How about season passes to the zoo? Or to another activity. Here we have the Natural Science Center which includes a mini-zoo, and various other things for young ones to do.

Don't know if this would work, but my son & dil gave me a gift last year to have tea at a local really nice hotel with our 8-year-old GD. It was sooo special & we both loved it. The 2-year-old GD didn't go, but I think she could it manage it at 3 1/2. My DH & I both like experience gifts because we need nothing!

I was thinking of a movie, but a museum, zoo or fun event like a concert, show or festival would be even better, wouldn't it? Or a meal out at a kid-friendly restaurant, perhaps? Check out local entertainment schedules....

I think it would be harder to deal with the three children in a public place than in the home where the grandmother has control of the environment. I would suggest that you let her enjoy the children in her home and then give her a surprise bouquet or dinner or manicure/pedicure appointment.

I LOVE the idea of a season pass to the zoo or a similar place. It gives her the opportunity to easily and regularly spend time with them. The season pass is nice because they can go for just an hour when they are all available, not always a big chunk of the day in order to feel like you're getting your money's worth.

How about tickets to a local kids holiday show? Surely there's a performance of some kind? A nearby theater is doing Beauty and the Beast here, lots of matinees. And lunch at someplace low-key like Potbellies or a pancake house? My kids loved pancakes for lunch, quite a treat.

Would she like to make a gingerbread house with them? You can buy the kit and have the kids decorate one for her one for you.

Or, any edible type of craft. Make it, eat it, done!

Coco (the movie)! It's all about how important it is to remember your family.

If you gave her an experience with the kids gift (yearly pass to zoo or children's museum or other museum, or tix to show or movie) it's possible she could spend time with each of the kids separately, too, if interests of your kids are different because of their ages, or managing all 3 on an outing is too difficult.

Maybe ask each of the kids what THEY might like to do with Grandma if they had her all to themselves for a day. One might like to bake cookies, one might like to take in a ball game, one might like to go to a flight museum (you could offer them ideas).

Well if I wanted Grandma to have a special day with the kids I, with her permission, would hire a babysitter or two to go with her.

If grandma hates that idea maybe suggest a babysitter meets her when she takes them out to eat or to the movie theater excetera and then the rest of the time grandma and the kids are on their own. At least she has an extra pair of hands when she needs them.

What about a subcription box that comes to her house every month or so..... When my kids were younger I got them a subscription to Top Secret Adventures They loved doing it each month, and the country highlighted that month became a family theme. We would look up recipes and have cook and eat those foods. My 16 and 18 year old sons STILL talk about the boxes.

Another idea would be sort of like a monthly coupon book filled with different ideas for her and maybe some passes or tickets too. This could focus more on each different child a bit, one month an activity more geared to the 4 year old like make sock puppets and put on a play of 3 Billy Goats Gruff, and the next month more geared toward the 10 year old like make a model rocket and launch it.....

I'm a grandmother and love to spend time with my grands. I think the zoo pass or something like that would be nice, but I also like to have one-on-one time with my grands. I would visit with her about whether she would like to do outings or bake cookies with one at a time-not necessarily as a gift, but just to have special bonding time.

For a gift I would go with a spa treatment, pedicure, fresh flowers, gift certificate at a favorite restaurant or other personal consumable. Would she like a grandmother bracelet or pendant with charms?

Our children always do a personalized calendar of grandkid pictures that we enjoy all year. It's hard when you are in the child raising age to realize how some of the really neat things to grandparents aren't expensive, but just a special homemade card or time spent together, especially if they can afford to buy what they want.

I agree with Maddie ... and Fun. Dealing with 3 small kids at one time in a public place could end up being much more stressful than fun. You are such a thoughtful DIL, Amj, to want to give her an experience gift instead. I vote for Fun or Maddie’s ideas, myself.

My 30+ yo nephews were just reminiscing about something my Mum did with them when they were about 4-5. They live in the suburbs of a small city, so they were always driven places in the family vehicle. My Mum took them, one at a time, on a city bus, they rode downtown, probably had a snack somewhere, and then took the bus back to near her house. They were thrilled at the time. And they still fondly recall the outing.

I throw the idea out there as an inexpensive, quirky outing for kids who have never taken a public bus.

Sorry for the hijack, but hhireno, your post reminded me of a time when my son was about 6. At my suggestion, we made up an Adventure List for the summer break -things he wanted to do over the summer. The simplicity of his suggestions stunned me. I was expecting, "Go to Disneyland, take a trip to NH, etc." Instead, he wrote, "Explore the attic. Visit a firestation. Take a walk outside while it's raining..." It was one of our best summers ever.

So many nice ideas here. Thank you. Reading your responses has really made me realize what a blessing she is as a MIL and grandma. My kids do go on one-on-one slumber parties with her and grandpa when they can. Unfortunately our school and sports schedules cut into it a bit right now. She also has season passes to many local places already. Again, we go when we can. We already have a cookie making date scheduled so perhaps we'll add a gingerbread house into the mix. My kids love doing those.

Public outings make me a bit nervous. My kids are well behaved, but sometimes being out-numbered takes its toll (like when you're sitting in a theater and someone needs to go potty.... take them all with you and leave your snacks behind... ugh!). She would never go for the babysitter idea.

I love the idea of going for a tea. In fact there is a wonderful historic restaurant that does it here, but my boys would hate every minute of it. Maybe I'll go with her! My boys would love the city bus since it's not something we ever use, but the family joke is that grandma has zero sense of direction. I'm sure they would get lost!

Top Secret Adventures look very interesting. I will look more closely at that!

I think my best bet will be a personal spa treatment of some kind, then a fun at-home activity like the gingerbread house. Thanks!

Could the boys (with your help!) make her lunch or brunch at your house? Dress up the table with a nice floral arrangement she can take home after?

A photo session of Gram with the children?

Love the brunch idea. Photo session planned for Christmas!