Three American psychologists urge grandparents to offer steady support and unrushed attention. A 2025 survey cited in the article found that 44% of French grandparents see their grandchildren several times a month.
Dr. Ioana Pal, a clinical child psychologist, recommends putting away the television and smartphone when grandchildren visit. Conversation and focused attention, she says, can support a child’s development. An academic overview of intergenerational relationships describes potential benefits from contact between young children and older adults. These include individualized attention and sensory stimulation. The overview also discusses intellectual development, self-esteem and mutual acceptance. The advice centers on how grandparents spend time with children, rather than what they buy.
For psychologist Caitlin Slavens, shared time can help a child feel valued without tying that worth to achievement.
During an activity, Slavens advises grandparents to let the child take the lead. Avoid correcting them. Don’t steer them toward a particular skill or interest. The academic overview also recommends listening respectfully to grandchildren and sharing family history. It urges grandparents to learn from them, too.
That doesn’t require an elaborate outing. The source describes ordinary ways generations spend time together: board games and outdoor walks, as well as crafts and baking. The psychologists’ advice is to be present and supportive during those moments. The academic overview does not identify one activity as more beneficial than the others.
Dr. Elizabeth Solomon Loyola, a child psychologist in Carlsbad, California, describes grandparents as an important source of unconditional love, without the pressures associated with parenting. She is describing a distinct role, not suggesting that grandparents replace parents or take on their responsibilities. An academic review also notes that the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren sits within the wider family, particularly through the parents who link the generations.
A 2025 survey by the French online outlet Grand-Mercredi estimated that France has about 15 million grandparents. It found that 44% see their grandchildren several times a month, according to Top Santé. The survey records how often those visits happen. It does not show that a particular activity or amount of contact produces a specific developmental outcome.
The academic overview puts average time spent on grandparenting at 12.1 hours per week per person. Reported involvement ranges from about one hour a week to 168 hours. That figure describes time spent caring for grandchildren, not a recommended amount of contact. The psychologists’ comments are recommendations, not results from a study comparing gifts with time or measuring children’s outcomes. Their guidance is to offer attention and avoid making an activity feel like a test. They also urge grandparents to show children that their value extends beyond performance or interests.
Slavens links this kind of support with a foundation for stable personality development and self-esteem. Pal recommends making room for conversation during visits. An unhurried game or shared baking session can give a child space to talk and explore an activity without being directed at every step.
