Resources for Grandma Camp

Hosting a one-week Grandma camp sounds like an amazing way to bond with your grandchildren! With a little planning, you can create memories that include learning, laughter, and adventure. This list of Grandma Camp resources will help you have a successful adventure with your grandchildren.

We made this Water Tarp game for some summer water sports. The kids had a ball playing on it. It was fun to make. If you put it away carefully, it can be used again the next summer too.

This article contains affiliate links. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

Learning cursive writing at Grandma camp

I taught my grandchildren how to write in cursive at our Grandma Camp a few years ago. They still remind me of that. It seems to have been their favorite experience for the week.

1. Planning & Organization

Selecting a Theme for Grandma camp would be fun if you tend to plan well ahead. A few fun theme ideas are: Nature Explorers, Backyard Adventure, Time Travelers, Superhero Training Camp, Grandma’s Favorite Things, or Around the World.
Schedule: A daily itinerary to stay on track. Grab this free printable schedule I made for you.
Registration & Rules: Simple house rules for safety, expectations, and behavior guidelines. Keep the rules light and simple.

2. Accommodation & Comfort

Sleeping Arrangements if you are the overnight kind of Grandma. You might have cousins competing for the best sleeping spaces. Plan or let them choose. You know your crew best. Walmart has a nice selection of blow-up mattresses in all sizes.
Bathroom Essentials: Be sure to stock the bathroom for the week with extra towels, toiletries, and supplies.
First Aid Kit: A simple First-Aid kit like this has all of the basic supplies, such as Band-Aids, wipes, and antiseptic cream. Also keep on hand some bug spray, sunscreen, and maybe some Aloe for sunburn.

DIY Championship Belt for Grandma Camp activities

3. Activities & Entertainment at Grandma Camp

Outdoor Adventure Ideas: Nature walks, scavenger hunts, gardening, water play, or backyard camping.
Arts & Crafts Ideas: Painting, tie-dye shirts, bracelet-making, or clay modeling.
Print this list of 25 Grandma Camp Field Trip Ideas
Games & Sports Ideas: Surprise the grandkids at your Grandma camp with plenty of activities like obstacle courses, relay races, board games, puzzles, or classic games like tag. Make your own Championship Belt to give out at the end of the week.
STEM Fun: Simple science experiments, LEGO challenges, or building projects. You might be able to find Lego sets to match your theme. Walmart carries a huge selection of LEGO sets online.
Music & Storytelling: Campfire stories around the fire pit at night, sing-alongs, or making up bedtime tales. Get yourself a good Bluetooth speaker. Kids of all ages want to listen to music, and this is the best way to do it. Pair it with your phone or theirs. We bought this one years ago and still love the quality of sound.
Cooking & Baking: Making homemade pizzas, baking cookies, or teaching family recipes. Baking cookies with grandkids has always been fun and still is. I have lots of cookie recipes and also Rice Krispies Treats recipes.
Also see this big list of 50 Activities for Grandma Camp

Lemons on a wood cutting board next to a lemon juicer and an empty glass pitcher

4. Food & Snacks

Meal Plan: Kid-friendly, easy meals, plus a few special treats.
Snack Station: Healthy and fun snacks like fruit, popcorn, trail mix, and smoothies. Here is a snack station I created for Christmas one year, use this idea but with a camp theme.
Hydration: Water bottles or a lemonade stand to keep everyone refreshed. Make sure the parents send a water bottle for each child. You can get Lemonade Stand supplies on Amazon, with options for indoor or outdoor use.

5. Keepsakes & Memories

Camp Journal: A simple notebook for kids to draw or write about their daily experiences. This can be a quiet time activity at the end of the day. This Diary of a Wimpy Kid blank journal is fun. This Butterfly Journal for Girls is really pretty and has a magnetic closure too.
Photo Album: Capture moments and create a scrapbook or slideshow at the end. You could actually get a few photos printed. We use a CVS near our home for printed photos. You send them electronically; it is a super simple process.
DIY Camp T-Shirts: A fun craft that also serves as a souvenir. Tie-Dye is always fun. Amazon has this great tie-dye kit.

A successful Grandma Camp doesn’t need to be elaborate or fancy. Keep the main thing, the main thing, spending quality time together. Grandchildren will remember simple things like baking cookies together, or that you taught them cursive, or a funny family story you told them. Enjoy your week of fun, laughter, food, and activities, but mostly love.