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How to spend Valentine’s with your Grandchildren

29th January 2020

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and although many people believe it’s an occasion for couples, it’s actually a day to celebrate all kinds of love! So, why not spend the day with your grandchildren creating some lifelong memories?

Paula from Starting Over at Sixty, a program for single older people, tells us why she thinks this is a great idea: “I love thinking of Valentine's Day as one to celebrate all the loves in your life: partners, spouses, children, grandchildren and dear friends. It is important for grandchildren to know they can celebrate any kind of love.”

We also asked family lifestyle blogger Rachel Bustin for her thoughts: “I think getting the grandparents involved with Valentine's Day is a wonderful idea. Not only does it help the grandparents to get out and about, keeping busy babysitting and involved in their grandkid's lives, but it will also give the parents a much-needed break.”

Carry on reading to find inspiration on how you and your grandchildren can spend Valentine’s Day together.

Enjoy some gardening

Despite the weather being temperamental on winter days, you may be lucky enough for the sun to show its face on Valentine’s Day, which will be the perfect opportunity to garden with your grandchildren. If you want a year of gorgeous flowers and vegetables growing in your garden, there are plenty things to do in February to prepare, so you’re knocking something off your to-do list as well as spending some quality time with the kids.

We spoke to Catherine from the home and garden blog Growing Family, for her advice: “I think gardening is a great way for grandparents to spend Valentine’s Day with their grandchildren. How about sowing some seeds together - sweet peas are ideal as the seeds are large and easy to handle, and there’s even a variety called ‘Queen of Hearts’ which is perfect for Valentine’s! Or you could show your local garden wildlife some love and make some fun bird feeders, then enjoy watching who visits from the comfort of the house.

“Valentine’s doesn’t have to be a celebration of romance; it can just as easily be a day spent having fun together. Having the kids spend time with their grandparents on Valentine’s also gives parents a chance to enjoy some quality time together too.”

Go on an exciting outing

Although you don’t need an excuse to have a special outing with your grandchildren, Valentine’s Day is a brilliant opportunity. Plus, the memories you make will be cherished by your grandchildren for years to come.

Michelle from the lifestyle blog Fifty and Fab shares her ideas with us: “If you are lucky enough to spend Valentine’s Day with your grandchildren why not use it as an opportunity to make memories and do something different. My parents took each of their grandchildren for a special outing every year, and with eight grandchildren to get through, they would pair them up with a cousin close in age and had some wonderful outings. London theatre trips, bike rides in the park or an afternoon at the model village. They took lots of photos and made a memory book together afterwards. My children are grown up now, but they still treasure those days out, they don’t remember the presents, but they do remember the time they spent with their grandparents.”

Bake treats together

If the weather is looking a bit dull, baking together is a great indoor activity as once you have created the tasty treats, you can snuggle up together on the sofa and enjoy a film. If you love to bake, you can take this time to pass on your top tips or favourite recipes to your grandchildren, which they may even pass onto their own children one day.

Paula, from Starting over at Sixty, recommends this: “I like to think of Valentine’s Day as a baking extravaganza! Anything home-baked is perfect for the holiday so you can make cookies, even the easy slice-and-bake kind, with your grandchildren and ice them together. Or, for the more adventurous, you could bake a cake, cupcakes or even cinnamon rolls to take to mum and dad for breakfast on Valentine’s Day morning.”

Heart-shaped pancakes are a brilliant and easy recipe to make with your grandchildren. All you need to do is follow a simple American pancake recipe, but instead of pouring the mixture straight onto the pan with a ladle, put the mix in a piping bag, so that you can easily achieve the heart shape. Once the pancakes are finished, this is when the fun begins! Layout various toppings for the kids to go mad, strawberries and raspberries work perfectly with the Valentine’s theme.

Get creative with arts and crafts

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day cards, decorations or paintings, Valentine’s Day is a great time to make arts and crafts with your grandchildren. Layout red and pink card, felt, ribbons and glitter, as well as a glue stick, safety scissors and felt tip markers, and see what you can create together.

Paula adds: “Valentine's Day itself can be an easy craft for grandparents and grandchildren to make. You can pre-cut paper and doilies and use glue sticks to put it all together. Add some glitter and stars, and you are all set! There is nothing more fun than making things with your grandchildren because it's the time spent together talking that is the real gift for all parties involved.”

Remember the day doesn’t have to be perfect!

Don’t feel pressure to plan a full extravaganza for your grandchildren, especially if you rely on home stair lifts and don’t feel up for a jam-packed day out, as even spending just a few hours doing an activity together is enjoyable for you and the children.

Angie from the crafts and family lifestyle blog Grandma Creates summarises her top ideas and advice for spending Valentine’s Day with your grandchildren: “First off, it’s not a day that they are expecting big gifts and major surprises. Your grandchildren just want the gift of your time and just being there for them. Craft some cards for their parents or siblings, arrive with chocolates and a stuffed animal, bake with them or make chocolate covered strawberries and let them dip the strawberries. You can even take older grandchildren to the movies or go on a walk and have a picnic.

“Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. In my opinion, the best times that I have spent with my grandkids are the times where we just laugh and have fun at the baking ‘fails’ or the misshapen cookies. If you want to buy a gift for them, keep it simple and from the heart. A picture of the two of you in a locket or even an heirloom passed down from generation to generation would make the perfect gift.”

However you decide to spend Valentine’s Day with your grandchildren will be wonderful, and may even become a tradition for the years to come.

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This news article is from Handicare UK. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only and are up to date as of the time of publishing