How To Make Long-Distance Grandparenting Work

We all know how challenging long-distance relationships can be, but no one ever talks about how hard long-distance grandparenting can be. When you live far from your grandchild, it can be bittersweet every time you think of them or see pictures of them. 

You love seeing their happy, smiling faces, but you wish you could spend time talking with them, or pulling them in for the world’s biggest hug, especially since you know they’re growing up faster than when your kids were that little. You just want to tell time to slow down so you can enjoy these years when they’re still small.

Missing out on that quality time that every grandparent craves can put a damper on anyone’s day.  Luckily, with a sprinkling of magic from Kinoo, you can enjoy that quality time with your family and build important bonds with your grandchildren no matter how far away you may be.

You Are Not Alone

More than half of all grandparents live hundreds of miles away from their grandkids. In fact, only one-fifth of grandparents live within a drivable distance of one grandchild. There are many reasons for being far apart: families relocating for job opportunities, different living preferences, or multiple adult children that have moved to different states. Whatever the reason may be, families do not always live near each other, which can be especially hard on grandparents.

However, there are many ways to stay in touch with your loved ones, and Kinoo is one of the best ways to connect regularly. Kinoo can help you maintain your important role in your grandkids' lives — even when you live far away — with just a few clicks on your phone or iPad.  

Doing Things Together

So, what are three things that all grandparents love to do with their long-distance grandchildren? First, it’s always fun to have conversations about all sorts of topics, from what you’ve been up to that day to what’s going on in the world.  Second, there’s hardly a grandparent out there that doesn’t like to read wonderful stories (or a grandkid who doesn’t like to hear them.  And of course, all grandparents and grandkids love to play games together.   These activities can seem out of reach if you are far away, but that’s where Kinoo comes in and gives you a simple way to connect, play, and build memories while grandparenting long-distance.

Face-To-Face While Miles Apart

When we mention face-to-face conversations, you might automatically think that requires being in person. However, thanks to modern technology, you can now have a “face to face” conversation with your grandkids via video chat. While virtual reality has yet to replicate warm snuggles from a sweet little one, video chats are the next best thing.

No matter who you are, prolonged separation from loved ones can take a toll on your mental health. Staying connected and in communication with the ones we love is so important and beneficial to our overall health.

One way to maintain healthy communication with family is through video chat. Not only can you hear your family’s voices, but you get to see their faces too. Truly, what is more precious than the laughter of a child? 

But young kids can struggle to stay engaged in video chats, and grandparents feel disheartened when little Johnny or Susie prefers to run off than sit and talk.  Enter Kinoo! 

True Connections Over Video Chat

The patented Kinoo app allows you to video-call your family whenever, wherever you both may be. But what sets us apart from other apps such as FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom? Kinoo includes fun, collaborative activities — designed by childhood education experts — that allow grandparents and grandkids to play and learn together while chatting in a Kinoo call.  

Kinoo also helps keep the conversation flowing by providing conversation starters, fun facts, meaningful questions, and talk tips to help you make the most out of the time you spend chatting with your grandchildren. 

Now, video-chatting with the grandkids can always be wonderful and memorable, with fun activities to keep both you and your little ones excited and engaged. 

Some of the virtual activities you can do while Kinoo-ing  with your loved ones include:

Going Fishing

Does your grandchild like to fish? Encourage your little ones to cast a line virtually using our Kinoo wand, which adds movement to Kinoo video chats.  Catch all sorts of sea creatures together, learn more about them, and even work together to clean up the oceans. Seeing them smile as they fish is just part of the joy; these are the moments you will both remember for years to come.

Playing Restaurant

Playing restaurant games is always a blast for kids. Even if you can’t share a kitchen, you can hop over to Kinoo’s virtual kitchen game and bake cookies together. 

With Kinoo, younger family members can use the Kinoo wand to virtually mix the ingredients you select, spoon out the batter, and watch their baked goods take shape.  

And if the virtual tasting isn’t enough, you can extend the fun by getting a parent on the video call with you to assist the child as you talk them through a real recipe. You will get to see them having fun in the kitchen while teaching them how to make your favorite family dishes. These traditions (and memories) will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

There are many benefits to playing video-based games together, including reading development, visual-spatial skills, problem-solving, social connections, imaginative play, and creativity. When you hop onto a video call with your grandkids and play games together, you are helping foster these areas of their development. That is what we call a true home run.

Reading Stories

Another way that grandparents across the world spend time with their grandchildren is through story-telling. When you share an adventurous story with someone you love, everything else fades away. Watching your little ones become involved in a good story that unlocks their imaginations with wonder is priceless. 

Not only is storytelling exciting for both the teller and the listener, but it is also great for a child’s growing mind. When a child is read to, it stimulates their imagination and creativity, making playtime and storytime an exhilarating experience. Reading to them opens their minds to new possibilities and helps them create a space where their dreams can flourish.

Begin creating memories with your family by sharing stories that you loved as a child, that will entertain your grandchildren and bring them to the edge of their seats. Find out which genres they love, be intentional with the stories you share with them. Pick stories you know they will enjoy and want you to keep reading to them.

Bringing a  magical story to life can be great fun for a grandparent and creates lovely memories for both of you. You don’t have to wait until you visit them to do this; you can be a part of bedtime stories and more using Kinoo. Grandparents reading stories aloud just before bedtime is a time-honored tradition no longer bound by space or time. (Although, you still might hear, “Just one more chapter… please!”)

Closing the Distance

Although you may be grandparenting long-distance, you can connect with your loved ones with some help from Kinoo. Forming a strong relationship with your grandkids when they are still little is important for you both and can be one of the greatest joys life has to offer.

For more engaging and enriching one-on-one time with your family, we suggest downloading our Kinoo app and inviting far-away family to join you.

Once you create your account, you’ll have access to an ever-growing library of games and activities to do with your grandchildren over our video-chat service. Experience longer call times with your family by using our fun activities that you and your grandchildren will love doing. They might even call you more often!

To get access to the conversation tips mentioned above,  find the lightbulb feature on in-app activity screens to discover play ideas, interesting facts, and useful questions to ask your grandkids each time you meet to talk. Our age-appropriate, well-researched tips and thought starters get conversations started and help you keep them going. 

The grandparent-grandchild relationship is a truly unique one that deserves to be nurtured, even across long distances. Creating memories together through fun activities with Kinoo is one way to stay connected to extended family and be a part of your grandchildren's lives, especially in the critical formative years.  

Between in-person visits for school milestones, birthdays, and more, or for times when you can’t make the trip, Kinoo is here to make every close relationship even closer. 

Sources:

The Importance of Family Ties | WebMD

6 Surprising Benefits Of Video Games For Kids | Understood

Reading With Your Child | Reading Rockets

Average grandparent hasn't seen all their grandkids in person in nearly 8 months | Study Finds