What toys and things to get in for grandchildren staying??

[CheeseAndVinegar]

My son a daughter in law are moving back closer to home after living at the opposite end of the UK for the last few years

We've arranged that the grandchildren will stay with us for a night most weeks and so I'd like to get some things in for them to keep them occupied and so they feel at home when they're here.

They are 2, 4, 7 and 8 and they've another due imminently.

My list so far is

• Arts and Crafts supplies
• Lego
• Outdoor games like rounders and skittles
• Paddling pool
• Toy cars and garage
• Tent and Tunnel
• Puzzles
• Books
• Soft toys

I'd also like to get (with dil's permission) a travel cot and cheapish pushchair for the baby, although I'm aware they're not likely to be staying for at least a wee while.

Critique or suggestions either for specific products or just general ideas would be very much appreciated

That all sounds great! You sound very excited, how lovely that you’ll be able to see more of your grandchildren

That's a lovely list. Though tbh, I was more than happy to leave loads of spares/duplicates of toys at the grandparents houses... helped make space at my house.

Sorry no real help but just wanted to say you sound like an amazing grandparent!

Aw, you're all lovely

I can't wait to have them back. I've missed them all to bits while they've been away.

Simple card games. Don't fill your house up with anything too big, pick things which will stand the ages and will be able to pack away easily.

My best memories of staying with my grandparents were playing cards for old pennies which my Nan kept in a huge jar. Then they all went back afterwards. It also meant I got to stay up late and my grandad always did a cooked breakfast in the morning.

Oh yes, my DGP didn’t have special toys. But I loved helping her cook, and yes to playing card games for pennies and chess with grandad. I love helping dig and make mud pies in the garden too. Going for long walks and talking to cats on garden walls and ponies over the hedge. It was their time and attention I valued not the toys.

What a lovely post! This is more for the younger children I really appreciated my parents and in-laws having things like nappies, wipes, beakers, cups etc at their houses. Boring but made life so much easier as we then didn’t need to pack them. Also the occasional spare outfit for when we forgot things. Definitely travel cot, perhaps blackout blinds (the gro company do a good portable set). Towels.

I’d also ask your son and DIL as I’m sure they will know what works for their DC. My mum always asks what food and cereal etc she should get in and it is so helpful.

My nieces like to help bake cookies. I have a lot of different shape cutters.

The older ones might like games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly Junior and Guess Who. Especially if you play. You sound like a lovely grandmother!

A potty maybe depending on whether the younger is potty training or already done that. Changing mat for baby is handy. I would double check to see if your son and dil have any duplicates of anything on your list that they may wish to let you keep at your house. Also in mind with baby a sterilising unit or sterilising tablet for the bottles. (My mum had the tablets for cold water rather then spending too much on a unit for her house.)

My ILs have a toy kitchen and my mum, a toy shop. I think they would all get use out of something like that.

There's some lovely ideas here. Thank you all so much!

I agree that the time we spend with them is the most important thing - we already have a mile long list of things we used to love when their dad and his siblings were wee that we can't wait to do with them.
Boat trips and gardening after dinner dance parties

We'll of course be talking to their parents before we buy anything.
They're pretty much starting afresh up here so they wont be able to give us anything but the move has been so expensive for them I wouldn't feel right to take anything from them anyway.

Oh how lovely is that, what an exciting time!! List sounds great OP

You sound awesome and I so wish my kids had grandparents close by like you! You sound like you've got it covered! My kids do like a special drinks bottle, they don't get to see my mum much but when they do they each have their own special nanny water bottles! Also their own teddy which is nanny's sleep over teddy.

Also I notice my mum always has spare baby wipes and snacks in when they come stay now to 😂

A high chair or a booster seat for 2 year old? My DD (2) eats meals so much better in a high chair.

At my grandparents house, they always had something we didn't have at home, that made me excited to visit. My dads parents had lots of wooden toys (dolls houses, garages) and ride on tractors/scooters.

We used to run in straight for nannies toys.

Also we all (myself and cousins) had our own personalised cup. I'm remembering this fondly so I thought I'd mention it.

The toy in our house that gets used loads and by just about everyone who comes to visit is a wooden train track. We have brio mostly, but you can get similar from ikea or sometimes supermarkets. Sometimes you get a secondhand bundle on eBay or a local selling site.
I agree with pp about baking etc with grandparents. My memories of visiting my grandmas are of baking, we even made crisps once, eating small box cereal and having buttery toast. We used to watch the A team which on reflection was quite violent for small children, but I imagine my grandma liked it, so we watched it whilst eating sardines on toast! You sound like a lovely grandma.

Ant small wired stuff like shop/ till/ kitchen, costumes and props like hats or doctors set. Playdoh. Dvds.

Our dressing up box is by far our most used thing (3 and 4 yr old), there are no specific outfits just old clothes, shoes and some accessories like tools, glasses, pretend passports etc to make a game of it. It is easy to add new things and change the games easily.

My daughter is 2 and is loving the Vtech toot toot toys :-)
She also loves to draw and play dress up/pretend with dolls

The marble run is very popular in our house, though you'd have to make sure the toddler didn't swallow the marbles. But it sounds as though you have lots of good ideas, and I'm sure the grandchildren will have great times with you - enjoy!

We kept all our Fisher Price stuff for precisely this reason! It's lovely to watch them play with the toys their mothers played with.