As the freshly extinguished flame of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore still burns in our minds, there have been a lot of things said about the level of support for Singapore athletes.

We know one thing for sure, while dads are busy at work, some grandfathers are happy to take over and enjoy the spirit of fun and learning through playing sports with their grandchildren.

Granddads, besides providing much-needed wisdom, guidance and stability to your grandchildren, you have one advantage that their parents may not. That advantage is that you would not have the expectations of the child’s parents - which can affect how they handle their children, sometimes turning enjoyable pursuits into painful chores.

The question then is, 'Can granddads really help build a child’s sporting life?' Our answer is a resounding yes! Children’s appreciation of sports is based on enjoyment, and their persistence is built on desire for mastery. Free from having parental expectations, granddads are in a unique position to help children in their enjoyment and full participation in sports.

The benefits of sports for kids are well-documented, and a September 2010 article in the New York Times even informs us that exercise can make kids smarter.

Grand to play golf

These days, golf is not about old men wearing strange clothes. Today’s game of golf is modern, practical, yet maintains worthwhile traditions that grandfathers will understand well and will want to share with your grandchildren.

Our favourite quote to encourage grandfathers to teach their grandchildren golf is from P. G. Wodehouse, who said in his 1922 book, “Golf, like the measles, should be caught young, for, if postponed to riper years, the results may be serious.”⁽¹⁾

We caught up with Simon Kee, a grandfather to two boys, Junior, 8, and Jayden, 6. Simon is an active granddad, who enjoys golf at the Changi Golf Club and leads an active social life. A few years ago, he thought it would be good to introduce his grandkids to a game that he loved, and personally took them to practice golf at various driving ranges across the island.

Eventually, his persistence paid off, and last year the kids enrolled in a few formal lessons. Junior easily earned his Proficiency Certificate at the Changi Golf Club, where his father, Stanley, is a member. The proud granddad took Junior on his maiden game on the golf course and shares their experience with us:

“Junior was a natural on the course, having a beautiful swing that only kids can have because they learn the game at that age. When we arrived at the first tee (the starting point for a golf game), our playing partners, all adults, were a bit hesitant and I could tell, even skeptical.”

"I thought it would be good to get him out among seasoned golfers, and even to my surprise, he exceeded my expectations. My friends were very surprised and impressed at how well he conducted himself on the course. Maybe being among a group of adults for the first time helped him to focus on his game."

Junior did have his moments though, and Simon told us that there was an incident when his ball ended up in a sand bunker, while the players were already ahead of the boy and out of sight. They waited for him for a while and when he didn't appear, Simon went to see what his struggle was.

"There he was, sitting on the sand in the bunker, making sandcastles. Of course, I had to give him a quick scolding and get him to rake the bunker (to flatten the sandy surface) and quickly proceed with our game."

Needless to say, Simon tells us to expect the unexpected when it comes to playing sports with your grandchildren.

If you're looking for ideas on what sports to enjoy with your grandchildren, read on.

Great Sports for Granddads and Grandchildren

1) Go Fishing – There’s a long list of fun skills you can teach your grandchild through fishing, like how to bait a hook, cast a line and hook a fish. Moreover, there are fun places to explore together, as the PUB and NEA are opening up more legal fishing spots in Singapore, and commercial fishing ponds abound.

“Give a child a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a child to fish, and you’ll spawn memories and bonds that last a lifetime.” – DadsforLife

Of course, you want to make sure that your grandchild is ready with one skill that all fishermen need – patience. If you do not think your grandchild can sit still for more than an hour, this might be an activity you need to save for when the child is a little older.

Once you do take your grandchild fishing, you also have the opportunity to impart a few tried but true virtues - patience and humility.

2) Skipping Stones – This ‘sport’ is not about actual skipping, it involves throwing a flat stone over a calm body of water, like a pond or the sea on a day with relatively small waves.

Besides being good fun to watch the rocks ‘hop’ over the water, you also help your grandchild build good hand-eye coordination and muscle speed through the whipping release. At the same time, you get to show off your knowledge of nature by the coastline.

Someday, when your grandchild turns into a healthy sports lover, he or she will thank you for this.

3) Fly Kites – While no longer a traditional sport, flying kites gets you outdoors, sometimes requires a bit of running, teamwork and enjoying your achievement of getting that colourful kite in the sky together.

East Coast Park, West Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park, Tampines Street 9 and even the Marina Barrage are great places to enjoy the breeze, the relaxation and the good company of kite enthusiasts.

4) Golf – Today, golf is no longer just a rich man’s game. Public courses like Marina Bay, Green Fairways, Tanglin Golf Course and Executive Golf Course offer public programmes and easy access.

In addition, private clubs also welcome the public, but you need to call to check for available times. Such courses include the Changi Golf Club, National Service Resort and Country Club, Orchid Country Club and Jurong Country Club.

The great thing about golf is that there is so much for you to share with your grandkid, from learning good behaviour on the golf course, to honesty and integrity, and respect for the environment and for one’s playing partners.

Better still, it is truly a game for a lifetime – and for building a lifetime of memories. You can also travel and play with your grandkids and “kids” too. Batam, Johor, Thailand are some popular nearby destinations with good courses and often, child-friendly facilities. Do your research before you go.

5) Bowling – Take your grandkids to a bowling alley and you really won’t have to do much to convince them to get off their computer games. Bowling is an easy sport to take up together, and you can have a fun time without breaking a sweat.

Most bowling facilities cater to kids as young as 7 or 8. Bowling also provides a chance to bond over a kid’s favourite foods; the only trouble you might have is your grandchild might pester you to take her out to the alley every weekend!

For more reading on Active Grandparent, have a look at this article .

References:

Wodehouse, P.G. (1999). Golf Without Tears: Stories of Golfers and Lovers. Halcottsville, New York: Breakaway Books.

About the Author: The DadsforLife Resource Team comprises local content writers and experts, including psychologists, counsellors, educators and social service professionals, dedicated to developing useful resources for dads.