Posts tagged 'Family time'

Winter Break Fun: 6 Holiday Crafts

December 29, 2016

6 Holiday Crafts


When school's out and the kids are at home, there are a lot of hours to fill. To help you beat the boredom, we've collected 6 Winter Crafts that you and your children can do together.

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Make Your Grandchildren Say "Grandma and Grandpa Rock!" – 8 Easy Ideas to Play and Connect with your Grandchildren

February 20, 2014

Grandparents rock!

(Artwork from Marianne Richmond's Grandma Loves Me!)

Ask any child how much he or she loves their grandparents and they'll tell you how much Grandma and Grandpa rock. They'll go on and on about how they love visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house to play, bake, or just spend time together.


Ask any grandparent about their grandchildren and they'll tell you just how uniquely perfect, adorable, and adventurous each one is. Being a grandparent gives you the chance to fully play with the youthful little people you met and instantly loved. Grandparents have the opportunity to bridge the gap between generations, turning an already very special relationship into something incredibly multi-faceted and beautiful.

If you're a grandparent yourself, find a few ideas to play and connect with your favorite little ones below:

Tag along for a school event. If you live close and your granddaughter or grandson is in a musical or playing a basketball game, you should go and watch them shine. They'd love to see you there.

Take a trip to the library, museum, or aquarium. Go somewhere that's both fun and educational for everyone.

Hang at home together. Play board game favorites, blow bubbles, or put together puzzles.

Get a fish tank at home and share it with your grandchildren. Children love to observe bright-colored fish swim—and name and feed them too! You'll share something special with your grandchildren, and teach them how to be responsible when taking care of the fish whenever they visit you.

Share a favorite hobby with your grandchild. What's one of your favorite things to do? Whether it's playing piano, fishing, or cooking, share it with your grandchildren! Do it together, or commit to teaching them a bit about it. If they don't seem interested, you can always try something else.

Put together a sticker collection, or any sort of collection! Collecting seashells, stickers, dried flowers, or something special is a meaningful way to connect. Sharing a collection and committing to it over the years can really help you continue to grow close.

Share old family photographs and belongings that used to be Mom or Dad's. Remember to share your stories with your grandchildren! Even though, at times, it might seem like grandchildren are too young to retain stories, they're so important for them to hear! Plus, you'd be surprised how much they'll actually remember once they start getting older.

Read together! (This is an important one.) Find out what characters and stories your grandchildren like and be sure to carve out some time to read books that will interest them whenever you are together. We have two new great recommendations below!

Grandparents, what activities do you like to do when you visit your grandchildren, or they come to visit you? Share your comments with us!


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Grandma Loves Me! Personalized Book

by Marianne Richmond

Whether you live near or far from your grandchild, you can remind him or her about all the fun things you do together in this colorful personalized book! Grandma Loves Me!, by award-winning author-illustrator Marianne Richmond, makes a great gift or special keepsake for your grandkid of any age.

personalize-now-orange copy


Grandpa Loves Me! Personalized Book

by Marianne Richmond

Perfect for a grandchild of any age, Grandpa Loves Me! is as sweet as can be. This book shows your grandson or granddaughter how much you care about him or her every time they read it. When your grandchild remembers all the fun they have with Grandpa, they won't be able to wait until your next visit!

personalize-now-orange copy

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Laugh as a Family

November 7, 2013

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Laughter's ability to light up a room (or a household, classroom, playground, even a cocktail party) and enliven an atmosphere within seconds is magical. Parents and children will always be able to relate to the power of a laugh or a smile, so why don't we do it more often?

Let's change that!


Laugh more frequently with your family by…

• Laughing at yourself. As a parent it's important to show your kids that you can be silly too. Prove to your kids that grown-ups know how to have just as much fun as they do. Laughter is a human quality designed to allow us to let go of our seriousness for a moment or two and really smile. Make sure your child picks up on this energy. If you make a mistake or you do something funny, laugh at yourself so your kids learn how to overcome worry or cope with anxiety by engaging a more positive, carefree attitude.

• Telling kid-friendly jokes. Telling jokes is a great way to stimulate a child's thinking process. And, chances are, if you tell them a good joke that really resonates with them, they'll be encouraged to retell the joke to their friends. This will teach your child how to remember a story, riddle, or phrase while challenging them to tell it in the correct chronological order. Your kids will be more confident to speak up in a group, will always feel they have something to say, and will learn how to relate that joke or story to other situations.

• Including a daily joke in your child's lunchbox—write it on a piece of paper or a napkin and toss it in their lunch pail. If your child is having a hard day, they'll be able to look forward to the note you've written, and you might be able to give them a little giggle or smile with a silly fact or a funny joke.

Sharing funny happenings or out-of-the-ordinary occurrences with your child. When your child gets home from school, always ask him or her if anything funny happened at school that day—at lunch, recess, in the classroom, etc. Likewise, if something funny happened to you that day, share it with your child to see if you can get a chuckle out of him.

• Being silly together. Have tickle fights, chase your children around the house or the yard, let it all go and just be goofy with each other.

• Reading funny books that make you both laugh. Find out what kind of books, characters, or themes make your child laugh and seek those titles out to read together. It's always great to see a smile or hear a giggle when reading.

For both children and parents, laughter encourages a more positive attitude, releases all kinds of emotions, and can help you and your children overcome some of the tough stuff life throws your way. Laughing and smiling are some of the greatest joys in life, and are even better when we experience them together.

Having fun and laughing out loud together will inspire us to live freely, so let's do it more!

Take some time out from busy schedules to play and laugh as a family, and you'll live with less stress and more happiness.


What Makes You Giggle?

Our Newest Personalized Sesame Street Book!

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What makes you giggle? What gives you a grin? Big Bird in a tutu doing a spin?

For the first time available for personalization, What Makes You Giggle? is an original exploration into two of the most important aspects of life: what makes us happy and what makes us laugh.

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