When physical distance, hectic schedules and other obstacles keep families from spending as much time together as they’d like, the holidays hold even more importance. Making the most of your grandchildren’s visit just takes a little planning and creativity. Here are some ideas for reconnecting and building wonderful memories when the young ones visit this Thanksgiving.

Get them involved. Time is shorter than we’d like, making the extensive but necessary meal preparations - and homemaking tasks - all the more burdensome. But involving the grandkids in those chores turns work into pleasure for both of you. Even young children can help measure and stir, set the table, and clean up after the meal. Working along with you gives them a sense of accomplishment, and both of you an opportunity to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.

See the world through their eyes. Everything is new and full of possibilities from a child’s perspective. Put aside the “to do” list for half an hour and let your grandchildren show you their world. It may be silly, or whimsical, or downright magical, but it is certain to be far removed from the adult perspective. Sharing their world will bring you closer.

Explore each other’s interests. We all have particular aptitudes and passions. Sharing yours with your grandchildren will show them another facet of you and may encourage them to explore interests they might not otherwise have considered. Similarly, when you show interest in things they have embraced, it sends a message that you value them and care about who they are. This kind of genuine exchange is what strengthens the bonds between you, even if in-person visits are less frequent than you’d like.

Learn to play again. Spending time with grandchildren provides an ideal opportunity to revisit the spontaneous joy of childhood. Children play with abandon, expressing themselves in a continuous celebration of being. They don’t worry about getting messy when they frost the cupcakes and they don’t care if the neighbors give them funny looks for rolling in fallen leaves or throwing themselves on the ground to make a snow angel. Play lets you connect in the most fundamental way with your grandchildren.

Make plans to stay connected until the next visit. Especially if your grandchild lives quite a distance away, planning a joint project will provide a structured, focused way to stay in touch between visits. For example, both you and your grandchild might take photographs for a shared scrapbook or photo album, sharing them via email. Or you could write a story together, each adding a few paragraphs before turning it back to the other. The important part is that the two of you plan and start the project during the visit, so that working on it while you’re apart feels like a continuation of your time together.

Enjoy the moments together. Easier said than done sometimes, but it’s the moments that cumulatively build a lifetime. Be as fully present with your grandchild as possible, letting go of the mental chatter we all experience about what must be done or what has gone wrong. Instead, notice the timbre of your grandchild’s voice, the color of her hair, the way his eyes light up when he talks about his favorites things. Most of us go through life rarely experiencing that kind of focused connection with others. Giving your grandchildren the gift of your presence will show them how much they matter to you and forge a bond that the miles can never break.