Do you share common interests with your grandchildren? Finding common interests is a great way to connect with our young loved ones. When they’re young, their interests are pretty singular in play, but as they grow, we see interests develop that we can both encourage and join.
Here are seven categories to use in a search for a common interest to connect with a grandchild:
Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts are among the first areas we can use to connect with young grandchildren. They love to paint and draw. As they gain manual dexterity, they get more engrossed in other crafts.
Do you have particular skills in the arts and crafts? If you are not unusually skilled, is there a craft you can find that is simple and easy for both of you to learn?
Working on artsy projects together can build some common interests and create new skills, perhaps in both of you!
Books
Reading is so important, and it's becoming less and less of a pastime for kids and adults alike. I was impressed with a reading list of favorite books while recently interviewing a young man for a position in our office. He even spoke of a goal he had set at the beginning of COVID-19 to read War and Peace. It was so refreshing to hear!
I know someone instilled in him a love for reading.
Whether parent or grandparent, they did this young man a great service by expanding his imagination and attention span to read the classics and appreciate them. Maybe you can connect by creating a common interest between you and one or more of your grandchildren.
Games
We mentioned this activity in a recent blog post. Gaming is a common interest among young people, and we may want to join in to create common ground for a fun connection. Entertainment can be both fun and challenging and a great way to connect.
Household Arts
Do you love to bake, sew, arrange flowers, make rag rugs, do needlework, decorate, garden, can food?
We do many things around our homes that can form the basis for creating common interests with our grandchildren. We have one young grandson who loves to bake. He brings goodies for every birthday or holiday. A great Saturday project with him would be to share a special recipe and make it together. This would be a great connecting point and a way to pass down family favorites and cooking lore from one generation to the next.
Sports
Whether it’s watching or playing, sports can be a wonderful common interest that forms a connection between generations. Teach grandchildren rules and sportsmanship. Take them to professional games, if possible. Enjoy the camaraderie and competition present in the sports arena, and get yourself a game buddy!
Animals
Most kids love animals. If your family can have pets, develop a great bonding process between mankind and animals with your little ones.
Help them to learn proper care for pets.
Teach them about different breeds and their personality and behavioral traits.
This shared interest can be a beautiful, years-long blessing in families. Animals add an amazing and warm dynamic to households. It’s a common interest to develop, bond over, and teach life lessons about care, love, respect, and nurture.
Traditional Activities
Every family has some traditional activities. They may involve everyone or a few. Either way, traditional activities are great ways to build common interests that make connections.
Here’s an example from our family:
My husband loves to take the grandkids to a certain breakfast place in town. They love it. He loves it. Since I don’t go (not much of a breakfast eater since I had babies), it’s become a tradition with Papa. The common interest here for our grandson-abundant family—food!
If you don’t have common interests with your grandchildren, explore and develop some intentionally. You will find opportunities to connect that you might never have expected that enrich your life and your family relationships.