Skill swap: How grandparents and grandkids can learn from each other
(BPT) – Known for their wisdom and patience, grandparents pass down skills, knowledge and stories to both their children and grandchildren. Conversely, grandparents can also learn from their grandkids, especially when it comes to technology. Traditional skills and new trades and tools alike, both grandparents and grandchildren have a talent to bring to the table.
Whether they live in the same city or must rely on technology to communicate, grandparents, grandchildren and even parents can come together to learn from each other. In honor of Grandparents Day and celebrating family all year round, Intel offers some suggestions on activities for a grandparent-grandchild skill swap:
Savvy skills from grandchildren:
Capturing memories. Grandparents are all about capturing memorable moments in photo form. While they most likely know how to use a point and shoot camera, the may not have mastered the art of a tablet or smartphone camera. Grandkids are experts when it comes to technology and will love spending time teaching grandma and grandpa how to take pictures, edit and create digital albums with them.
Friendly competing. Many grandparents love playing cards and board games. Some even join clubs where they get together with friends to play games like Bingo and Bridge. Grandparents may also enjoy the digital games that their grandchildren are always playing. Then, even when families are miles apart, they can still enjoy a little friendly competition through group or one-on-one digital games.
Reading redefined. Grandparents grew up in a world of hard copy newspapers, magazines and books and aren’t always familiar with today’s e-books and digital reading platforms. Grandkids can help Grandma and Grandpa set up a digital library on their tablet, All-in-One PC, 2 in 1 or smartphone and download a few of their favorite books, magazines or newspapers.
Passed down pastimes from grandparents:
Real home cooking. Make sure your secret family recipes are kept within the family. Grandkids can create a digital archive of grandma and grandpa’s recipes on their tablet, PC, 2 in 1 or smartphone while grandparents teach them how to create the delicious feast from scratch.
Spotlight storytelling. Grandparents can spread their family history and make their life story last for generations when they share it with their grandchildren, interview style. As they talk about their childhood, school, career and more, the kids can take notes on their device or record the story, pairing anecdotes with photos to eventually create a digital memory book. The whole family will be able to look back and enjoy these memories for years to come.
Learning lost arts. There are certain skills learned in the grandparents’ generation that some would consider ‘lost arts’ today. Boy Scouts, etiquette class and home economics are not as common as they used to be. Grandparents can spend time teaching their grandkids these valuable skills, such as tying their favorite knots learned in scouts, sewing a button or a patch on a pair of pants, table manners and the art of writing a well-crafted thank you card. Grandkids can take notes as they learn to help them remember in the future.
Family time is precious. Take advantage of these ideas to broaden your horizons as both a grandparent and a grandchild. For more ideas and inspiration on family skill swapping, visit http://intel.ly/1LJdO9h.