Five Activities To Do With Your Grandmother

Grandmothers are those special ladies in our lives who are always ready to spoil us and shower us with love and support. They are also a wellspring of experience and wisdom that may sometimes go overlooked. As the pandemic has made all too clear, we must remember to cherish and celebrate those we love with each passing day.

I happen to vibe with my grandma fairly easily, but I can see how the generational gap may create some disconnect when trying to find shared interests. So, in honor of my grandmother’s birthday, I am sharing five activities my grandmother and I do together along with some gift versions of each activity. She and I both hope that one of these will click for you and yours!

See a Local Show

Whether it be live theatre, the Nutcracker ballet, the symphony, or a good old-fashioned film, most grandmas enjoy a night on the town every now and again. I happen to have inherited my love of music and theatricals from my grandmother, meaning, it is a safe bet that she and I will both find joy at the theatre. Unfailingly, grandma and I laugh and cry at the same moments and leave smiling ear to ear. A local show (in Macon, Georgia anyway) is reliably one of quality and doubles as a great way to celebrate local talent. Quite honestly, there are probably more shows afoot than either of us have the time to patronize but we always have a blast when we do.

Gift Idea: Most local theatres will have season subscriptions available. This often covers all of the performances throughout the year! For my grandmother’s birthday this year, my mom and I got her a season subscription to Theatre Macon; it was a big hit!

Learn a Family Recipe

My grandmother, like many grandmothers, loves to feed those she loves. And while second and third helpings are one way to show appreciation for grandma’s cooking, teaming up to help in the kitchen is another. Chances are, she has a few family specialties up her sleeve that she would love to pass down. Though I did not inherent my grandmother’s superb baking skills, I loved learning her apple pie recipe the other day. It is her favorite dessert and learning how to make it seemed like the ideal way to share something that is special to her.

Gift Idea: Find a unique way to preserve your grandmother’s cherished recipes. There are plenty of cute recipe tins and books available if she doesn’t already have them written down. If she does, check out Etsy for artistic ways to convert a recipe into something worth displaying. Whether it be an illustrated print, a custom platter, or a framed canvas, there is certainly something unique out there to highlight your grandmother’s favorite recipe that is just right for her.

Participate in Her Hobby

This one is simple and requires only time. Do something with her that she is already doing. Watch the Yankees/Braves game, work on a puzzle, play a round of Rummy, pour you both a glass of wine while she tells you about her day. Sometimes it is the simple things that mean the most.

Gift Idea: Though it is not the most glamorous option, time is often the most important thing we can give. Plan an afternoon where you pay your grandma a visit and just sit with her. Team up with her to create a grandma approved playlist to play when you’re together. Bring something along if you like (a new puzzle or a bottle of her favorite wine), but just a simple visit can be something special.

Visit a Local Attraction

At some point I realized that though I have been to all the museums and parks in town many times over, my grandmother had not. Some of them she has never been to at all! I try to keep that in mind and invite her along when I know I am heading to a place that might be new to her. Additionally, there are always seasonal happenings. Festivals, of course, but also traveling or annual art showcases. We make a point to go to Fired Works, Macon’s annual pottery show, every spring. And a few months ago, we added a quilt show to our calendar. It was something I may never have thought of going to if not for knowing she would enjoy it; I discovered just how impressive quilting is in the process!

Gift Idea: Local festivals and showcases often have a banquet or VIP pre-show attached to them. Give grandma a reason to dress up! Snag two tickets and show-off the lady who gave you your good looks.

Take a Day Trip

Grandmas may be in it for the long haul, but not necessarily for a long drive. Our adventure radius is under and hour, but you’d be amazed at how much there is to discover within that. Just considering the last few months, we have visited the Camillia gardens in Fort Valley, eaten at The Whistle Stop Cafe in Juliette, and gone wine tasting in downtown Perry. There are plenty of local, multi-generational adventures that await you if you look for them.

Gift Idea: Another simple one. Find a cute little spot for a day trip and treat grandma to something special. Love is in the little things. I am sure some peach pie at a spot like Lane’s Southern Orchard will say it all.