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3 Fun Ways to Keep the Grandchildren Entertained This Summer

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From bug hunting and pond dipping to scavenger hunts and snail racing, there are no limits when it comes to being creative and making fun with your grandchildren. If you’ve got grandkids coming to visit during the summer vacation, here are a couple of fun ideas that are sure to keep them entertained and happy — and give everyone a good laugh!

Make a Feely Box

…and get the kids to try and guess what is inside just by touching the contents.

  1. Design: Encourage your little ones to come up with their own design to stop your ‘feeler’ cheating and peeping inside. Then decorate the box with paint, stickers or brightly colored paper.
  2. Collect: This is the fun part — deciding what you’ll put inside your feely box. Think about including as many different textures as possible; prickly, soft, slimy, smooth.
  3. Test: Find a victim to stick their hand in and try it out. How many can they guess correctly? What is their reaction are they shocked, scared, do they laugh?
     

Make a Butterfly Feeder

You will need:

  • 1 paper plate 
  • String 
  • Over-ripe (mushy) fruit
  1. Make four holes around the rim of your plate. Try to get them equally spaced or the feeder will hang lop-sided.
  2. Tie a piece of string through each hole, then tie the ends of the string together.
     The feeder should now look a bit like an upside-down parachute!
  3. Place the mushy pieces of fruit on the plate. Now hang the feeder near some flowers and wait for some visitors
  4. Investigate: Is a paper plate strong enough, or would a plastic one work better? Does a plain plate or a brightly colored, decorated one attract more butterflies? Which fruit do the butterflies like best?
     

Build a Den

Here’s a simple way to make a sturdy den in the woods. Once you’ve mastered the technique, get creative and have a go at designing and building your own shelter.

  1. Find a good foundation: Look for a strong tree with suitable nooks, crannies and knobbly bits which will help to form the base of your framework.
     
  2. Build a sturdy framework: Find a couple of large branches which you can firmly wedge together against the tree to make your den’s main framework.
     A strong, low branch works well too!
     
  3. Strengthen your framework: Collect more branches and lay them so they are leaning against your framework. Pack them closely together so they are secure as possible.
     
  4. Protect from the elements: Cover your den with leaves and smaller twigs, wedge them into any gaps so your den provides good shelter from wind and rain.
     

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Yours.

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