January 20, 2023

Easy peasy penguins

January 20, 2023/ Lisa Carpenter

With weeks (and weeks) of wintery weather remaining in many parts of the country, many a grandma may be racking her brain for ways to keep grandkids engaged indoors during visits. This easy, peasy penguin activity requiring minimal prep* may cut down on the cabin fever. For a little while, anyway.

October 03, 2019

Oh, yes we did: Bracelets with boys

October 03, 2019/ Lisa Carpenter

This past weekend, Jim and I kicked off fall with a quick visit to see our grandsons in the desert, as I’d mentioned here was on the calendar. During the visit, I did indeed make bracelets with the boys, just as Declan had requested.

Thing is, despite his enthusiasm upon seeing the paracord bracelet kit I’d brought in my Grandma Bag, Declan bowed out of the bracelet making in mere minutes. Which worked out for the best as bracelet-making was quite a feat for a five-year-old. Well, a feat for this grandma — who’s 10 times that and more — as well.

September 12, 2019

Gramma learns a lesson: boys and bracelets

September 12, 2019/ Lisa Carpenter

My long-distance grandsons have what they call “the home phone,” an iPhone Brayden, Camden, and Declan all have equal access to for communicating with friends and family (approved by Mom and Dad).

Occasionally my phone dings and pings over and over as I get a flood of gifs and goofy emojis texted from “the home phone.” As my grandsons don’t indicate who it is doing the texting, I have to guess according to what the message contains. If text is included, it’s typically Brayden …

December 12, 2018

Grandma Christmas crafts matter

December 12, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

The year my husband and I were married, his stepmom, Diane, whom I had never met and Jim hadn’t seen in years, sent us a lovely joint Christmas stocking she had made for us. She also sent an adorable handmade one for baby Brianna, who was born soon after we married.

Diane sent another precious stocking the following year, when Megan was born. And another two years after that for our baby Andie.

When Megan and Preston married and…

August 20, 2018

Grand spinners from Krokotak!

August 20, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Grand spinners from Krokotak!

I'm always on the lookout for cool and creative crafts for kids. My grandkids in particular. Because the majority of my grandkiddos live more than 800 miles away, I rarely execute said crafts with my grandsons, but I do love to collect ideas for "one day." (Much like I collect cookbooks and recipes... yet make the same standards again and again.)

Anyway, if you like Grandma's Briefs on Facebook, you may already know one of my favorite sources for clever activities for kids is Krokotak. I'm not sure what the name means or who's behind the magic, but I…

June 07, 2018

Throwback Thursday: Sponge bombs for summer fun

June 07, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

This #TBT feature originally published on Grandma's Briefs April 14, 2015—when Brayden was two months away from 7 and Camden soon to turn 4. Thank you for reading my rerun!

Super simple, sloppy, summer fun!

WHAT YOU NEED

Basic rectangular household sponges in various colors (two per sponge bomb)

Plastic cable ties such as these here, though I found…

November 08, 2017

Thanksgiving theatrics: Family fun galore courtesy What Happens at Grandma's

November 08, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

My friend Grandma Joyce from What Happens at Grandma's has done it again: crafted a creative and clever holiday activity for kids! This time it's for Thanksgiving, and this time it's unique among Thanksgiving arts and crafts found online because it's performance art — a three-act play for grandkids to perform for friends and family on Turkey Day. Thank you for sharing, Joyce!

The kids don't know it yet, but they're going to superstar in a post-dinner Thanksgiving play at grandma's this year. Considering their love of theatrics, I'm confident they'll gobble up this opportunity right along with savory sweet potatoes served on the rapidly approaching family day of thankful...