What are good Christmas gifts for grandparents from the grandkids?

The Christmas gifts grandparents tend to keep come from the grandchildren themselves: a drawing or a handprint, a photo the child picked, a standing call with a small job in it, or a story where the grandkids are the heroes and the dedication is to Grandma and Grandpa. Choose by the child's age and by the distance, not by the price tag.

Key takeaways

• The child's own hand is the gift. A two-year-old's scribble with a date on the back outlasts most things you can buy.
• Distance changes the gift. Far-away grandparents get more from a call with a job in it than from another object to shelf.
• ZERO TO THREE suggests a short video call where a grandparent reads a board book, and says 2–3 minute calls are often better than long ones for babies and toddlers.
• A storybook can show the grandchildren and carry a dedication you write. It is a keepsake, not a substitute for time together. For a grandchild's first December, see the baby's first Christmas keepsake from grandparents.

What are the best Christmas gifts for grandparents from the grandkids?

Sort the ideas by who does the work. The child should do some of it, even if an adult holds the pen.

Art supplies can be part of the gift itself. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says high quality does not mean expensive, and names coloring books, crayons, markers, clay, and stickers as gifts that build creativity and fine motor skills (AAP, Toy Buying Tips). A box of crayons now and a drawing for Grandpa next week is a fair trade.

What can a toddler give a grandparent?

Something with their mark on it and a sentence from them. A toddler can press a hand onto a card, choose between two photos, or "sign" a drawing. Write down what they said when they made it, word for word. "That's Grandma's car" on the back of a scribble is the part grandparents read again.

Keep it to one sitting. If the toddler loses interest after one handprint, that is the gift.

What works when the grandparents live far away?

Give the call a shape. AAP suggests linking a video call to an activity, such as having a family member read the child a book (AAP, Tips for Video Chatting). ZERO TO THREE suggests setting up a short video call for a grandparent or loved one to read a board book, decorating "together" on camera, and short, frequent check-ins. It says quick 2–3 minute calls are often better than lengthy ones (ZERO TO THREE, 10 Ways to Share Virtual Traditions).

So the gift can be a promise you will keep: "Every Sunday in December, Grandpa reads one page and we show him one ornament." Write it on a card and put it under their tree. For the other direction, a grandparent sending something to grandkids far away, see gifts for grandkids who live far away.

Why do family stories make good gifts for grandparents?

Because grandparents are often the ones who hold the family's stories, and a gift can hand some back. Emory University psychologist Robyn Fivush says that when children learn family stories it creates a shared history and strengthens emotional bonds. She also says little kids are fascinated by stories about their parents when they were little (Emory University).

A simple version: ask Grandma for one story about your childhood on the next call, then let the grandchild draw it. Send her the drawing with the story written underneath.

Can the grandparents be in a storybook with the grandkids?

Yes, as supporting characters. On Storybook Studio's holiday book, one child leads the story, and the cast is one to four characters, hero included. Each extra person needs a name, a relationship, and a clear photo, so Grandma and Grandpa can each take one of the slots. The age field on that form is 3 to 7. The dedication is free text, so it can read "For Grandma and Grandpa, from all of us." If you would rather have an adventure built around a child and their grandparents, the grandparent book is a separate form.

Oliver and the Christmas Workshop is the fictional Christmas sample. Oliver, Mom, and Dad are not a real family, and there is no grandparent in the pictures. It shows the kind of scene the holiday form makes: a family fixing a toy together, then drawing on three wooden stars and hanging them on the tree.

For more on what to put inside a grandparent book, see ideas for grandparent books. For grandparents who are the givers rather than the receivers, the Christmas book for a grandson and Christmas gift guides cover that side.

The same ideas work outside December. For a birthday, see a birthday gift for Grandma from the grandkids. If the grandparents say they want nothing, a gift for grandparents who have everything leans on time and stories instead of things.

When should we order?

Prices, shipping and any tax are on the pricing page and are shown before you pay. A printed copy has to be approved and mailed, so leave time for that before Christmas.

Journal articles are drafted by AI, checked against their sources and our live pricing pages, and are not reviewed by a named human reviewer.

For more small family moments that can become a story, see personalized story ideas in everyday family moments.

More related guidance:

• Personalized Christmas Book for Grandkids: What to Include
• Gifts for Grandkids Who Live Far Away
• Christmas Gift for a Child Who Misses a Grandparent
• Meaningful Christmas Gifts for Kids That Aren't More Toys
• New Christmas Traditions to Start With Your Kids This Year

Sources

1. Tips for Video Chatting with Infants and Toddlers — American Academy of Pediatrics

2. 10 Ways to Share Virtual Traditions with Babies and Toddlers — ZERO TO THREE

3. Toy Buying Tips for Babies & Young Children: AAP Report Explained — American Academy of Pediatrics

4. How family stories help children weather hard times — Emory University

5. Storybook Studio pricing