Holiday fun that doesn’t break the bank – inexpensive activities for grandparents and grandchildren

With many parents today working full time, gran and gramps are often called on to look after children during the school holidays. Older people love to spoil beloved grandchildren – and the holidays are the perfect time for connection, laughter, and creating special memories.

But let’s be honest, holiday fun can quickly become expensive. Outings, entertainment and treats all add up. The good news? Fun doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

In fact, some of the most treasured childhood memories come from simple, low-cost moments spent with a beloved grandparent. With a little imagination and a splash of creativity, the upcoming school holidays can be filled with laughter and quality bonding time – without straining your budget.

Back to basics holiday fun: nature walks and beach days

You don’t need fancy toys or expensive excursions to enjoy the great outdoors. A slow walk through a nearby park, beach or botanical garden can turn into a mini-adventure. Collect leaves, spot birds, and invent your own nature scavenger hunt. For those living near the coast, a bucket-and-spade day at the beach with homemade snacks is a surefire win.

Walking together also gives grandparents and grandchildren a chance to chat, share stories, and enjoy one another’s company away from the distractions of screens.

Bonding in the kitchen

Children love being involved in the kitchen – whether they’re stirring, measuring, or just licking the spoon! Baking simple cookies, making pancakes, or even putting together colourful sandwiches can be turned into a fun (and tasty) holiday activity.

Grandparents can share their own recipes or family favourites, passing down a bit of history along with the flour and sugar. And when you sit down to enjoy your creations together, it’s a delicious reward for a shared effort.

Get crafty with what you have

You don’t need expensive materials to craft – just a little glue, paper, and imagination. Use recycled items like loo roll inners and old cardboard boxes to build robots or castles. Create greeting cards from bits of ribbon, old buttons and pictures cut from old magazines. Painting rocks, threading pasta necklaces, or decorating old jars as vases – all count as creative play.

Crafting also has the bonus of being calm and screen-free. It’s an ideal way for children to wind down … and a peaceful, productive way for grandparents to stay involved and stimulated.

Storytime and memory sharing

Reading together is a wonderful holiday ritual – whether it’s fairy tales, comic books, or family photo albums.

Grandparents can also tell their own stories. Most have a treasure trove of memories that children often find fascinating. What was school like “in the olden days”? How did people have fun before smartphones?

These conversations don’t cost a thing, but they’re priceless in the way they build connection, understanding, and love across generations.

Need some ideas for interesting questions that inspire heart-to-heart exhanges? Get your family a pack of Tafta Conversation Cards at just R50 and keep the stories flowing for hours. Contact us on 031 332 3721 or info@tafta.org.za to order.

Treasure hunts and backyard games

A backyard or living room can be the stage for endless imagination. Set up a treasure hunt with handwritten clues, play ‘catch’ or ‘hide & seek’, tackle a jigsaw puzzle together, or teach old-school games like hopscotch, marbles, or jacks.

Children love learning games their grandparents used to play – and grandparents enjoy the nostalgia of reliving their own childhood.

Library adventures and community events

Public libraries are a goldmine for free holiday fun. Many host reading hours, craft days, or puppet shows during the school break. Community centres and places of worship also often host holiday events that are free or very affordable.

Make an outing of it – pack snacks, bring a notebook to ‘review’ the day, and let children feel like they’re on an adventure.

Quality time over costly plans

At the heart of it all, children crave attention, not extravagance. It’s the laughter during a board game, the snuggles while watching a home movie, or the quiet moment of planting a seed together that they’ll remember.

For grandparents, the gift of time and love shared with a grandchild brings purpose, joy, and a deep sense of connection.

So these holidays, don’t worry about expensive entertainment. Embrace the joy of simple pleasures and shared moments. Whether it’s baking, building, walking, or laughing, these are the true gifts.

Let the holidays be a reminder that the most valuable things in life really are free – love, laughter, and time together.

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