To Grandmother’s House We Go …

     We love when our grandchildren come for summer visits. We’re not lucky enough to have our grands living in the Rochester area, so it is special when they visit from Florida, Wisconsin, and Westchester County each June or July.

     But for us —and for them — it’s not just a visit. We call it Camp Bebe & Papa.

Grandmother Bonnie is “Bebe,” Grandfather Jack is “Papa.” And the “camp”? It is what we call the fun and games, day trips, and special meals we work on together for every two-week visit.

We have fun by getting creative with organized activities, by exploring the many kid-friendly places and events in the region, and by exploring other cultures through their food and music during special ethnic dinners. Basically, we try to kick up by a notch or two, the standard summer grandchild visit.

That’s why you’ll sometimes see the Garner grands wearing sombreros for a Mexican meal they helped prepare, or in togas for Greek night, or sporting chefs’ hats and aprons, as they make homemade pasta for Italian night.

The chief camp leader, of course, is Bebe, who plots out theme nights and finds kid-friendly recipes, matching the cultures being explored. Papa is the counselor assistant, but the children are encouraged to also get involved any way they can.

Our four grandchildren at camp are Nina and Layla, aged 13 and 10, and their cousins Gavin and Logan, 13 and 11.

We have two more grands, Malayna and Adelaide, who are 4 and 2, and sometimes visit for part of camp, but aren’t yet old enough to participate broadly. They eagerly wait in the wings for future camps, when they’re just a little older.

As Bonnie and I conceive the meals for theme nights, she plans cooking activities with which the youngsters can help. And costumes are a big part of the enterprise.

For Old West night, with franks, campfire beans, and corn on the cob, the kids dressed like cowboys and gunfighters, and even posed for personal “Wanted” posters.

They also have enjoyed a French night, complete with berets, red scarves, blue-striped shirts, and fluffy moustaches. The main entree? Chicken French. Yes, we had to explain that it’s actually considered an Italian dish, and, even stranger, it was invented in Rochester! But, hey, it’s got “French” in the title.

And then there was Chinese night, for which Bonnie and I shopped for all sorts of Asian hats, artifacts, and foodstuffs. (We typically can find most things we need in ethnic markets in the area, though we sometimes order a few things online.) We also had fun that night, working on chopstick skills, (which was complicated by Papa’s total lack of stick talent. Once again, Bebe saved the day.)

Camp days, meanwhile, are filled with fun activities in the region. Some are familiar no-brainers, like Red Wings baseball, The Seneca Park Zoo, Strong Museum, Seabreeze, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the George Eastman Museum.

But we also try to expand our horizons with day trips to Corning Glass, for example, where our kids loved the chance to make a glass item, which allowed them to bring home things they created.

Another local gem is the Ganondagon Museum, with its Seneca Art & Culture Center and the fabulous bark longhouse. Then there’s the Genesee Country Museum.

Our kids also loved learning at the Susan B. Anthony House, rock ‘n’ rollin’ with The Million Dollar Quartet at Geva Theatre, and cheering-on the jousting knights at the Sterling Renaissance Faire.

A big hit was the Hidden Valley Animal Adventure, in nearby Varysburg, with 4,500 creatures from 40 species from all over the globe, for your grands to feed and observe.

Other Camp Bebe and Papa “field trips” have included two canal experiences — a ride on the Sam Patch out of Pittsford (where it’s likely the captain will let your youngster pilot) or a longer drive to the Lockport Locks with a surprising tunnel to explore near Buffalo.

All these places and events have websites to help your planning, and most have luncheon eateries or ice cream parlors nearby for midday feeding on the day trips.

We also willingly open up Camp Bebe & Papa to our grandchildren’s’ parents — our adult children — who typically visit during the second of the two weeks. It’s usually at just the point where at least the Papa is running out of steam, and appreciates the support.

Plus, it’s a sweet reminder for Bonnie and I of the days when Matt, Erica, and Mary were children themselves, and in search of their own summer adventures.