The holidays are fast approaching. For many grandparents, summer means more quality time with their grandchildren, whether on extended family get-togethers or because they step in to help with the work/school holiday juggle. That means coming up with plenty of fun, affordable activities to keep little ones busy, while creating lasting memories.

Here are some ideas to inspire you this summer:

There’s nothing better on a long, hot summer’s day than splashing about in a cool stretch of water. If you don’t live near a beach, river or lake, most towns have community pools, which often have kids’ activities scheduled during holidays. Failing that, and if water restrictions allow, kids can get hours of fun out of pack-away pools, slip’n’slides or even back-yard sprinklers.

Of course, wherever water is involved, safety is foremost. Many beaches and pools have lifeguards over the summer, but make sure you check conditions and don’t take your eyes off your charges, even at home. Better yet, don your swimsuit and join in!

If you know your way around a smartphone, give geocaching a go. It’s basically a modern treasure hunt that involves an app or GPS device to find hidden containers called geocaches. There are thousands of geocaches all over New Zealand, and you can search for them by location, difficulty, or theme.

Geocaching is a great way to explore new places, learn about nature, and have an adventure. When you find a geocache, you can sign the logbook inside, swap a small item, and mark your find on the app. You can also create your own geocaches and hide them for others to find. To get started, click here to visit the official website or read this article.

Cooking and baking are fun, creative and low-cost activities that you can do with your grandkids at home. Teach them some of your favourite recipes or try something new together. You could also make it more exciting by having a theme, such as a picnic, a tea party, or a cultural cuisine.

Cooking is a great way to help little ones develop their skills, confidence, and appreciation for food. Particularly if you involve them in the whole process of choosing recipes around seasonal or local produce and shopping for ingredients you don’t already have at home.

While many youngsters tend to gravitate towards screens for entertainment, board games are classic activities that never go out of style. Perfect for rainy days, they can provide hours of entertainment, laughter, and challenge. They can also help your grandkids improve their cognitive, social, and emotional skills. If you’ve long since consigned your board games to the donation pile, libraries often loan out games along with books.