Intergenerational Activities in Summer

Have you thought about what to do when your grandchildren come to visit or when you go to visit them this summer? Summer is a good time to have outdoor activities. For instance, fishing, swimming, camping, and hiking are good outdoor activities. Be sure your grandchildren know about safety ahead of time and be aware of their safety during the activity.

Having a picnic, outdoor painting, or a swimming pool in your backyard can be fun for young and school age children. Let them help prepare for the special activity (the tasks should be appropriate for their ages). During the activity, you can tell them about your childhood experiences or what their parents did when they were their age. Children love to hear things that happened in the old days, especially, when grandpa, grandma, mom, or dad was little. Taking a walk together or taking grandchildren to a museum, zoo, historical site, or park can be fun for them to learn about history and nature.

If you and your grandchildren prefer to have indoor activities, playing games, bowling, or piano, making a family tree or quilts, or baking cookies together can also be fun. If you volunteer to work in your community and it is appropriate to bring your grandchildren with you, you might want to do that. This opportunity can help them learn about helping others and your values and beliefs. The time and experience you share with your grandchildren this summer will become a very special memory for both generations.

Nina Chen, ChenN@missouri.edu
Regional Specialist, Human Development
Jackson County, Missouri
University of Missouri Extension