GRANDPARENTS AND KIDS Gifts of time and love

By STEPHANIE DUNNEWIND
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
GRANDPARENTS KNOW TIME TO-gether is probably the most treasured gift they can give their grandkids.So we brainstormed some fun things grandparents can give for the holidays that allow them to be together with grandchildren.
BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP
When Claudia Beck of Bothell, Wash., wandered into Build-a-Bear Workshop last year, she knew it would be a great thing to do for Christmas with her two granddaughters.
"They just had a blast," she said.
At Build-a-Bear, visitors choose from an array of furry animal shells, then watch as the creatures are stuffed and sewed shut.
Beck's granddaughters made different selections: Katie Skurski, now 6, picked out an elephant, while Megan Skurski, now 4, opted for a pony. Other options include 14- to 21-inch-tall teddy bears, penguins, horses and bunnies.
Cost for the basic bear sans clothing is $10 to $25, with most about $18. Clothing outfits run $8 to $12, with additional accessories such as shoes and boots ($7-$8), hats ($5-$7), sunglasses ($3), underwear ($3) and sporting equipment (scooter, $10; roller skates, $5) on top of that.
Creatures with heart
Once kids select their animals (carried around, they look like furry sacks), they pick out a heart (solid red or gingham) at the stuffing station. While the child pushes his or her foot on a pedal to run the machine, an attendant fills the bear with stuffing as the child watches. Sometimes an attendant will ask the child to check the stuffing level and decide if it needs more.
After the child makes a wish and gives the heart a kiss, the attendant places the heart inside the animal and stitches its back closed. For an additional cost ($3 to $8), a speaker with sayings such as "I love you" or a giggle can be added.
Then it's on to the fluffing station, where kids can give their stuffed creatures an air bath and good brushing. Computers allow new owners to print out birth certificates, which go home along with the toys in a cardboard house.
Unless the store is crowded and a line develops, the process of putting together an animal takes 10 to 15 minutes. Beck figures it took her granddaughters about an hour from start to finish, partly because she let them type their own names for the certificates.
Coming up with the appropriate outfit and accessories -- Beck's granddaughters got to choose two outfits each, ending up with ballet and gymnastics outfits, two princess dresses and matching shoes -- can also take a while.
It's hard to decide: A wild look with a leather jacket? A Harry Potter-inspired ensemble with wizard hat and round glasses? A sporty bear in a soccer uniform?
"It was fun to watch them pick out what they wanted," Beck said. "It was really fun to do it together with them."
XBuild-a-Bear Workshop, www.buildabear.com.
CULTURAL COLLABORATIONS
Many grandparents like to slip a little education or culture into their shared time with children. For Eleanor Nolan of Seattle, taking her visiting grandchildren to plays at the children's theatre is a way to bond, both at the time and later, when they reminisce about shows they've seen together.
"Since they're not living here, those experiences help us reidentify and reconnect when we get together again," said Nolan. "It's just magical to share it with them."
The plays also offer a springboard for conversations about literature and life lessons with her older grandchildren.
"It's like telling them a story, except you're transporting them with theater," she said.
Local museums and zoos can also be fun.
MORE GIFT IDEAS
UHomemade coupon book with slips kids can exchange for an outing to the park or a picnic lunch.
UTickets to a sporting event or passes for the movies.
UGift certificate for a date together at a nice restaurant.
UGear for an outing together, such as a fishing pole, hiking boots or skis.
UA certificate offering to teach your grandchild your favorite hobby, along with basic materials to get started. This might include yarn and needles for knitting or a kit for building a birdhouse.
UA pot, soil and flower seeds and the offer to help plant a small garden.
USign up for lessons or a class to learn something together (check with parents first). Possibilities: playing the guitar, snowboarding, dancing.
UVisit a paint-your-own ceramics shop and paint a keepsake to exchange.
UEven a more traditional gift of a game or toy can come with a note promising to play it together, or a favorite book with an offer of a lap for reading.
UPhone cards so children can call if they live far away.