Grandma Camps are springing up everywhere. They rarely involve a tent or roughing it in the wilderness. Instead, they are simply backyard events organized by grandparents with a theme, various related activities, and memorable homemade meals.
This popularity is connected to families living farther apart and parents looking for ways to keep kids occupied during school breaks, says Georgia Witkin, senior editor of Grandparents.com and a professor of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Plus, says the grandmother of three, it helps that grandparents today are eager to become involved in the lives of their grandchildren.
There is a wide range of materials either in print or online that can be used for Grandma Camps. Pinterest includes hundreds of examples ranging from overall agendas to detailed instructions for specific activities. They also have testimonials from grandparents and grandchildren alike.
It doesn’t really matter all that much what you do during Grandma Camps, says Sherry Cromwell of Preston, Idaho. “Sprinkle in a new theme each year, include some outdoor activities and a bit of service–that’s it. That’s the basic ingredients of a Grandma Camp,” she says.
One year, the Cromwells had a Hawaiian cruise-themed Grandma Camp—without ever leaving home. Every day the grandkids woke up to a new “island” with unique crafts, games, and food in the backyard. Of course, leis and hula dancing were included.
The Cromwells try to be intentional about spending time with their grandchildren and strengthening family bonds. Grandma Camps are an important link in generational bonding especially during challenging family times, they say.
When a son and daughter-in-law separated, the children in this family felt uncertain about the future–especially their relationship with their grandparents. An upcoming Grandma Camp gave the Cromwells an opportunity to reassure their grandchildren they were loved regardless of whatever else was happening in their lives.
“I can’t think of a thing I’ve enjoyed more over the years than building a personal relationship with each grandchild,” Phil says.
Besides giving grandparents structured time with their grandchildren, Grandma Camps enable cousins to create lasting memories and bond with each other as well. Some families even call these planned retreats “Cousins Camps” to emphasize the importance of these relationships.
This structured time to play, learn, and connect together as cousins allows them to develop deeper relationships and a stronger sense of family identity.
These planned intergenerational activities can sometimes do things that neither family reunions nor parenting advice can succeed in doing. One family that began experiencing difficulty between parents and a teenage daughter saw a significant change when the daughter returned from a Grandma Camp. The grandparents had asked their granddaughter to be in charge of several activities — even giving them direction, at times. Somehow, being in charge allowed this girl to see herself and others differently. She became more open, more empathetic, and more willing to understand the perspective of others.
While grandparents may enjoy such bonding activities, it’s worth asking: will grandchildren really remember them? Previously, development psychologists questioned whether children could accurately remember any activities that occurred before age 7. But now, new research suggests that while children (or adults) may not consciously be able to access early childhood memories, they are still very influential — even later in life.
It’s all too easy for grandparents to talk about things which matter to them — values, manners, lifestyle — without making much of a difference in what their grandchildren actually do. It is easy unintentionally to become preachy with them. But children need empathy along with boundaries and limits.
Grandma camps can help grandparents take a step back and assess their own approach toward their grandchildren. They can watch how older grandchildren, in particular tweens and teens, interact with each other, in a way that allows Grandma or Grandpa to take cues from them on when and how to share their perspective–and when simply to let some things go that really don’t matter.
In other words, it helps not to sweat the small stuff.
It is a topsy turvy world and children — regardless of their age — need people they can rely on and trust implicitly. Grandparents are uniquely positioned to meet that need.
They often do it best not through expensive trips or vacations but in the quiet moments of shared activities. Grandma Camps provide both a reason and a means for fostering connection, communication, and caring. Pretty hard to beat that!