25 Easy, Happy Things to Do with Grandma and Grandpa Around Charlotte

There is a special kind of magic when three generations spend a day together. Grandparents have time, patience and stories. Kids have energy and a hundred questions. Put them together on a sunny Charlotte afternoon and something wonderful happens.

So here is my list - 25 easy things to do with Grandma and Grandpa, whether they live around the corner or are in town for a visit. Most are free, a few are fall outings worth the drive, and every one of them is gentle on the knees.

Pick one, pack a snack, and let the memories roll.

Right at Home

1. Bake Grandma's recipe together. Pull out the stained recipe card for her famous cookies or banana bread. Kids measure, Grandma supervises, everybody licks the spoon.

2. Look through the old photo albums. Kids cannot believe Grandpa once had hair like that. Ask them to pick a favorite picture and hear the story behind it.

3. Teach a card game. Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Rummy, War. A deck of cards costs a couple of dollars and gives you a hundred rainy afternoons.

4. Plant a pot of something together. Pansies love a Charlotte fall and keep blooming right through Charlotte's mild winter. Kids water, grandparents coach, and the pot sits by the door as a reminder.

5. Record an interview. Hand a kid a phone and three questions: What was school like? What did you do for fun? What was your first job? Save it. Someday it will be priceless.

6. Write and mail a real letter. Stamp, envelope, mailbox. Then Grandma writes back. Kids love getting mail with their own name on it.

Get Outside Together

7. Take a slow neighborhood walk. No destination, no hurry. Let Grandpa point out the birds and the trees, and let the kids point out every single dog.

8. Have a porch picnic. Sandwiches, apple slices and a thermos of lemonade on the front steps. October in Charlotte is just right for eating outside.

9. Feed the ducks at Freedom Park. The lake in Dilworth has paved paths and plenty of benches, so nobody gets worn out. Bring frozen peas or cracked corn instead of bread.

10. Meet the birds of prey at the Carolina Raptor Center. The Raptor Trail at Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville is about three-quarters of a mile, an easy loop past owls, hawks and eagles. Check hours before you go.

11. Stroll through Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. The gardens in Belmont have smooth paths for grandparents and a whole children's garden, Lost Hollow, for the little ones to explore. Seniors get a discounted ticket.

12. Go on a backyard bird count. A cheap feeder, a pair of binoculars and a notebook. Cardinals, chickadees and bluebirds visit Charlotte yards all winter long.

Fall Outings Worth the Drive

13. Wander a corn maze at Outlaw Acres. This western-themed farm in Monroe has a corn maze, an animal barn, an Old West town and play areas. Open Saturdays and Sundays through November 1 - check hours before you go.

14. Pick a pumpkin at Cotton Hills Farm. Down in Chester, South Carolina, this family farm has big pumpkin fields and hayrides. Grandpa picks the pumpkin, the kids carry it, Grandma takes the pictures.

15. Step back in time at the Carolina Renaissance Festival. Weekends in Huntersville through late November, with knights, jousting, music and turkey legs. Grandparents get a kick out of it as much as the kids do. Check dates before you go.

16. Have a mini-golf showdown at Monster Mini Golf. The glow-in-the-dark course in the University area is indoors, so the weather never wins. Let Grandpa keep score - and see who cheats.

17. Go bowling at Stars and Strikes in Concord. Bumpers for the little ones and a lane where three generations can cheer each other on.

18. Share a scoop at Tifa Chocolate & Gelato. The shop in Ballantyne Village is the perfect sweet ending to any outing. Let the kids pick a flavor for Grandma.

Make Something Together

19. Start a scrapbook of the day. Ticket stubs, a pressed leaf, a photo, a drawing. One page per visit, and it grows into a book about the two of you.

20. Make a bird feeder from a pinecone. Peanut butter, birdseed and a piece of string. Hang it where you can watch from the kitchen window.

21. Learn to knit, sew or whittle. Whatever Grandma or Grandpa knows how to make, now is the time to pass it on. Start small - a pot holder or a button.

22. Build something with a toolbox. A birdhouse, a wooden car, a step stool. Grandpa holds the nails, the kids swing the hammer, everybody wears their safety glasses.

Make a Tradition

23. Pick one special day a month. Same day, same plan - pancakes at Grandma's on the first Saturday, a library trip on the third Sunday. Kids count down to it.

24. Plant a tree and measure the kids beside it. A dogwood or redbud goes in the ground this fall. Every year, take a picture of the kids next to "Grandpa's tree."

25. End with a thank-you. Before everyone heads home, each person shares one favorite moment from the day. It is the simplest way to make a good day last.

More Charlotte family fun

Looking for farms, festivals, art classes or birthday party ideas around Charlotte? I have been gathering the best of them in the Kids' Directory since 2008. Pick up the latest issue around town or browse KidsDirectoryCharlotte.com - The LITTLE book with BIG Resources!