Distance Grandparenting Adventure #1 - Flat Stanley
Well, summer has officially arrived, and for many distance grandparents it means a long awaited visit from the grandchildren. In the next few weeks, I will be writing with suggestions for activities to make the visit exciting and memorable, but what if a reunion is not in the cards this summer? Airfares are skyrocketing and the high price of gas is putting the kibosh on long road trips for many families, young and old alike. While this situation is very disappointing, there is a way to create some travel excitement to share with your grandchildren between the ages of 6 and 9, without either of you actually traveling. Introduce them to a Flat Stanley experience.
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, is a book about a young boy named Stanley who is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat, but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates to retrieve coins, and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California (from a city far away in the USA) for an exciting vacation. Many elementary students already know Flat Stanley but if your grandchildren don't, you could begin the experience by sending them the book. If they are too young to read it themselves, or even if they aren't, you could tape yourself reading it chapter by chapter and send it along with the book. This could be even more personal if you made a DVD of yourself reading the book, or if you are really technologically astute, create a pod cast. Once the children know and love the story (and they all do) the fun really begins. Along with the book, send some card stock and a pattern for them to cut out and color to make their own Flat Stanley. Add a self-addressed, stamped manila envelope and encourage your grandchild to send Stanley to you. When Stanley arrives, you can dress him in new clothing, create and write a letter about an imaginary journey that the two of you have shared and send him back so that your grandchild can do the same thing. To get the flavor of this activity visit the many Flat Stanley sites on the web to see the adventures that other children have sent Stanley on. Many adults get very creative with this project and photograph themselves and Stanley on adventures all over the world. An adventure with Stanley doesn't have to be exotic, however. Just photographing the two of you reading a book, making cookies, watching TV, etc. will amuse the grandkids and remind them of the times that they enjoyed the same activities with you. I encourage you to use the regular mail, not email for the project, since today's children seldom get to experience the excitement of receiving "real" mail and this in and of itself will make the adventure even more unique. Not a distant grandparent? Make a Stanley with your grandchild and enlist some relatives in other parts of the country to play along with the adventure.
Flat Stanley is one of those wonderful delights of childhood that never get outdated. Besides the closeness the activity will foster between you and your grandchild, it will keep him or her reading and writing all summer as an added bonus! Wow!
For more on Enlightened Grandparenting visit Nona Nita's Nook
and click My Path Productions for ideas that support conscious living .
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, is a book about a young boy named Stanley who is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat, but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates to retrieve coins, and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California (from a city far away in the USA) for an exciting vacation. Many elementary students already know Flat Stanley but if your grandchildren don't, you could begin the experience by sending them the book. If they are too young to read it themselves, or even if they aren't, you could tape yourself reading it chapter by chapter and send it along with the book. This could be even more personal if you made a DVD of yourself reading the book, or if you are really technologically astute, create a pod cast. Once the children know and love the story (and they all do) the fun really begins. Along with the book, send some card stock and a pattern for them to cut out and color to make their own Flat Stanley. Add a self-addressed, stamped manila envelope and encourage your grandchild to send Stanley to you. When Stanley arrives, you can dress him in new clothing, create and write a letter about an imaginary journey that the two of you have shared and send him back so that your grandchild can do the same thing. To get the flavor of this activity visit the many Flat Stanley sites on the web to see the adventures that other children have sent Stanley on. Many adults get very creative with this project and photograph themselves and Stanley on adventures all over the world. An adventure with Stanley doesn't have to be exotic, however. Just photographing the two of you reading a book, making cookies, watching TV, etc. will amuse the grandkids and remind them of the times that they enjoyed the same activities with you. I encourage you to use the regular mail, not email for the project, since today's children seldom get to experience the excitement of receiving "real" mail and this in and of itself will make the adventure even more unique. Not a distant grandparent? Make a Stanley with your grandchild and enlist some relatives in other parts of the country to play along with the adventure.
Flat Stanley is one of those wonderful delights of childhood that never get outdated. Besides the closeness the activity will foster between you and your grandchild, it will keep him or her reading and writing all summer as an added bonus! Wow!
For more on Enlightened Grandparenting visit Nona Nita's Nook
and click My Path Productions for ideas that support conscious living .
Nita,
I like Flat Stanley already, and haven't even seen the book. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving such a nice comment. I'm putting you on my GRAND ROLL grand girl.
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