From the rise of video gaming to the death of drive-in movies, two generations’ worth of cultural shifts have made it hard for a lot of boomers to connect with their grandkids. Suffice to say, David Zielke isn’t one of them. With the help of some plastic toys, his amateur vacation videos didn’t just win over his 5-year-old granddaughter. They warmed the hearts of thousands of social media fans.
It all started innocently enough, and it stayed that way. When Sacramento, California, granddad Zielke packed his bags for a 10-day stay at a Mexican resort, he unwittingly had some traveling companions: A plastic Peppa Pig figurine, brother George and their piggy parents. The toys had been packed by Zielke’s granddaughter Lisette, and David dealt with the stowaways the only way he knew how. He took them along on his vacation and filmed their adventures in Cabo San Lucas, and the resulting video has racked up more than 89,000 views and counting on the YouTube page of David’s daughter Tanya Zielke (Aunt Tanya, to Lisette).
You can see David Zielke watching the finished masterpiece with his grandkids, earning major Grandpa points with every scene.
The little animations he adds are adorable, but it’s Zielke’s narration that really tickles us.
“We’re having a virgin drink,” he clarifies as Peppa dips her nose into a cocktail glass. “No alcohol in this one.”
As charming as that finished travelogue is, Aunt Tanya’s impromptu “making of” clips are even more heartwarming. When David first started filming Lisette’s toy vignettes, Tanya was tagging along, capturing the moment for her TikTok fans. It’s here you can see David planning out each shot, telling her how much he’s looking forward to each new adventure.
“I can’t wait to go down to the beach with them,” he says at one point. “Bring a little, like, napkin; lay them down.”
@lifeoftanyamarie Best grandpa award goes to you dad #storytime #familyvacation #peppapig #familytrip #grandparents ⬠Married Life (From “Up”) – Sergy el Som
It’s these clips that really got the grandpa his social media fame, and small wonder. We get to see all the gourmet meals and lush locations of Cabo San Lucas, but it’s clear that these four little pigs were the best part of his vacation. Peppa’s adventures with granddad are ones that they (and Lisette) will remember forever — even if they never got to jump in any muddy puddles.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
