To the woods with a grandparent.

Yes, I so agree. I have bought my older grandson a bike and table tennis table to use in the garden, and when he comes to my house we have gone exploring in the woods, walking and running with the dog, and looking for clues of what animals might have passed by. My dog loves bouncing around with him and running up and down with a ball or frisbee. Ho has started swimming with his dad again after quite a gap, and he loves this. My younger grandsons (twins, 3.1/2 years) need no encouragement at the moment to dance, climb, run, hop, skip and jump, and they will leap up as soon as they hear their favourite music and start dancing around. Phew - getting tired at the thought of it all - I have them with me for four hours today - they also make grandparents be more active!

My 2 GC, 18 months and four and a half are like puppies if they dont get plenty of exercise every day they get bad tempered and tantrumy. During the week school and nursery wear them out and the eldest does dancing and swimming but at weekends they have to be taken out somewhere to run all there extra energy off, a National Trust garden when the weather is good, in bad weather the National Railway Museum as it is large, under cover and they can run round there.

Took this article very much to heart and had my two grandchildren out and about over the Easter holidays to 2 National Trust properties nearby. Lots of activity and great fun and really wore the children out. Last holiday I was on granny duty again and we spent a lovely afternoon in the garden playing the street and card games I used to play as a child and they really enjoyed it. Hopscotch and the card game "sevens" went down particularly well. Great see things through a child's eyes and balm for your own soul too. Lets hear it for all grandparents.

I've introduced my grandchildren to 'Grandmother's footsteps' and 'What's the time Mr Wolf?', two games I remember from my childhood, which are still enjoyed.