FaceTime fun with Littles! simple ways to connect from afar!

55 minutes ago
8 min read

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Do you live close to the Littles in your life, like Laurie?

Or, are you a Distant GRAND, like Laura?

Even if you are not a GRAND,

we ALL are looking for ways to connect

with the ones we love!

For us, that is most especially true when it comes to our grandchildren,

our precious Littles!

There’s nothing quite like the sweet sound of little voices calling your name — even if it’s through a screen. In this season of life, FaceTime has become more than a convenience; it’s a bridge that keeps us closely connected across the miles.

While nothing replaces warm hugs and sticky kisses, a simple video call can turn an ordinary day into a shared adventure, filled with giggles, stories, and treasured moments.

Today we’re sharing creative and meaningful ways

to make FaceTime truly fun!

Quality time with our Littles doesn’t have to wait for the next in-person visit. FaceTime, Zoom or Google Meet are all platforms that give us the opportunity to connect with loved ones virtually! WhatsApp is another option that we are less familiar with but it’s a popular alternative, too. While none are a perfect replacement for being in the same room, each offers "shortcuts" to bridge the distance!

As kindergarten teachers we rarely used technology in our classrooms,

choosing hands-on, real life experiences whenever we could.

Then, in 2020, Covid hit and everything changed!

We were sent home one Friday afternoon in mid-March, returned the following week to pack up a few things, and neither of us ever returned to teach another lesson in our beloved classrooms…

And that’s a story for another day!

We spent that spring scrambling to reassure our families that all would be okay while also creating daily lessons that could be presented via student iPads and holding regular Google Meets with our classes!

It was quite the learning curve and we were pooped!

One of our primary concerns that spring was how could we keep our kindergartners focused, engaged and motivated while teaching them through a screen? We quickly discovered that the best way to do so was by doing everything we could to provide meaningful experiences through that screen!

It wasn’t always easy but it was so worthwhile!

Fast forward to retirement and to the joy of becoming GRANDS to our Littles! While Laura is a distant GRAND and Laurie lives near her grandkids, we both take advantage of technology and connect with our Littles virtually on a regular basis! FaceTime is our choice for doing so and we’ve learned to embrace these visits and the memory-making moments they provide!

Whether our Littles are showing off new skills

(like learning to dress their own babies),

modeling new clothes,

putting on a concert

or just being silly,

each moment is priceless and one to be cherished!

In addition to impromptu conversations

and providing an occasional distraction

(so mom and dad can get a few things done around the house)

we enjojy having a plan - an activity - to do with our Littles

when making this kind of. house call!

Here’s our list of a few special ways YOU can connect with Littles virtually!

🩷 Play Peek-a-Boo! (All Ages)

Play peek-a-boo with your youngest Littles - babies will especially love this! Laura added a valentine touch by hiding behind a big inflatable heart! You can also hide behind a photo of your Little or a large stuffed animal or, to simplify things, hide behind a piece of paper!

🩷 Virtual Story Time! (All Ages)

You know how much we value reading with Littles and don’t let the distance stop you from doing so! Pick a favorite book, or have your Little choose one from two options you provide on your end! (Visit your local library ahead of time and gather up a few books.) Your Littles will love it if you use different voices for the characters. You could even add a prop that goes with the story for added fun.

🩷 A Scavenger Hunt! (Toddlers & Older)

This was a popular activity in our kindergarten classes and your Littles will love it, too! Give your Little a task to find a specific item, set a timer and say “Go”! Your Little will hunt for the object and bring it back to the screen before time is up! (We usually give Littles one minute to find their item.) They will have a blast on their search (i.e. something red, something in the fridge, a favorite toy, or something oval). For younger Littles be specific for what they are searching for (i.e. a pillow or a fork) and older Littles will love the challenge of finding three things to bring back at the same time (i.e. a crayon, a cookie and a hat).

🩷 Hide and Seek! (Toddlers & Older)

This is a classic, whether you play in person or virtually! To play remotely, follow Laurie’s lead. Have your Little(s) hide while mom or dad walk around with the phone as Grammy narrates (“Hmmm. Is she behind the door?”)

🩷 Your Name is Special! (Preschoolers & Older)

Littles of this age are learning their letters and sounds and are especially attached to the letters in their own names. Write each letter of your Little’s name on a sheet of paper. For added fun, you could even cut out shapes from paper (Laurie cut out hearts) and write each letter on these. Spell out your Little’s name, holding one letter up at a time. While holding each letter up, tell your Little something you love about them that begins with that letter.

Examples:

L! I love to learn about your day at school.

A! I love your art work!

U! You are as beautiful as a unicorn!.

🩷 Ask Me A Question! (Preschoolers & Older)

During most FaceTime conversations, Laura’s Little L will usually say, “Bacco, ask me a question!”

Initially, I wrote several questions on little sheets of paper and put them all in the jar. Then, when we would FaceTime, I’d pull a slip from the jar and read the day’s question. Lately, we’ve been using a set of 5 Second Questions we created that we use for conversation starters at family meals or other gatherings. These questions are a great option for this activity. Feel free to use this partial list to spur on your own ideas.

You can also ask Google or AI for a list of conversation starters

appropriate for the age of your Littles!

🩷 Show & Tell! (Toddlers/Preschoolers & Older)

You and your Little(s) can take turns sharing something special with each other. You can show something to each other (an object) or tell something to each other! We often begin our FaceTime calls this way! Littles LOVE talking about themselves and things they love and it’s important practice for them to listen while you share, too!

🩷 Heartman! Hangman with a Heart! (School Age & Older)

Play the old classic game Hangman, but change it to Heartman! Before you virtually connect with your Little, come up with a theme (for example, animals, snack foods, holiday related words, sports would all make great themes). Then create a list of words or phrases your Little will be familiar with. Also have ready a few sheets of paper with the alphabet written on each for guessing. You could also prep this on a whiteboard or, if your Little is old enough, you could let him/her be in charge of a word!

Play the game, as usual, except instead of building a hangman, adding pieces with each incorrect guess, build a heartman as shown in Laurie’s example below!

If needed, here’s a video further describing the rules of the original version!

🩷 Dress Up for the Occasion! (All Ages)

Once in a while, put on some fun jewelry, a silly wig or a fun costume when you and your Little virtually connect!

You could even have a contest…

Who can wear the most “RED, PINK, PURPLE and WHITE?”

Really go to town and count all the items on you and your Little and see who is wearing the most items! We know someone out there will have a red pair of underwear!

Are you a GRAND, and, if so,

do you live near your Littles or are you a distant one?

Do you connect with them virtually?

We’d love to hear more about your favorite moments from afar!

THANK YOU!

If you enjoyed this post,

we’d love to stay in touch!

We invite you to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss future posts!

That would be simply GRAND!

We’ll be back early next week with a new post for you all!

It will be time for our

We hope you’ll join us!

Being a Distant GRAND can be a tough balancing act, often trading physical presence for grainy video calls and missed occasions. The hardest part though is losing those small, "in-between" moments that happen when you aren't there to witness them in person.

However, making the effort to stay involved — even through a screen — is what ensures you remain a constant, familiar face in your Littles lives!

And most of all, REMEMBER that

the best idea of all…

will always be time spent with your Littles…

in person OR virtually!

Whether you’re sitting together on the floor or couch

as you hug and snuggle

you’re building connections on a screen laughing and talking,

always take the time

to tell your Littles how much you love them!