Don't think you can pull off a Cousin Camp? You can!!!

Cousin Camp is the latest trend in family activities. Planning a day with all the grand kids can seem overwhelming, but you can do it!

Grandma camp

Cousin Camp, also known as Grandma camp, is a great way to bring the younger members of your family together. You can do as much or as little at your camp as you are comfortable with. This is YOUR camp. Remember, it doesn't need to be extravagant or expensive. It's about making memories and building relationships with your grand kids.

"Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day, and now the day was complete." ~Marcy De Maree

To start you will want to determine a couple of things.

*How long you will have the kids?

*What kind of weather you will be having?

*What is your budget?

*What is the age range of your kids?

After I have determined these things, I then can start to break down the day. I like to try to have one activity that is a craft, one that is outdoors, one that is quiet, and one that is the kids' choice. Let me give you and idea of what a day at Grandma Camp can look like.

The Arrival of the cousins

Have a set time that all your kids will be arriving. Greet them with lots of hugs and kisses. This is a good time to give them a t-shirt or goodie bag if that was in your budget. Kids love prizes and if you can give them that at the beginning it gets them excited for what else is to come. I usually will have a little treat bag with matching t-shirts for each of them, and anything they may need for the other activities of the day, such as a notebook and pen, crayons, sunglasses, etc. Once each child arrives send them to a designated area where they can play and talk to their cousins as they arrive. If it is good weather I like for this to be my backyard.

Grandma and grandchild

Getting the fun started

Now you have everyone gathered together, let the fun begin. First thing, I like to tell everyone a little bit about what we will be doing for the day. When the kids know a little of what to expect, they are better focused on what is currently happening vs being distracted by wondering what will happen next. You can decide what order you activities will work best for your group. I will typically start with a craft project. Kids love to make things and this will give them something to take home to remember their day.

Craft Activities

There are a plethora of craft ideas on the internet. Some of my favorites for Grandma Camp are the ones that take a little bit of time (not too much though or you will lose their attention) and don't make too big of a mess. Here are a few of the ones that I use regularly.

1. Decorated Notebooks - these are also great to use again for your quiet activity later in the day. Have them write about their day at camp.

2. Hand Art - there are so many cute pictures you can make by just outlining each child's hand. If is near a holiday you can make these holiday specific. Then the child can take it home and hang it up for the holiday.

3. Galaxy Jars - These sparkly, colorful jars will be a favorite when quiet time arrives.

4. Sun Catcher - The kids love these! They love hanging them in my yard and each time they come to visit they will run to find their sun catcher.

Outdoor Activities

Playing in the outdoors is so simple and so fun. Your outdoor activity can be whatever you have available to you. Sometimes we will all walk to a nearby park and play, or lay in the grass in the backyard and find shapes in the clouds. Gardening is another outdoor activity that kids love. If you have the space and the budget, give each child their own plant to add to your yard. They will love to see how it grows each time they visit and you will have a little piece of them with you always.

Cousin Camp

Quiet Time

Even at Grandma's house kids need time to slow down and take a break. This is when I will have them write in their notebooks, or read a book. One fun activity was to divide them into groups and each group had a short book. They were to read the book and work together to prepare a skit about what happens in the book. At the end of their quiet time they got to preform for their Grandpa and myself.

Quiet time is a great time for Grandma as well, because let's be honest, by this point we are exhausted and just need to sit down. I will usually plan this time around our meal, whether that is lunch or dinner. This allows me some uninterrupted (hopefully) time to prepare everyone's food. Making a picnic style lunch keeps it simple and the kids can perform their skits outside while we all eat.

Kids Choice

I know what you are thinking, 'If I give them all the choice of what to do we will all end up at Disneyland!'. For this activity I have several activities ready and I let them all vote and choose what they would like to do. This makes them feel like they had a part of planning the day as well and keeps them engaged. Activities that I have used that have been favorites were:

Nerf gun wars in the back yard. Who doesn't love shooting Grandpa with the nerf gun!

Painting. Kids love this just plan accordingly so that clothes and furniture doesn't get ruined. Have large plastic bags to use as clothes coverings and maybe make this an outside activity if you fear for the well being of your house. :)

Movie time. I now I said that the goal was to get them out from behind a screen, but I do include this occasionally.

Dance Party. Kids love to dance and listen to music, dancing with Grandma makes it that much more fun. Turn on some fun music and get moving.

Nature walks. The kids love this one! Before we leave I wrap a packing tape bracelet around each of their wrists (sticky side away form their skin) and while we walk they can stick thins that they find to their bracelet. By the time we return home they all have a beautiful nature bracelet full of leaves, flowers and sticks. They really do love it.

One last thing that I haven't mentioned so far. You need to include time for the kids to just have free time. Nothing scheduled, just time to run around and get to know their cousins. Grandma's house is where cousins come to become friends. Let them be loud and silly! Of all the activities that we schedule and try to make perfect for them, often times it is the free, silly times that they remember the most. Cousins are friends that they will have for life. Create an environment that encourages those relationships.

"A Grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend" ~Unknown

Grandma's Camp will be one of the most fun and exhausting days of your year. I promise you will not be able to wait until the next one. The energy, joy and excitement that those kids bring with them is unlike any joy that you can find. The memories that they gain from spending the day with you will stay with them throughout their life. Don't feel like you have to make the day perfect, that's not what they need or want. They just want to be with you. Make it fun, make it simple, make it happen. Now go tell your family that you love them ♥︎♥︎♥︎