Best holiday activities to do with your grandchildren

The school holidays are a prime opportunity to spend some quality time with the grandkids and do a lot of different activities together.

Last updated: December 11th 2023

Health & Specialised care

There are so many different ways to keep the grandchildren entertained during the school holidays. [Source: Shutterstock]

Key points:

Grandparents may spend a lot of time with their grandkids during the school holidays
Try teaching your grandchildren some of the hobbies you enjoy doing and pass on that skill to them
There are a lot of different activities or events put on during the school holidays that may help keep the grandkids entertained

For many parents, work doesn’t stop during the school holidays and they may ask for your help to look after their kids while they’re at work.

However, keeping grandchildren occupied isn’t always the easiest task and you might need to get creative with some of the activities you do.

There are heaps of opportunities to bond with your grandchildren through different fun activities:

Visit a park or playground

Going to a local playground for a run around or to kick a soccer ball in the park is not only great exercise for the grandkids, but also for you!

Some fresh air, exercise and nice scenery does everyone some good. And who doesn’t have fond memories of swinging across the monkey bars or sliding down hot slides.

Go out for ice cream

Arguably the best way to make you the greatest grandparent of all time, take your grandkids out to your local ice cream shop.

Whether it’s colourful bubblegum, tangy lemon, or decadent chocolate, there is a flavour for all the grandchildren to choose between. Then sit down, enjoy your ice cream and each other’s company!

Pull out the board games!

Nothing gets a family fired up more than when the monopoly board gets brought out. When the grandchildren are over, a board game or puzzle will definitely keep them occupied.

It could be a short or long game, or a simple game or a head-scratcher. Board games can be a lot of fun and bring out the competitive side in everyone.

Additionally, there are some games that are great to teach children, like chess or checkers. These classics are great to teach children as it helps foster critical thinking skills.

Go on an adventure

There are so many places to visit in each State or Territory, a day trip out to local attractions can be a lot of fun for the grandchildren and yourself.

Why not explore a little history or art at a museum or gallery, or go on a walk through the botanical gardens and investigate all the different flowers and leaves you find along trails. If you want to have a more intense walk to tire the kids out, why not go for a nice hike or bush bash.

If your grandchildren love animals, then maybe a visit to a zoo or nature reserve would be a fun experience to see all the different animals.

Teach them a new skill or get crafty

Nothing keeps grandchildren more engaged than getting their hands dirty in a fun, crafty activity.

It could involve you teaching them a skill, like woodcrafting or cross stitching. These fantastic skills are very transferable to your grandchildren who might develop an interest in the hobby for years to come.

Otherwise, why not bring out the paints or crayons and let their creativity go wild or ask them to draw their favourite dinosaur.

Arts and crafts are also a great option for any unexpected rainy days that happen during the summer.

Encourage a love of reading

There is nothing better than sitting down and reading a good book, so why not encourage this same love of reading in your grandkids.

Classic books like Harry Potter, The Magic Faraway Tree or the Hungry Caterpillar can be an exciting read. Just make sure the books are age-appropriate and fit their current reading level.

A couple days away on holiday

Take the grandkids away for the weekend for a nice holiday outside of their city or home town. This can be a great adventure and will likely be remembered fondly in years to come.

It could be a trip to visit the rainforests in Queensland, to a nice coast-side town in New South Wales, or immerse yourself in history at Victoria’s Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. There are so many opportunities to engage meaningfully with your grandchildren through fun trips away from the parents.

Keep an eye out for children focused events

Sometimes your local council or town may host children focussed activities, like small fairs, library events, treasure hunts, discos, astronomy workshops and so much more.

Try to look for any local activities that would be of interest to your grandkids and see if you can sign them up!

How do you keep the grandkids entertained when they visit? Tell us in the comments below and be sure to subscribe to the FREE weekly newsletter for more information and industry updates!