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Meaningful gifts

What are easy Grandparents Day crafts kids can make?

Easy Grandparents Day crafts a child can finish in one sitting. Write the child's name, age, and the date on the back. They also work for a birthday or a visit.

Storybook Studio Editorial Team6 min read
Two facing pages from a Storybook Studio personalized grandparent book: a grandfather and granddaughter opening a trunk with a map and compass in an attic, then walking toward a steam train

The short answer

Easy Grandparents Day crafts include handprint cards for babies and toddlers, a decorated photo frame or "reasons I love you" jar for preschoolers, and a short interview booklet or family map for school-age kids. Pick one craft that fits your child's age and attention span, add the date and the child's age, and send a photo if the grandparents live far away.

Key takeaways

  • The best Grandparents Day craft is the one your child can finish in one sitting; aim for 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Always add the child's name, age and the date, because that is what grandparents keep.
  • Flat crafts like cards, booklets and pressed handprints mail easily to grandparents who live far away.

Good Grandparents Day crafts are short, personal and easy to keep: a handprint card from a toddler, a decorated frame from a preschooler, or an interview booklet from a school-age child. National Grandparents Day in the United States falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day, so most families plan crafts in early September, but every idea below works for a birthday or a visit too.

Easy Grandparents Day crafts by age

Babies and toddlers (under 3). At this age the craft is really yours, with your child's hands in it.

  • Handprint or footprint card. Press a painted hand onto folded cardstock and write "Grandma, I was this big" with the date. Use washable, non-toxic paint and wipe hands right away.
  • Scribble art in a frame. Let your toddler cover a sheet with crayon, then cut it into a heart and put it in an inexpensive frame.
  • Photo sticker page. Print a few small photos of your child with the grandparent and let them press stickers around the edges.

Preschoolers (3 to 5).

  • Decorated photo frame. A plain wooden frame, glue and buttons or pasta shapes. Put a recent photo inside before wrapping it.
  • "Reasons I love you" jar. You write down what your child says ("Grandpa makes pancakes," "Grandma reads the dog book") on slips of paper, and your child decorates the jar.
  • Painted rock paperweight. A smooth rock, acrylic paint and a coat of clear sealer applied by an adult.

School-age kids (6 and up).

  • Interview booklet. Fold a few sheets into a booklet and write one question per page: Where did you grow up? What was your first job? What games did you play? The child fills in answers on a call or visit.
  • Family map. Mark where each grandparent was born, where they live now and where the family has traveled together.
  • Handmade recipe card. Ask for a family recipe, write it out neatly with a drawing, and laminate it or slip it in a sheet protector.

How to make a craft feel personal

A craft does not need to look professional. What grandparents notice is evidence of the child: their handwriting, their words, their size at the time. A few habits make any craft more meaningful:

  • Date and sign it. Write the child's name, age and the year on the back, even on a scribble.
  • Quote the child. Ask "What do you like doing with Grandpa?" and write the answer word for word, spelling mistakes and all.
  • Include a photo. A small print of the child making the craft is often kept as long as the craft itself.
  • Keep it safe. For younger children, skip small beads, loose googly eyes and glitter that could end up in mouths, and keep scissors and hot glue for adults.

Crafts for grandparents who live far away

If the grandparents live in another state, choose something flat. Cards, booklets, handprint pages and drawings fit in a regular envelope. Frames and jars need a padded box, so send those with a regular package if one is already going.

You can also turn the craft into a call. Mail a blank interview booklet ahead of time and fill it in together on video, or ask the grandparent to read a book to the child on the call while the child shows them the craft. For ideas beyond crafts, like cooking, gardening and traditions to repeat, see activities to do with grandparents.

What a finished personalized grandparent book looks like

If you would like something that lasts longer than a paper craft, a personalized grandparent book is one option. Our sample shows a grandfather and his granddaughter on a small adventure. In one spread they kneel by an old trunk in an attic, holding a brass compass over a hand-drawn map. In the next they walk hand in hand toward a steam train waiting at a station.

The child is drawn from one photo you approve, and you choose who belongs in the story, so the grandparent and grandchild on the page look like your own family. A grandmother named Mary reading with her grandson Jake is exactly the kind of simple family story this suits. The digital book stands on its own, and you can order a printed copy later to give in person.

You can look through the finished sample, and the grandparents gift guide has more ideas for families who live apart.

Frequently asked questions

When is Grandparents Day?

In the United States, National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day, which falls in early or mid September. Congress made it an annual observance in 1979, after a campaign led by Marian McQuade of West Virginia.

What can a baby or toddler make for Grandparents Day?

A handprint or footprint card is the classic choice. Press a painted hand onto cardstock, write the date and the child's age, and add a short note in your own words.

What crafts mail well to grandparents who live far away?

Flat crafts mail best: cards, drawings, handprint pages, interview booklets and recipe cards. Put them between two pieces of cardboard so they arrive flat.

How long should a Grandparents Day craft take?

Plan for 15 to 30 minutes for preschoolers and up to an hour for older children. It is better to finish a small craft than to abandon a big one halfway.

What can I give if we run out of time for a craft?

A recent photo with a note in the child's words is always welcome. A personalized book about the child and grandparent is another gift that can be made from one photo.

Related reading:

Sources

  1. Grandparents Day, e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia
  2. Proclamation 4580: National Grandparents Day, 1978, The American Presidency Project, UC Santa Barbara
  3. H.J.Res. 244 (96th Congress): National Grandparents Day, GovTrack.us

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