As a grandparent, trying to connect with your grandchildren seems like an impossible task. Music has changed, movies are different, and it may feel as though there is little to no common ground between you and your little loved one. However, this can be alleviated by embracing technology and smartphone apps. Here are a 10 apps for grandparents who want to connect with their grandkids:
Snapchat
Giving kids the option to send text messages, photos and videos allows for creative freedom while encouraging communications with grandparents. They can use funny filters, drawing features and even add cute gifs to their messages. The app interface is very easy to master and is worth learning as kids love to use the platform to communicate.
Similar to Snapchat, Instagram allows kids and teens to express themselves and keep tabs on what their friends and families are up to. You don’t need to participate in the selfie taking, but having an account and liking/commenting on loved one’s posts will help you stay in the know. You can call family members every so often and tell them how much you liked the photo or video they posted. Encourage young kids to take up photography as a hobby if they really enjoy the Instagram platform. This is a great hobby for grandparents located far away as you can still enjoy the masterpieces they create virtually.
Kinoo
When your child’s grandparent or close family friends Kinoo with your child, they will laugh with glee as they count, read, sing, dance, and swing their arms at baseball letters pitched by their remote loved one, and much, much more. On average, Kinoo calls last 10X longer than a regular call. That’s 10X the bonding, learning, and fun for your child that would normally not happen. Kinoo has something for everyone to love!
BookChat
Many grandparents know that there aren’t many things in life that are better than reading a story book to your little loved ones. If you feel as though you’re missing out on this timeless activity, download BookChat. This app allows you to screenshare a book and flip through the pages of a book together. For a small membership fee, users can choose from a large library of titles to choose from.
Ancestry.com
Even the most loving family trees sometimes can’t grow in the same orchard. And as a grandparent, you may feel somewhat responsible for teaching young ones about their family heritage. Create a log in that your family members can share to help your grandkids discover their family’s history. This can lead to memorable conversations where you can share all sorts of stories. This can also be a great resource for teenagers to bond with their grandparents. Teens often partake in school projects that require some family tree research.
UNO!
A family game night classic is a great app to connect grandparents with their grandchildren. The card game is available on the app store, but you likely know how to play the old fashioned card version. The rules are the same, but the virtual version does make it harder to hide cards – it’s up to you if you consider that a bad thing or not.
Words With Friends
After rising to app stardom after its launch in 2009, Words With Friends is a smartphone app staple. You will need an internet connection to play this game online with your friends and loved ones. You’ve likely played similar word games like scrabble or crosswords. This app is better for older kids and teens who have a larger vocabulary. However, you can teach younger kids how to play and have them learn new words as they go.
Toca Vacation
Toca Vacation is just one of several apps by Toca. Toca Life: Vacation lets children determine how the story should evolve. Offering highly interactive open worlds, players investigate different holiday locations. From picking different forms of travel to all sorts of holiday activities Toca Life: Vacation will spark young children’s imagination like no other app. You can use this as a bonding experience by having them explain the game to you and why it makes them happy to play it. Encourage kids to foster real world building skills by asking if they would like to play with building blocks or create sand castles.
Minecraft
Another great game that gets kids excited about building is Minecraft. Although popular with kids, this app is also great for teens. Grandparents can Play this with their grandchild to take turns building and exploring. This is a unique way to enjoy time together. Remember to keep track of the time and don’t get carried away playing the game. You can spend the whole day developing vast family projects in the virtual realm of Minecraft.
Pokemon GO
This game is great to play with kids and can help you get your steps in! If you’re familiar with other Pokemon games, you know that the objective is to find and capture a variety of fantasy creatures. Unlike other games on the app store, this is achieved in the real world. The app uses your GPS location and tells you when Pokemon are nearby and when you need to use your phone camera to catch them all!
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