Whenever Anne Upchurch received word that one of her daughters or her daughter-in-law was in labor, she immediately jumped in the car and drove four or five hours from her home in Montgomery, Alabama, to a hospital in Tennessee, South Carolina or Georgia. Her record is good. She hasn't missed the birth of any of her grandchildren. Now an energetic grandmother of six girls and one boy, Anne passes this practiced advice on to new grandparents eager to form a meaningful relationship with their grandchildren: "Start young."

Like Anne Upchurch, the many grandparents who responded to our call for ideas and activities have found ways to develop early and lasting bonds with their grandchildren. When apart from them, they send letters and daily e-mail messages, talk on the phone, or exchange videos or audio tapes. When they're together, they build birdhouses, tell family stories, play with model trains, and explore the outdoors.

Despite the differences in their approaches to sharing time, these grandparents clearly have one common aim. Quite simply, they want to take part in shaping their grandchildren's lives. They want to create memories and pass on family traditions. Whether they live across the Atlantic from their grandchildren or right next door, these readers offer innovative, tested ideas for maintaining close ties--right from the beginning.

Emily B. Todd enjoyed playing endless games of gin rummy with her grandfather.