This is war! Card fun with grandkids

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I put a lot of thought, time, and energy—and sometimes money, too—into coming up with creative and enjoyable crafts, games, and activities to pack into my grandma bag for visits with my grandsons.

It's not necessary. At least not all ways, it seems. Bubby taught me that when I visited him and his brothers in mid-July.

"Wanna play war, Gramma?" Bubby asked while holding a deck of cards. I considered the crafting supplies in my grandma bag, the games I wanted to review with him and the books I hoped to read.

"Sure," I said.

war card game

So we did. And had a super time!

Bubby didn't know all the rules, had only played hands—not full...

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Grandparents: Inspire grandchildren to create their own adventures

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Grandparents: Inspire grandchildren to create their own adventures

Dear readers: I am away from the computer and in the desert watching my grandsons, so today I'm sharing with you these smart suggestions for summer fun from StatePoint Media.

Getting kids to be more active and motivated for outdoor adventure can be a challenge in today's world of cool technology. With so many compelling reasons to stay indoors—like game systems, smartphones, and streaming video—how do you convince your grandchildren that the great outdoors is, well, great?

kids playing outside

Here are a few ideas to inspire outdoor play—and even to use their love of technology to...

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Fourth of July fun: Jokes plus a breakfast goodie

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I've not added new Fourth of July content for this year, but my old standbys still stand up when it comes to Fourth of July fun.

First, some giggles for Independence Day and leading up to it (originally posted here):

fourth of july jokes

Why did the duck say bang?
Because he was...

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Q-tips® Darts Knock Down

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Q-tips® Darts Knock Down

Have some bored kids on your hands?

Need a quick way to entertain them using materials you have on hand?

Are the kids about seven years old or older?

If you answered yes, yes, and yes, this is exactly what you were looking for: Q-tips® Darts Knock Down. It's simple carnival-style fun for everyone. Well, at least those old enough to not inhale the Q-tips® darts while blowing them through a straw.

Q-tips® darts knock down game

What you need...

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Balloon pong: Cheap, easy, and hours of fun!

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Balloon pong: Cheap, easy, and hours of fun!

In many parts of the country (and world), winter time is when kiddos need plenty of things to do indoors as it's too chilly outside. Where my grandsons live, though, indoor fun is a must in the summer as triple digit heat often prevents outdoor play.

Whatever time of year children are stuck inside with little to do—whether it's because the weather is hot, cold or rainy—balloon pong is an easy and inexpensive way to provide hours of play.

balloon games for kids 

WHAT YOU NEED

  • Paper plates (one per child)
  • Craft sticks, the thick ones that look...
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4 spring walks to take with grandkids

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4 spring walks to take with grandkids

Put on your walking shoes and head out with the grandkiddos. Here, four ideas for savoring spring while out and about.

spring walks

ONE
Oooh, baby, baby
There's no shortage of babies in my neighborhood this time...

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