Grandpa’s pancakes
A family holiday recipe
Homemade bread
A favorite pie
A recipe passed down from a great-grandparent
Tell the story behind the food while you make it. One day, your grandchild may be making that same recipe for someone else—and telling them about you.
17. Have a Make-Your-Own Pizza Night
Prepare individual pizza crusts or flatbreads and set out bowls of toppings.
Let everyone create their own masterpiece. Need a Pizza Oven?
Possible toppings:
Cheese
Pepperoni
Olives
Mushrooms
Peppers
Pineapple
Sausage
Tomatoes
You may witness combinations that offend generations of Italian cooking.
Remain strong. It's their pizza.
18. Hold a Blind Taste Test
Choose several safe foods and let everyone sample them without looking.
Try:
Different apple varieties
Crackers
Popcorn flavors
Fruit
Chocolate
Cheese
Ice cream
Cereals
Have everyone rate each item and guess what they’re eating. Create scorecards and crown a family taste-test champion. Always take food allergies and dietary restrictions into account before choosing foods.
19. Pack a Picnic Together
Let the grandkids help plan and pack lunch, then take it somewhere other than the kitchen table.
You could picnic:
At a park
In the backyard
Beside a lake
On a hike
At the beach
Even on the living-room floor on a rainy day
The food doesn’t need to be fancy. The change of scenery does most of the work.
Learning, Music and Discovery
20. Visit the Library and Let Everyone Choose a Book
Take a trip to the local library and give everyone time to wander.
Encourage each grandchild to choose:
One book just for fun
One nonfiction book about something they’re curious about
One book you can read together
Grandparents should choose a book too. Children are much more likely to believe reading is worthwhile when they see adults genuinely enjoying it.
21. Explore Music Together
Music creates wonderful opportunities for grandparents and grandchildren to share something across generations.
Try:
Making homemade instruments
Listening to music from Grandma and Grandpa’s childhood
Letting the grandkids introduce you to their favorite music
Ask them: “What do you like about this song?” Then share one of yours.
You may not convert them to your music. They may not convert you to theirs.
But the negotiations can be entertaining.
22. Try a Simple Science Experiment
Turn the kitchen or backyard into a temporary laboratory.
Age-appropriate experiments might include:
Baking-soda volcanoes
Testing what sinks or floats
Building paper airplanes
Creating a balloon-powered car
Making a simple homemade compass
Ask the grandkids what they think will happen before starting. The prediction is part of the learning. For experiments involving chemicals, heat, sharp objects, or other hazards, choose child-safe activities and provide close adult supervision.
Adventures and Memory Makers
23. Let Your Grandchild Plan a Mini Adventure
Give the grandkids some control. Offer several choices within a budget: “We have Saturday afternoon and $25. What adventure should we have?”
Possibilities might include:
Mini golf
Bowling
Ice cream
A museum
A nature center
A park
A local historic site
A farmers market
A thrift-store treasure hunt
Planning the outing can be almost as fun as taking it. It also gives children practice making choices, considering costs, and thinking about other family members.
24. Start a Grandparent-Grandchild Tradition
Traditions don’t have to be elaborate. Choose something that becomes your thing.
Maybe it’s:
Pancakes every Saturday morning
Ice cream after soccer games
A birthday shopping trip
Friday movie night
An annual fishing day
Christmas cookie baking
A first-day-of-summer adventure
A special handshake
A yearly photo in the same location
Children remember repetition. Years later, some of their strongest memories may begin with:
“Whenever we went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, we always…”
That sentence is worth building.
25. Create a Grandkid Bucket List
Finish by making a list together of things you’d like to do someday.
Give everyone ideas.
Your bucket list might include:
Attend a baseball game
Go horseback riding
Take a train ride
Visit a zoo
Sleep under the stars
Keep the list somewhere visible. Every time you complete something, date it and add a checkmark. Then add another idea. Because the best bucket lists never really need to end.
Which Activity Should You Try First?
Not sure where to begin?
If you have 30 minutes:
Try sidewalk chalk, a photo challenge, family trivia, a puzzle, or a short neighborhood scavenger hunt.
If you have an afternoon:
Plan a backyard Olympics, library visit, picnic, cooking project, bike ride, or mini adventure.
If the weather is bad:
Build a blanket fort, play board games (for toddlers, for ages 6-12, for teens & Young Adults), create crafts, bake something, or hold an indoor treasure hunt.
If the grandkids say, “I’m bored”:
Congratulations! You now have 25 answers.
The Best Grandkid Activity Is Usually the One You Do Together
It’s tempting to think children need bigger attractions, newer toys, or constant entertainment.
They don’t.
Of course, amusement parks, vacations, sporting events, and special outings can create wonderful memories. But ordinary moments matter too.
A cookie baked together.
A card game at the kitchen table.
A walk where your grandchild tells you what’s happening at school.
A ridiculous blanket fort taking over half the living room.
Those are often the moments that quietly become family history.
So choose an activity, put the phone down for a little while, and enjoy the people who made you a grandparent in the first place.
Because someday, they may not remember everything you bought them—but they’ll remember how it felt to spend time with you.
Keep the Fun Going
Looking for more ways to connect with your grandkids?
Explore more ideas from GrandKid Central:
Sports & Recreation Ideas for Grandkids
Help your grandkids get active, build confidence, and discover a sport or outdoor activity they love.
Music Ideas for Kids
Discover instruments, music-learning resources, activities, and gift ideas for young music lovers.
Gifts for Grandkids
Find thoughtful, fun, educational, and age-appropriate gift ideas for birthdays, holidays, and just-because occasions.
Educational Ideas & Resources
Discover learning activities, books, STEM ideas, study helpers, and resources that make learning more enjoyable.
Our Commitment to You:
More Ideas. More Adventures. More Grandkid Memories.
At GrandKid Central, we’re always growing, improving, and searching for new ways to help grandparents make the most of every moment with their grandkids. We’re continually adding new activities, gift ideas, sports and hobby resources, learning opportunities, travel inspiration, helpful guides, and family-friendly recommendations designed with grandparents and grandkids in mind.
And we’re just getting started!
As GrandKid Central continues to grow, you’ll discover even more ideas, resources, and inspiration for creating meaningful experiences, sharing new adventures, and making the kinds of memories grandkids carry with them for a lifetime.
Be sure to visit often—there’s always something new coming to GrandKid Central!
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