Step-grandkids gravitate towards grandad

What interaction have you had previously has it been okay. Perhaps as you say this is just a one off. Children can be a little funny at this age and I am sure that is nothing personal. Just behave as you always have with them and all should be well.

Yes, it's normal

Don’t worry, they’re only little, just carry on as if it hadn’t happened when you see them next.

Little children are extraordinarily fickle and I think sometimes they are a bit like cats who sometimes most gravitate to those who would reject them and vice versa.My husband is the legitimate "grand" and I am "step" and they go mostly to him.
Don't take this personally. "Grand" Adults these days are I think prone to vastly overestimating their significance to these small children anyway. Mostly the kids prefer running round with other small children , or each other , or being with Mum and Dad. People who care for them daily (parents , teachers, nursery nurses) are far more significant I think than relatives they see far more infrequently. I don't think the family tree counts for much.
We've just had the nearly5 and 7 year old for a week and they were beside themselves running around garden and beaches.... cuddling Mum and Dad..... us not so much.
Again don't ... take it...... personally.

Yes, normal behaviour, children are fickle.

They do always seem to prefer grand-dad as he is the one that will race around with them in the garden or lift them high in the air - which they love.
I join in games in the garden but perhaps not with quite as much gusto as grand-dad as I'm conscious that their Mum doesn't like them getting over-stimulated/tired due to some health issues.
We have had an on-off relationship with the adult kids for a number of years though for various reasons and we don't live close so only see them about once a month.

When they're overwrought through too much haring around, who do they go to?
I doubt it's grandad then.

I posted a similar thread about my grandson in ‘grandparenting’, he is only two and rejected me in order to play with grandpa, but have heard it can happen with older children.
I am giving it time and when it was his second birthday I won him over with a game in the garden, he really loved it and after that wouldn’t leave me alone but he is so fickle I could be persona non grata again the next time we visit. Grandpa has never been out of favour.
Next time arrange to play a game with teams so you are with one child and grandpa is with the other, even if it is just a case of batting a ball to each other without dropping the ball. But don’t try too hard, that was good advice for me, just give it time and be kind and understanding with them, in a little while am sure you will be more included.
All the best.

My little three year old grandson has a favourite grandparent. It is the partner of my DIL's mother. The more people to love the better, as far as I'm concerned.
Worry not Dancing Duck - there will be plenty of good times to share in the future not all of them involving rough and tumble.

My step- son always made it abundantly clear( in the nicest possible way) that Grandad is the True Grandparent, not me. So I just took a step back. DH is no longer with us, so I somehow doubt I will see the granddaughter again, as they are unlikely to make the journey now. She was his only blood grandchild, but I have four.

MissAdventure

Yes, it's normal

Mine did that and I'm not step-granny.

Grandad is Top of the Pops (although Granny does everything for them!.