{"id":11942,"date":"2025-05-07T06:39:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T06:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kiindred.co\/product\/?post_type=articles&p=11942"},"modified":"2025-06-16T06:39:03","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T06:39:03","slug":"the-understated-role-of-grandparents-in-playtime","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/kiindred.co\/product\/toddler\/activity-and-learning\/role-of-grandparents-in-playtime\/","title":{"rendered":"The understated role of grandparents in playtime"},"content":{"rendered":"

We tend to think of playtime as something that\u2019s squeezed in between school runs, Zoom calls and cleaning up another crushed rice cracker from the carpet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":12506,"parent":0,"template":"","brand-taxonomy":[169],"product-taxonomy":[320,575],"class_list":["post-11942","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","brand-taxonomy-lego","product-taxonomy-toddler","product-taxonomy-activity-and-learning-toddler"],"acf":{"youtube_video_id_or_url":"","show_floating_header":"No","main_page_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"first_layout","section_title_here":"","section_sidebar_title_here":"","section_content_here":"

It can feel like just one more thing on the to-do list, especially when you\u2019re exhausted and the idea of building another block tower feels like Groundhog Day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, it doesn\u2019t all have to fall on us.<\/span><\/p>\n

More and more research is highlighting the huge benefits of having grandparents involved in our kids\u2019 lives, especially when it comes to play. And it turns out, this kind of connection can be more powerful than we often give it credit for.<\/span><\/p>\n","select_product_all_section":"","add_quote_content_section":"","add_jw_video_shortcode_here":"","add_instagram_embed_code":"","add_pinterest_embed_code":"","add_youtube_embed_code":"","turn_off_sign_up_section":true,"turn_off_parent_with_confidence_section":true,"turn_off_review_section":true,"turn_off_hey_parents_section":true,"turn_off_third_left_banner_section":true,"turn_off_products_you_love_section":true,"turn_off_win_game_section":true,"turn_off_win_a_gift_voucher_section":true,"hide_and_show_button":"A"},{"acf_fc_layout":"first_layout","section_title_here":"A growing role in modern families","section_sidebar_title_here":"","section_content_here":"

Australian families are increasingly turning to grandparents for support. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), around 30% of children under the age of 12 receive regular care from a grandparent, often once a week or more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While some of this care is practical (school pickups, meals, bedtime routines), a lot of it includes time for play \u2014 and this play often looks and feels quite different from what we see in early learning settings or at home with parents.<\/span><\/p>\n","select_product_all_section":"","add_quote_content_section":"","add_jw_video_shortcode_here":"","add_instagram_embed_code":"","add_pinterest_embed_code":"","add_youtube_embed_code":"","turn_off_sign_up_section":true,"turn_off_parent_with_confidence_section":true,"turn_off_review_section":true,"turn_off_hey_parents_section":true,"turn_off_third_left_banner_section":true,"turn_off_products_you_love_section":true,"turn_off_win_game_section":true,"turn_off_win_a_gift_voucher_section":true,"hide_and_show_button":"A"},{"acf_fc_layout":"first_layout","section_title_here":"The magic in how they play","section_sidebar_title_here":"","section_content_here":"

Grandparent play tends to be slower, quieter, and less structured. It might involve card games, drawing, gardening, or simply watching the clouds and chatting about what shapes they see.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no pressure to \u201cachieve\u201d something in the game, which is part of what makes it so impactful.<\/span><\/p>\n

Children need unstructured, open-ended play to thrive. It helps them achieve emotional regulation, social confidence, language and curiosity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Grandparents often bring just that. Not because they\u2019ve read a parenting manual, but because they have time. Their version of play isn\u2019t hurried, distracted or multitasked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019re present in a way that kids don\u2019t always get from their busy, overstretched parents.<\/span><\/p>\n","select_product_all_section":"","add_quote_content_section":"","add_jw_video_shortcode_here":"","add_instagram_embed_code":"","add_pinterest_embed_code":"","add_youtube_embed_code":"","turn_off_sign_up_section":true,"turn_off_parent_with_confidence_section":true,"turn_off_review_section":true,"turn_off_hey_parents_section":true,"turn_off_third_left_banner_section":true,"turn_off_products_you_love_section":true,"turn_off_win_game_section":true,"turn_off_win_a_gift_voucher_section":true,"hide_and_show_button":"A"},{"acf_fc_layout":"first_layout","section_title_here":"The research backs it up","section_sidebar_title_here":"","section_content_here":"

A study from Oxford University<\/span><\/a> found that children with active, emotionally engaged grandparents were more likely to have fewer behavioural problems and stronger peer relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n

These benefits were directly linked to everyday involvement, including talking, playing, and sharing routines.<\/span><\/p>\n

This kind of consistent, low-pressure interaction builds emotional safety for children. It helps them feel seen and understood. This makes all the difference in moments of play, where imagination and vulnerability often go hand in hand.<\/span><\/p>\n","select_product_all_section":"","add_quote_content_section":"","add_jw_video_shortcode_here":"","add_instagram_embed_code":"","add_pinterest_embed_code":"","add_youtube_embed_code":"","turn_off_sign_up_section":true,"turn_off_parent_with_confidence_section":true,"turn_off_review_section":true,"turn_off_hey_parents_section":true,"turn_off_third_left_banner_section":true,"turn_off_products_you_love_section":true,"turn_off_win_game_section":true,"turn_off_win_a_gift_voucher_section":true,"hide_and_show_button":"A"},{"acf_fc_layout":"first_layout","section_title_here":"It's not just good for kids","section_sidebar_title_here":"","section_content_here":"

Intergenerational play benefits both sides of the relationship. For grandparents, being involved in their grandchild\u2019s life, especially through meaningful activities like play, has been linked to improved mental health, a stronger sense of purpose, and even better brain function.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A study from the Women\u2019s Healthy Ageing Project<\/span><\/a> found that grandmothers who looked after grandchildren for at least one day a week had better memory performance and cognitive health than those who didn\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

So when a grandparent reads a book, plays a game or simply chats while watering the plants, they\u2019re engaging in something deeply nourishing for themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does grandparent-led play actually look like?<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the most common (and effective) forms of grandparent play include:<\/span><\/p>\n