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Category: Activities for long-distance grandparents and grandkids

Wrapping Our Way to a Story

Did you know that a roll of ordinary gift wrap can open a world of possibilities for you and your long-distance grandkids? Join me now on a creative journey that begins with a quick glance and an idea. The result: wrapping our way to a story.

One afternoon at home, I happened to be looking around for something to do with my grands on our next video chat.  Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a roll of birthday wrapping paper with dogs in party hats. “Hmmm…”, I thought, “the grandkids love anything with dogs. Maybe we’ll have some fun with this.” We did, and you can, too!

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Smiles Beyond Miles| Long-Distance Grandparenting. Great Accessory for Long-Distance Video Chats. Photo of gooseneck mount arm and the phone it holds.

Great Accessory for Long-Distance Video Chats

As a devoted gadget lover, I’m always looking for the next best thing to make my life easier!  Recently, I was in hot pursuit of something to use for video chats with my long-distance grandkids. I already had a phone tripod that worked great for some of the things we did, but not others. For example, when we tried to play a board game, getting a view of the gameboard was a challenge. For my long-distance video chats to flow more naturally, I needed a flexible set up. So, it was love at first sight when I discovered my new favorite accessory for long-distance video chats, a phone holder gooseneck arm mount!

Using this Accessory for Long-distance Video Chats

The gooseneck arm can hold my phone in a variety of directions. Read more

Growing a Fairy Garden for Long-Distance Grandkids. Smiles Beyond Miles|Long-Distance Grandparenting. Photo of a fairy garden.

GROWING A FAIRY GARDEN FOR LONG-DISTANCE GRANDKIDS

There are few things as enchanting to both children and adults as a fairy garden. It’s a magical mix of fairy tale, doll house and nature, set in a miniature garden. Each person’s imagination guides the design. When I decided to create one, I knew that my long-distance grandkids wouldn’t be able to see it in person. But guess what? The magic translates well to the video chat screen. Both of my long-distance grandkids ask to see it each time we talk, giving commentary as the little fairy garden grows. And who wouldn’t be thrilled to hear a granddaughter describe my fledgling efforts as, “The Fairy Garden of Love”?

What I hadn’t anticipated when I started this all, though, was just how addictive this craft could be. So I’d like to give you a little heads-up along with a smile. With apologies to Emily Dickinson and other real poets, I share the following: Read more

Cooking Together While Apart: Smiles Beyond Miles|Long-Distance Grandparenting

COOKING TOGETHER WHILE APART

During virtual storytime last week with one of our grands, I took out a cookbook we made for her mom’s bridal shower. As you can imagine, it’s full of old family recipes and precious photos. I showed them to my granddaughter. We talked about favorite soups, salads, ingredients and food shopping.  It was like a virtual memory tour of loved ones and yummy treats.  Inspired by feedback from our readers,  I began to think about how we could cook together while we are apart.  And, I’ve called it: Parallel Cooking!

What is Parallel Cooking?

Think about how toddlers play together. They sit next to each other, but do their own thing, right? And, they are having a blast. Well, Parallel Cooking is the same idea. Read more