The East River as seen from The Roosevelt Island Tram
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
The Age of the Children
The first thing to consider is the age and interests of your grandchildren. What's appropriate for a 7 year-old, might not be for a 4 year-old. Unless you intend to take separate excursions, try to find trips and sites that have broad appeal. For example, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry in and of itself, might be fascinating for a 4 year-old, but a 7 year-old might enjoy working on checklist of items seen in the harbor, eg., a tugboat, a yacht, an ocean liner, the Statue of Liberty, etc.
The Timeframe
Of course, if you are planning an afterschool excursion, the timeframe will be different than if you have a full day available. There are many interesting things to do from 3:00 - 5:00 PM that can enrich the day. For example, depending upon where you start, a bus or subway ride to Rockefeller Center can easily be accomplished in an hour or two.
Make Yourself Known to School Personnel
Most elementary schools will not allow anyone to pick up a child who does not have parental permission. Make sure that the parents write a note to the appropriate teacher or administrator giving permission for you to pick up their child from school. Many schools will check for your identification. After a while, the teacher who dismisses the class will come to know the grandparents and release the children to them.
Volunteer in Your Grandchildren's School
Grandparents have any number of skills and interests that they might offer to teachers in connection to a visit to the class. Some teachers are more comfortable than others with such visits, so take your cues from the response to your offer. Involvement in your grandchildren's schools can be personally rewarding and will make your grandchildren feel supported and somewhat special. As one who has visited nursery school classes several times, though, it is important to show no preferance to your own grandchild. Most teachers will ask your grandchild to introduce you, but once that happens, you are there for ALL of the kids in the class. Bringing in an activity or an artifact can foster a great deal of interest, but simply selecting a special book (even one that you have read to your own children) may be a very welcome event.
Use Public Transportation
Part of the adventure with kids is the use of public transportation. Helping them to become familiar with city subway and lines is a great educational experience. The differences between "express" and "local" trains and "limited" and "local service" is captivating to young kids. They love to be involved in discussing routes and transfers.
