Fun Book of Garden Activities for Grandparents and Their Grandchildren

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We have had such a fun spring and summer with the Sunflower House activities for grandparents and their grandchildren. Shortly after we started, I was so delighted to discover a couple of very interesting books about similar projects, including Sunflower Houses by Sharon Lovejoy. 

With that in mind, you can probably guess how delighted I was when I was contacted about another fun book written by Ms. Lovejoy, Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars: Grandma’s Bag of Tricks. They very kindly offered to send me a copy of the book to see if I wanted to review it for you.  With a title like that, how could I say no? And, after reading through this book, I am so glad I said YES. I have to tell you, it was such a fun book to read and it will be even more fun working through the various delightful activities for grandparents and their grandchildren with my grandkids!

Sharon Lovejoy, herself a grandma of four, also had two wonderful grandmothers of her own. What a wonderful legacy they set for her! As she put it,

“How could I have been so lucky? A grandmother only a few steps from me and always ready to explore, read, have faerie tea parties, garden, cook, and talke with me about the mysteries of life. We approached every day together as an adventure, filled with the simple joys and discoveries that are fresh and new to a child and that can also make a grandmother feel fresh and new again!”  

My sentiments exactly! And now she’s following in their wonderful footsteps while creating new family memories and adding to the legacy for her own grandkids. And writing about it in this book full of fun, whimsical, and educational activities for grandparents and their grandchildren! From gardening and craft ideas to intriguing fairy house (or as she puts it – faery house) and faerie fun ideas that can also be incorporated into other fun ideas and activities, you’re sure to find plenty of terrific ideas to share with your own grandchildren as you build sweet family memories with them.

I loved her suggestion to prepare ahead by collecting creative goodies when out for walks, such as leaves, twigs, intriguing stones, and other “treasures” the grandkids can use for a craft project when they come to visit. I never seem to have enough time to do the collecting and the projects, so we had tabled them. But her idea is especially perfect for those of us caring for elderly parents as well as helping with the grandchildren. I can collect the goodies while taking walks with my senior mom. Then I’ll have plenty of treasures all ready for when the grandkids come over. That makes for a calmer play environment and more time for creation – which is especially helpful for those grandparents preparing fun activities for autistic grand-children. 🙂

Not only that, it would make for fun and physical senior citizen activities for the elderly parents and relatives in our Sandwich Generation families to help us find intriguing nature items while they are taking a walk. My senior mom already enjoys finding occasional interesting tidbits as she strolls along. She’s going to be in seventh heaven looking for items that will last well and help the great-grandkids make interesting and educational craft projects. Plus  she can use some of the nature goodies she finds to decorate the stationary and projects she occasionally sends her long distance grandkids.

I’m having so much fun telling you about Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars, I’m going to continue it to next week. Be sure to come back for more fun ideas for both the up close grandparents as well as long distance grandparents, not to mention finding out what, pray tell, a Toad Cottage might be. 🙂

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