How to Help Kids Stay Connected with Long-Distance Grandparents

By The PaintPal Team · 2026-04-29

Few things are sweeter than a kid and their grandparent in the same room. And few things are more awkward than that same pair on a video call. Grandma asks "what did you do today?" and your kid answers "nothing," stares at the ceiling, and asks to get down. Everyone means well, but the format just doesn't work for young children.

If your kids live far from their grandparents — across the country or across an ocean — building a real relationship over distance takes a little strategy. The secret is the same one that works for virtual playdates: give them something to do together, not just something to talk about.

Why video calls are hard for little kids

Young children connect through shared activity, not conversation. A toddler on grandpa's lap isn't making small talk — they're stacking blocks, reading a book, getting tickled. The relationship is built around doing. A video call removes all of that and replaces it with a talking head, which is exactly the kind of abstract interaction young kids find hardest.

So instead of trying to make the call itself better, change what happens during the call. Add an activity, and the connection follows.

Activities that work over distance

Draw together on the same canvas. This is a standout because it gives both the child and the grandparent something to do with their hands and something to react to. With PaintPal, a grandparent and grandchild draw on the same canvas in real time with built-in video chat. Grandma draws a cat, your kid gives it a hat, everyone laughs. It works on a phone, tablet, or computer, so even a less tech-savvy grandparent can join from a browser at paintpal.fun. The drawing becomes the conversation — no more "what did you do today?"

Read a bedtime story together. Grandparents can read a picture book aloud over video while the child follows along. Some families keep two copies of the same book so the child can turn the pages too.

Cook a family recipe. Older kids love "cooking with grandma" over video — making a recipe that's been in the family for generations. It passes down something real and gives the call a built-in purpose.

Play a simple game. I-spy, twenty questions, or a drawing game like the squiggle game (one person draws a scribble, the other turns it into something) all work great over video and need zero materials.

Build a rhythm, not a one-off

Make it regular. A standing weekly "drawing date with grandma" every Sunday becomes something kids look forward to and count on. Predictability matters more than length — fifteen minutes every week beats two hours once a season.

Keep it short and sweet. End while the child is still enjoying it. A short, happy call leaves everyone wanting the next one. A long, dragging call teaches kids that grandparent calls are boring.

Let the kid lead sometimes. Kids light up when they get to show grandma their world — their drawing, their new toy, their dance. Build in time for the child to share, not just answer questions.

Make it easy for the grandparents too

The biggest barrier is often on the grandparent's end — unfamiliar apps, fiddly logins, tiny buttons. When you pick a tool, choose one that's genuinely simple. PaintPal works in any web browser, so a grandparent can join a drawing room just by tapping a link you send — no app store, no account hoops to clear. The interface is big and friendly because it was designed for young kids, which happens to make it easy for grandparents too.

Safety matters here as well. PaintPal uses private rooms with invite-only links, the video chat only works inside those rooms, there are no ads, and there's no way for strangers to reach your child. You can hand your kid the tablet for a drawing date with grandpa and not think twice.

The bottom line

Distance doesn't have to mean a weaker bond between kids and their grandparents. It just means you have to be a little more intentional about giving them something to do together. Swap the "talking head" video call for a shared activity — drawing on the same canvas, reading a story, cooking a recipe — and watch the relationship come alive. PaintPal is free and works on iPhone, iPad, and the web, so the whole family can draw together from anywhere. Try it at the App Store or paintpal.fun.