One of the duties (or privileges, if you prefer) of being grandparents, is when you give your grown children, who have children themselves, the chance to escape from their “rug rats” for a getaway weekend. Your offspring give you a look of appreciation that knows no bounds.
Baking trays like this one make great lap desks for young artists!
That’s the way it was last weekend with our two children who have kids, Jack (along with his wife, Emily) and Sara (our next in line and her husband, Robby). The two couples were meeting their remaining sibling, Rachel (the youngest of our brood) in Chicago for a few days of shopping, baseball, dining and general all-around fun (I’ve learned not to ask too many questions. There are some things Dear Ol’ Dad is not supposed to be too curious about).
While they were going to Chicago, Pawpaw and Meemaw (Who comes up with these names?) volunteered to load the youngsters up in the Winnebago and head off to Raccoon State Recreation Area, about two hours west of our home outside Indianapolis. There’s a beautiful lake and lots of activities all around that can occupy a crew like ours.
When Jack and Emily, Sarah and Robby dropped off the kids, the parents all had the look of somebody who’d just made parole, and off they went.
Faced with a two hour trip, how in the world can you keep children of differing ages (three to nine, by the way) occupied? It’s not like they’re going to be fascinated for long with tales of what Pawpaw and Meemaw did when they were their age. And Gladys and I have a fundamental problem with having kids’ eyes glued to a television all the time or other electronic devices, for that matter. So, while I took care of getting the Winnebago road-ready, Gladys started making a list of activities and stocking up on all we’d need.
Here’s what she came up with…
- Crayons and lots of paper – We’re not big on pre-printed coloring books because nothing fires a kid’s imagination better than a blank piece of paper. And trays or cookie baking sheets with lipped sides make perfect desks for small laps – plus, the crayons don’t roll off.
- Books – Before electronic gadgets overwhelmed the world, people read books. And even toddlers can look at pictures and turn pages. Books are so involving, we always have a fresh supply geared to each of our grandchildren’s ages.
- Puzzles – This is a broad category, of course, and that’s its beauty. There are puzzles for every age and they are wonderful for developing a child’s problem solving abilities.
- Games – This is another broad category but we try to make sure that whatever game we pack along, they don’t have too many pieces that can get lost or pieces that are too small because they can be a choking hazard. The best games are the ones that adults can play along with the children.
- Hand puppets – Sounds silly but you’d be amazed at what a child can come up with when they’ve got a toy they can project a personality onto.
Gladys also makes sure that everything we take along for the grandkids will fit into one big plastic tub with a lid. We make sure the children understand that the day isn’t finished until all entertainment choices have been put back in “The Tub.” Having a place to store everything is a great way to teach them about being neat, a must for anyone who spends as much time as we do in a recreational vehicle.
The two-hour trip to the lake flew by with hardly any “Are we there yet?” questions. And when we settled in after a full day of exploring the park and it had gotten dark, the kids were able to continue playing with the entertainment choices we’d brought along. They liked our new Patty O’Room with roll-down sides and were fascinated with something else new I’ve installed. Even Gladys hadn’t seen this yet because I put it in when she was out rounding up all the fun stuff for the kids. It’s a 7-color LED light strip that attaches to the awning. You can program it to change colors and there’s a wireless remote control that comes with it. As my granddaughter, Carrie, put it – “Pawpaw, it’s like being in a rainbow!” I must admit I probably played with it more than the kids did the first night.
Hey, nobody said Pawpaw doesn’t get to have a toy on this trip, too, right?
Winnebago Bill
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Winnebago Bill 