Welcoming grandchildren into your life, biological or adopted, is a huge milestone in someone’s life. It’s a time where you get to be a parent all over again and relive the best days of your life. It’s a precious time in your life watching your grandchildren grow up. But sometimes it can be hard to start bonding with your adopted grandchildren.
It can also be a challenging time; getting to know the grandchildren can even seem awkward at times, when you’re figuring out what they like and dislike. Perhaps you’ve even been put in a situation where you’re thinking of adopting your grandchildren, in which case it’s good to spend lots of time with them so they know they’re coming to a loving home.
Don’t know where to start when it comes to bonding with your adopted grandchildren? Here are 10 tips to help the process….
1. Read Them Stories
Reading to children is one of the best activities you can do with them. Not only can it basically be done anytime and anywhere, it’s also a real source of comfort for children listening to a familiar voice telling them tales that help them understand the world better. Some of the best children’s books out there include:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other Eric Carle books
- The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe and the rest of the Narnia series
- Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
- The Little Prince (in various age-appropriate adaptations)
- Janette Oke’s animal stories
2. Learn Music Together
You don’t have to be amazing at playing an instrument to teach rhythm to children. It can be as simple as following each other’s beats by clapping your hands and getting your grandchild to copy.
This back-and-forth communication is fun and interactive for children, as well as entertaining for you, watching them copy your beats. If you do play an instrument, it can give you a great sense of fulfilment passing the knowledge and skill to your grandchildren. Encouraging your grandchild’s musical abilities by teaching them to play or helping them get to lessons and recitals can be a great way to spend time together.
3. Walk Together
Taking a walk together can provide the ideal time to get to know each other, especially if they’re older grandchildren. Exercise has also been proven to reduce stress levels. So by taking your grandchild out, you’re not only letting them enjoy the outside safely, but you’re also benefiting by being more active.
Try taking them to a place you know lots about to share historic stories with or even a great place for a picnic. You’ll be surprised how well they remember these stories later on life.
4. Play Together
Some of the best memories grandchildren have of their grandparents are formed through simple play time. Be present when they’re having fun, whether it’s at a park, on a beach or simply at home. Get involved in the imagination child’s play can bring, and inspire them with games you perhaps played as a child.
5. Teach Them a Skill
Teaching children new skills can be extremely beneficial to their future. Whether it’s helping with spelling or pronouncing words, or setting simple challenges like counting coins, children’s brains absorb so much information. Being a part of that process of learning new skills will bring you closer together. My daughters enjoy sewing and swimming with their grandma, who is talented at both activities.
6. Bake Together
Grandparents are often known to be feeders, and you won’t catch the grandchildren complaining! There’s nothing like the comfort of baked goods, but what’s more special is making them together. Get them involved in the process of making something yummy, such as cupcakes. Just be careful to not leave them unattended with kitchen appliances.
7. Tell Them about Your Life
Children of all ages are always asking questions. By being open about your life with them, it allows them to get to know you better and connect with you more. Try getting out old pictures to show them people and places in your life you’re referring to, to give them extra context to your stories.
8. Get Crafty
Getting creative and imaginative with your grandchildren can inspire a lot of good memories to be made, not to mention the homemade crafts you can keep up around the house. There are so many easy craft ideas online for ideas that don’t cost much at all. A top tip would be to save any toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls for future crafting!
9. Learn to Garden Together
Gardening is a real easy way to start bonding with your adopted grandchildren. No doubt you have experience with growing plants, or can create a child friendly play space in your garden for them to simply get mucky in.
Teaching children about little ecosystems in the garden can teach them new knowledge about the importance of looking after the planet. Try re-using old yoghurt pots as pots for them to grow some plants in. Keep them safe and teach them how easy it is to have green fingers!
10. Always Stay in Touch
To really secure a bond between you and your grandchildren, it’s important to keep in touch when you’re absent for a period of time. You could always try writing a letter to them, as receiving post can be really exciting for children. Not to mention it’s a form of communication they can keep forever. My children regularly write letters to their grandparents and love getting mail back from Grandma or Grandpa.
Other ways you could stay in touch is through texts, phone calls or even face-timing them occasionally to say goodnight.
Bonding with Your Grandchildren Can be Fun
Hopefully you have plenty of ideas of how to bond with your adoptive grandchildren after reading this article. Never underestimate the power of the small things, such as little communications in your absence, and having decorations they made up around your home for them to see you treasure their creations.
Most importantly, don’t forget to remind them of how much you love them when you have the chance. There is so much comfort in love received from grandparents that can really secure a bond.
What has helped you in bonding with your adopted grandchildren?
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