Creative Ways to Stay Connected Across Generations

We know how busy life can get, especially when you have multiple adult children and even more grandchildren. But how can you stay connected when the barriers aren’t just physical, but also generational?

Online board games, FaceTime, and shared interest clubs are just a few ways to bridge the generational gap and stay connected. Read on to learn more creative ways to stay connected across generations.

1. Online Board Games

We discovered BoardGameArena.com a few years ago, and it has changed our lives. BoardGameArena is a nonprofit that focuses on making digital versions of physical board games, allowing you to play with friends who may be in other states or even other countries.

The cool thing is, all the basic games are free. While some of the more fun/more complicated games require a subscription, it’s only about $40 a year, and only one person in your party needs to pay, and then they can invite everyone else to the table for free. This means if you always play with a certain kid or grandkid, you could even split the cost if $40 per year is too steep. Just make sure the person who will play most frequently is the one with the paid subscription.

And remember, several basic games like cards, Battleship, and Yahtzee are free, so you won’t be bored if you can’t afford the subscription.

2. FaceTime

Of course, there are also simpler ways to bridge the gap, like FaceTime, but we find this method is more fun when combined with other methods—for example, FaceTiming while playing online board games or while doing a shared activity! Even better, if you have an Apple device, FaceTime is pre-installed, so there is no setup required.

If you don’t have an iPhone, not to worry, WhatsApp is a free app that offers very similar capabilities, and it can be downloaded to both iPhones and non-Apple devices, so everyone in your party can participate.

One of the best suggestions we found for FaceTime is a weekly show-and-tell, where you and a young family member both spend a specified time each week showing and telling about an item they display during the call. This is a great way to break the ice and bridge the gap with especially young grandchildren.

2. Make Your Own Club

Do you and your daughter both love to knit? Or maybe you and your grandson both love drawing. You can make your own club, just the two of you (or you can invite more family members, your choice!), and then FaceTime to do the activity together. This can make it feel like a real club, even when you are miles apart!

If you can’t think of a shared activity off the top of your head, a book club, movie review club, or weekly board games club (see option 1) is a great neutral place to start until you find shared activities!

4. Quality Time With Mundane Activities

For those lucky enough to live near their family, we recommend inviting them to do activities together that you were planning to do anyway. Although we used the word mundane in the title, everything is more fun with a family member!

This is a nice, low-pressure way to spend time with family, as it should be during an activity you planned to do before inviting them along. Examples include cooking dinner, gardening, or even just organizing the garage. The point is spending time together, and you might be surprised by the commonalities you learn!

5. Create a Family Scrapbook

We know that scrapbooks have gone a little out of date, and that makes us sad, but they are one of the best ways to connect. Not only does it have you pulling out old photos and sharing the stories behind them with your family, but it also allows the younger generations to create something they will one day inherit.

Scrapbooks can be pricey, but there are scrapbooking kits that can help you get started. If you are still struggling, many craft stores offer scrapbooking classes, which can be fun to attend with a family member, even if you don’t end up finishing it in the end.

6. Write Letters

When was the last time you received mail that wasn’t a bill? Probably a long time. Asking a family member to be your pen pal can be a ray of sunshine in your life and help you to bridge the generational gap. You can even be a pen pal with your grandkids to help them practice their writing and learn about the mail system!

Having a pen pal is especially fun if you invest in some nice, fun stationery. This is a great plan to implement at Christmas or during a Birthday, gifting your pen pal with the stationery you want them to use to write to you. The best part is that simple stationery kits are extremely affordable. The one we linked above has 54 pieces (36 papers and 18 envelopes) for under $10.

7. Volunteer

Shared volunteering is one of our favorite ways to connect with your family members and we aren’t the only ones. So many families volunteer their time, finding it brings them closer than ever before.

While the type of volunteering will vary based on the ages of your family and your capabilities, some of our favorites are:

• Food banks (handing out/sorting/packing food)
• Soup Kitchens (cooking/serving food, cleaning)
• Libraries (reading to kids, tutoring, and more)
• Events (can be anything from races to fundraisers)
• Clean-ups (Clean up beaches and roadsides, easy for groups of all ages)

Of course, the list goes on; these are just a few that are easy to get started with!

8. Take a Class Together

Learning never ends, and the best way to teach that is by signing up for a class with a family member. It could be a language class, cooking class, gym class, or anything that interests you. Just be sure to discuss it with them beforehand so you can choose something you both will enjoy!