Design easy, joy-filled “grandma camp” days and traditions that fit your energy and budget – without turning your home into a full-time playground.

A big and warm hello to you,

You’ve probably seen those gorgeous photos of “Grandma Camp” online – matching T-shirts, themed activities by the hour, hand-lettered signs on the front door.

And maybe a tiny voice inside you whispers:

“That looks wonderful… but I could never keep up with that.”

Here’s the good news: you don’t need a military-style schedule or a craft cupboard that looks like a shop display.

You just need simple, repeatable traditions that say to your grandkids:

“You are welcome here. This is our special place. We belong together.”

In this post we’ll explore how to create your own version of Grandma Camp at home – gently, joyfully, in a way that honours your season, your health, and your faith.

What Is “Grandma Camp” – Really?

Stripped right back, Grandma Camp is simply:

• Focused time with your grandkids

• A handful of planned activities

• A sense of occasion and togetherness

That might look like:

• A three-day sleepover in school holidays

• A single “Grandma Day” each term

• An annual “Cousin Camp” where all the cousins gather

Or it might be as simple as:

• “Every school holidays we have one ‘Grandma Adventure Day’ together.”

You’re free to shape it around your reality, not someone else’s Instagram.

Step 1: Choose Your Camp Shape and Energy Level

Before you buy a single craft supply, get clear on what you can realistically handle.

Ask yourself:

• How many days can I truly manage – without needing a week in bed afterwards?

• Do I sleep well when kids are in the house?

• What support do I have (partner, friend, older grandchild)?

• Are there any medical needs, allergies or sensitivities to plan around?

Three Gentle Options

1. One-Day Grandma Camp
   Perfect if you’re just starting. One special day in the holidays with a loose plan and a simple theme.

2. Daytime-Only Camp (No Sleepovers)
   Kids come 9–5 (or similar), then go home to sleep. Great if you struggle with nights but still want focused time.

3. Two-Night Camp with Quiet Afternoons
   Mornings for activities, afternoons for rest: movies, reading, quiet play. Give yourself permission to pause.

You’re not failing if you choose the gentler version. You’re being wise – and that’s part of the legacy you’re modelling.

Step 2: Pick a Simple Theme (or Two)

Themes don’t have to be elaborate. They’re just a thread that ties things together and makes the whole experience more memorable.

Here are some easy grandma camp ideas:

1. Nature Explorers

• Nature walk with a treasure list

• Leaf rubbings and bark rubbings

• Build a “bug hotel” or fairy garden in a pot

2. Creative Camp

• Painting or drawing session

• Simple baking and decorating biscuits

• DIY costume box fashion parade

3. Story & Movie Camp

• Library visit and “book picnic”

• Choose a family-friendly movie to match a book

• Make simple snacks linked to the story

4. Faith & Kindness Camp (For Faith-Filled Homes)

• Morning “thank you” prayers together

• Kindness challenge: do three kind things for neighbours or family

• Create handmade cards with encouraging Bible verses or quotes

Keep it simple: one theme per day is plenty.

Step 3: Plan Your Basic Rhythm - (No Minute-by-Minute Timetables!)

A rigid schedule will only exhaust you. Instead, think in blocks:

• Morning: Something active (outing, walk, simple craft)

• Midday: Lunch + quiet play

• Afternoon: Calm activity (reading, movies, board games)

Example for a One-Day Grandma Camp:

• 9:00 – Arrive, special welcome song/handshake, set up “camp base”

• 9:30 – Nature walk with treasure list

• 11:00 – Morning tea + drawing what you found

• 12:00 – Lunch (let them help with simple tasks)

• 1:00 – Quiet time: movie, Lego, reading corner

• 3:00 – Baking biscuits

• 4:00 – “Closing ceremony” with ice cream and blessing

This is a guide, not a law. If everyone is happy building Lego for an hour, let it roll.

Step 4: Create Signature Traditions They’ll Talk About

You don’t need a hundred activities. You need a few strong traditions.

Welcome Tradition

• A homemade “Welcome to Grandma Camp” sign

• A silly photo at the front door each year

• A camp “bracelet” or badge (cheap beads or ribbon)

Meal Tradition

Maybe every Grandma Camp includes:

• “Build your own” pizza night

• Pancakes for breakfast with toppings

• A signature “Grandma Camp hot chocolate” recipe

Closing Tradition

End with something that marks the occasion:

• “Award ceremony” – each child gets a handwritten note about what you loved seeing in them

• Group photo in the same spot each year

• Blessing or prayer over them as they go home

Over time, these become stories: “Remember how Grandma always…?”

Step 5: Keep It Safe and Sustainable

As women, we can slip into pushing through and paying for it later. For Grandma Camp to last, it needs to be safe and kind – for you and the kids.

Safety Basics

• Have all emergency contacts handy

• Check allergies and medications clearly

• Make simple rules and repeat them often: “We stay where Grandma can see us”, “We tidy up together before starting something new”

Energy & Rest

• Build in quiet time every day – for you as much as them

• Don’t be afraid to say, “Grandma needs a little sit-down; let’s do a calm activity.”

• Ask older grandkids to be “helpers” – kids usually love a bit of responsibility.

Simple Tradition Ideas - (Even Without a Full “Camp”)

Maybe a full camp doesn’t fit your life right now. You can still build traditions to start with grandkids that weave through the year.

Birthday Traditions

• “Birthday breakfast at Grandma’s”: their favourite meal once a year

• “Three blessings”: you speak three specific things you love about them

• Photo with the same birthday sign or prop each year

Holiday Traditions

• Decorating biscuits or a gingerbread house together

• Christmas (or Easter) story time with age-appropriate readings

• A “gratitude walk” where you list things you’re thankful for in that season

School-Year Traditions

• “Back-to-school blessing” the night before term starts

• “Term treat” outing at the end of each term if you live nearby

• A tradition of sending a little note or text the night before exams

Weaving Faith and Values into Grandma Camp

You don’t have to turn Grandma Camp into a formal Bible retreat (unless you want to).

You can simply live your faith out loud:

• Play worship music sometimes alongside other songs

• Pause to pray when someone is upset or anxious

• Share how you saw God’s kindness that day

If your grandkids come from a different faith background or no faith at all, keep the tone gentle and invitational, not demanding. Your job is to love well and speak hope, trusting God to work in their hearts.

What If Family Relationships Are Complicated?

Many grandmothers carry complicated stories:

• Blended families

• Estranged adult children

• Different parenting styles or values

If you don’t get as much time as you’d like, or if you have to follow careful boundaries, you can still hold the space you do have with tenderness, prayer and integrity.

• Honour the parents’ rules while the kids are with you

• Keep communication open and respectful

• Pray often, even when you can’t say much out loud

Remember: God sees the whole story. Your quiet, faithful presence matters more than any one camp or event.

You Don’t Have to Be a “Pinterest Grandma”

Friend, your grandkids don’t need a polished program.

They need a grandmother who:

• Shows up

• Listens

• Laughs

• Points them gently toward hope

Start small. Pick one tradition, one camp idea, one special rhythm – and build from there. As the years go by, those simple, steady choices will become the stories they tell their own children.

Until we chat again,

Blessing & hugs to you my dear friend,

Dianne xx