Solo Travel with Grandkids

Where Are You Going?

Sandi Poindexter, grandparent and worldwide traveler has some suggestions for traveling solo with a grandchild in this two  part series. Understanding your motivations and asking some basic questions at the front-end helps increase trip rewards and make it enriching and enjoyable, according to Poindexter.

  Why are you going? Objectives range from helping parents and building memories to exposing a child to new environments and having fun while educating on the go. Will you take one grandchild, siblings of different ages or cousins of similar ages? Where will you go? Best choices include: somewhere you and your grandchildren want to go, you’ve been there before, you think your grandchild would like to visit, and you can afford to travel there.

Planning

 What will you do? Research activities to create a list of options within your budget and common interests. 

Research and Plan Your Trip Activities

Ask your grandchildren and their parents to narrow it down after discussion and looking at websites or travel materials.  Besides amusement centers, many museums and parks offer interactive learning with costumes, scavenger hunts and educational play areas. This selection process involves critical thinking, self-awareness and consideration for the grandparent. 

 Is it a trip goal to explore diversity? One advantage of metro areas is sampling foods from a variety of cultures at one time whereas visiting a region allows more in-depth discussion on a specific culture and life-style. If understanding travel options is a goal, try varying types of lodging within the trip – hostels, bed and breakfasts, and high-rise hotels in a city center, suburban chain hotel, rented cottage or vacation home.

New  Travel

  Is it possible to travel in a new way? Even a young child can 

Travel in a New Way - Why Not??

compare trains, planes and cars: trains are better because you can walk around and the windows are bigger,” “Planes get you there faster,” “You can stop when you want in a car.” 

 Long trips often produce the “When are we going to get there?” question. In an airport, give a child a copy of the flight information and show them how to navigate from check-in to the gate. In a car, it helps if a child knows where you are going and can track your progress on a map. Before you leave, point out the starting point, routes and end points. Map reading, whether paper or digital form, requires spatial reasoning. Explain the map annotations for roads and exits and compare them to the roadway signs . There are several ways to apply math skills on a driving trip --compute gas mileage, estimate time based on distance and speed. Ask, what does 60 mph mean? If we have 120 miles to go, how long will it take to get there? What if we stop for gas? 

For more see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos 

Numbers Help Healthy Children

Grand-parent By the Numbers: 65210

There are many numbers to remember while grand-parenting. Thankfully parents leave good notes, the schedule they want their children to follow, and recommended food. The Healthy Children’s Organization and Harvard researchers have a few numbers to help every day. They are 65210.
Positive Six to One
  The SIX in the number stands for six compliments to every correction.  Studies show that complimenting children for doing good deeds and something well is very powerful. ”You really made a tall tower. Good job setting the table! You picked up those Cheerios so well! Thank you for helping your brother!”
  Over correction is very easy for adults to do. It’s quick, it’s easy, but it is not as effective as catching children being good or doing a good job. Compliments let children know they are being capable and kind. They will be better models for others,

5 Veggies & 6 Compliments Each Day

be more successful making friends, and feel better about themselves. Families are sometimes astounded how using this one technique changes the atmosphere in their homes.
  The number FIVE stands for five fruits and vegetables per day. Some children may love fruits and vegetable from the very beginning. Usually though, families need to be stealthy and very creative. Fruits and vegetables can be freshly cut up and eaten raw with a dip, placed in smoothies, mixed in cereal, in pancakes, or served as snacks with some of their favorite food, The five fruits and vegetable number is important because fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and mineral, filling, and help avoid obesity in our carbohydrate rich culture.
 TWO is for the maximum hours of screen time every day. No matter what kind of screen—TV/DVD, computer type, or phone, children are sitting rather than moving around. Encourage playing outside, playing a game inside the house, creating something, or reading.
  Number ONE in 65210 is for one-hour minimum of physical activity per day. Playing outside is best.

2 hrs Viewing, 1 hr Moving, 0 Sugar Drinks

If that is not possible,play a sport inside with wads of paper. Bowling, playing basket ball in a box, volleyball, tossing a ball, and having snowball fights are all possible with a wad of paper reinforced with tape.
  ZERO is for zero sugary beverages. 

Replace with water and milk. Check labels for sugar, artificial sweeteners, and carbohydrates. Energy drinks, sports drinks, and flavored water sweetened fruit juices sound so good, but check the labels. Sugar is added as fructose, corn syrup and many chemicals.
 Diet drinks have higher amounts of acid that can harm teeth and often replace of water, milk, and other healthy options. Sugary drinks do not have nutritional value, are expensive, and don’t make us feel full. 
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest