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WELL-BEING
CONNECTING WITH GRANDCHILDREN :
LEARN TO ‘ SKYPE ’
– By Calah Brooks
If you ’ re a long-distance Nana or Poppa , making the connection with your grandchildren can be challenging . If you work to combine old traditions with new technology – like ‘ Skype ’ – you can bridge the miles and spend quality time together .
Skype is a free download internet application . All you need is a computer or an iOS device ( like an iPad ), with an internet connection . Here are my top five tricks for connected Grandparents , using Skype :
1 . Reading . Old traditions don ’ t have to go out of the window with new technology . Visit your local library or bookstore and choose a children ’ s book you love . What are
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your grandchild ’ s hobbies ? Dance ? Ice hockey ? There is a good book for every interest and activity . For the 2-5 year old set , A Different Drummer Bookstore owner , Ian Elliott , recommends “ How do you Feel ,” by Burlington ’ s Rebecca Bender , “ We Found a Hat ” by Jon Klassen , and “ Tidy ” by Emily Gravett , which is sure to be a hit with Moms and Dads , because it ’ s all about a badger who is determined to clean up his part of the forest ! For kids 8 +, a chapter book is great for Skype calls , where you read them a chapter at a time . A Canadian favourite is the Screech Owl series , by Roy MacGregor .
2 . Sportscaster . Wear your grandchild ’ s favourite team ’ s ball cap and give a play-by-play of the latest game . Or , think about doing a broadcast for your grandchild on everything they didn ’ t know about their sports superstar . It will take a little investigating on-line , but you ’ d be surprised at what you can discover that your youngster doesn ’ t know .
3 . Games . What were your favourite board games growing up ? Choose a game then mail it to your grandchild , buying one for yourself as well , then play online together . A deck of cards can be used for a great game of Go Fish ! Older children love strategy games like Battleship . While the children are engaged with their next move you can chat and catch up on their daily lives in a relaxed setting .
4 . Music . Many children love to sing and dance . Do you want to introduce the classics ? Dress up like Handel and sing Hallelujah from Suzanne Brown ’ s children ’ s book Baroque with Joy . Or ask them to play their favourites !
5 . Draw . Fold a sheet of paper in half and draw a card . Show each other your designs via Skype and then mail yours to your grandchild .
These are only a few activities to engage your grandchildren on-line . Be creative , have fun and stay connected ! •
Calah is the Chief Storyteller at CALAH Communications , a digital marketing agency . She teaches social media courses for the City of Burlington , at the Senior ’ s Centre . Contact her at calah @ cogeco . ca for the rules of GoFish !