You may think you need to pull out all the tricks to entertain your grandchildren, but the truth is you likely already have everything you need to have a great time with them.
That’s because you have two things that only grandparents can offer—endless patience and a bank of memories created over a lifetime.
Here are a half dozen ways you can share both those things with the little ones you love best.
Look at Old Movies
Your grandchildren may have a hard time believing that their parents were little once. Prove it to them by bringing out your stash of old movies. They’ll get to see big moments like their parent’s first day of kindergarten, but they’ll likely also enjoy viewing a video on something besides a cell phone. Want to go even more old school? Show them how to make popcorn on the stove.
Look Even Further Back in Time
Take out the oldest family photos you can find and then make a family tree your grandchildren can take home with them. If you have time beforehand, make copies of old family photos and use them to bring your tree to life.
Bake Holiday Cookies
Start a new tradition by baking cutout cookies with your grands. Everyone knows these kinds of cookies take an entire afternoon—and leave your countertops covered in flour and frosting. But kids love helping roll out the dough, cutting out cookies, frosting them—and then adding more sprinkles than mom or dad would ever allow.
Play the Games that Mom or Dad Did
You saved all those old games for a reason, right? Your grandkids will love learning a new game, as well as the memories you share of playing those games with their mom, dad, aunts, or uncles.
Spin Some Tunes
Your old record player and vinyl albums may look archaic to you, but the little ones in your life have probably never seen a turntable in action. They’ll have fun spinning records—and with any luck will also enjoy hearing the music you grew up on.
Share Your Collection
Whether you’re into stamps, coins, baseball cards, or jewelry, take the time to share your collection with your grandkids. By doing so, you’ll be giving them a culture or history lesson without them even realizing it.
Preserving Memories
It’s tempting to store old photo albums, books, or even collections in a box in the attic or basement. But if something is worth storing, it’s worth storing properly. Both humidity and dry air can wreak havoc on photos, books, electronics, art, film, antiques, and more.
The good news is there is an easy solution. At StorageMart, you can rent a climate-controlled unit as small as 25 square feet or so—or up to the size of a garage. We offer affordable self storage units that can be rented on a month-by-month basis and are always clean and well lit. Need more info? Learn more about renting a unit online today.