Lucky kids get to spend extra time with their grandparents during the summer. But what happens to those relationships when school starts and the schedule gets crowded with homework, sports, clubs and other activities?

For grandparents who are willing to stretch a little, the computer can be a powerful ally in building close, ongoing relationships. Often parents can facilitate this connection. If you live in the same town and have the skills, consider setting up the equipment and enlisting the kids to do a little training with their grandparents. For long-distance grandparents, think about giving them a gift certificate for an Internet class at the local senior center, or hiring a guru for a one-on-one afternoon session. The AARP website (aarp.org) also has helpful articles introducing seniors to new technologies.

Even when the technology gap seems daunting, it’s worth bridging. Kids will appreciate grandparents who can send an instant message (IM) as well as the obligatory birthday card, guide a surfing expedition as well as a fishing trip, and post photos on a website as well as the refrigerator door.  Helping your parents master just one of the skills listed below is likely to strengthen the connection between generations in ways that are nourishing for them and your kids.

Send a Message
Most grandparents are now acquainted with e-mail since it seems like such an easy way to tell a child “I’m thinking about you.”  A surprising number of kids, however, never even open their e-mail. Instead, introduce grandparents to instant or text messaging. These messages are more rewarding for kids because of their immediacy–you type a line and your recipient types a reply. Once grandparents get the hang of this, they are often enthusiastic correspondents. Setting up IM is easy and free, and learning IM lingo is fun at sites such as www.lingo2word.com.

Use Webcams with Caution
Webcams are mini video cameras that can be attached to a computer. The advantage: Grandchildren can see grandparents and vice versa, a special treat when kids are little and changing every week.  The disadvantage: Predators often talk preteens and teens into using webcam cameras to exchange compromising videos. If grandparents want to communicate via webcam, be sure the camera-enabled computer is in a main room of the house where you can supervise its use.

Become a Surf Master
Although there are fascinating and rewarding websites for children, they often have a hard time finding them. A grandparent with just a little search expertise can perform a valuable service by sorting through the debris and sending a grandchild the gems. A good place to start is the American Library Association’s Great Websites for Kids. Go to google.com and search for “great websites for kids.”  Pointing a child to a well-chosen website is also a way to build a shared interest in favorite hobbies, such as genealogy, travel, or gardening.

Create an Online Album
Even technophobic grandparents will enjoy a digital photo frame set up to display a continuous slideshow of digital pictures. Or create an online photo gallery at websites like www.flickr.com, www.shutterfly.com, www.snapfish.com, and www.easyshare.com.   Most sites charge an annual fee, but some offer small albums for free or special deals during a holiday season. Before signing up, be sure the site provides password protection so the pictures are visible only to invited guests.

Play Games
Generations of kids have learned to play Checkers, Rummy, Scrabble, Battleship, and other classic games together with their grandparents. Now this tradition continues online where these games, and many others, can be played long distance without any cost.   Point kids and grandparents towards sites like www.itsyourturn.com where players sign in so they can play only with each other. Avoid sites featuring casino games. Even when they are “free,” they create an unhealthy interest in gambling.

Build a Blog
A grandparent trying to keep up with grandchildren in several places may discover blogging is a perfect solution. At sites like xanga.com and multiply.com, seniors can post messages and encourage grandchildren to respond with comments of their own. Not only does this keep grandparents connected, but it may also build bonds between cousins. If you want to prime the pump, consider an extended family membership at a site like connectedfamily.net, where everyone can stay in touch.

In Your Facebook
Grandparents with teenage grandchildren probably worry about Facebook. However, with just a little effort, they can play a valuable role in helping young people make wise decisions about how they want to present themselves online. Perhaps the best way to do this is to encourage grandparents to set up their own pages on Facebook, a process that is free and relatively easy. With a little experimenting, a motivated grandparent can personalize a page with text, photos, music, and links to websites of interest.  Then, he or she can invite grandchildren to visit.  Some teens may reciprocate while others may not.  That’s OK.  Simply asking for a grandchild’s advice about how to build such a site gives grandparents an opportunity to join the conversation about what should and shouldn’t be posted in cyberspace and why. In fact, grandparents who become informed about the Internet can often back-up parents by talking to kids about what they do online and reminding them of safety rules.

Although technology won’t ever be a substitute for curling up in a grandparent’s lap to read a favorite book or sharing a freshly baked batch of cookies, tech-savvy relationships do have their own unique rewards.  Introducing grandparents to those possibilities is one way for parents to promote the intergenerational connections that are so good for everyone involved.