Originally published September 2017.
Grandparent’s Day is JUST around the corner! (And believe me, I only realized it when my son’s school sent out an email reminder yesterday.)
It’s a day when many of our little ones have the honor to invite a VIP to school to show off their artwork, hand over a DIY card, and sing and dance for their very special Gramma, Glamma, Oma, Gramps, Big G, Pops, Opa, or any number of other nicknames.
While some grandparents live just a short drive away, others are a flight across the country or even halfway across the world. No matter the distance, a handmade gift from a grandchild will certainly give them something to cherish and oooh and ahhh over.
Here are a few of my favorite DIY projects for kids:
1. Grandparent Gifts Based on Hobbies
Is Grandma’s garden her favorite thing to tend to besides her grandbabies? Does Grandpa enjoy a few hours on the green every weekend? Try to think of what hobbies the grands love most (besides doting on their grandkids, of course) and personalize an object or tool that they can use daily.
These two examples are super sweet—decorated golf balls for Grandpa and a personalized watering can for Grandma.
You can also press kiddo handprints on aprons for the chef in the family, make a handmade bookmark for the bookworm, personalize a canvas bag to hold knitting needles and yarn, and much more!
2. Gifts Based on Children’s Artwork
Create the perfect card to send or give on Grandparent’s Day by having your baby, toddler, or preschooler get into some kid-safe paints. Handprint art, footprint art, even a few polka dots and stripes can bring a smile to every face. Pinterest is your best friend here: feet have been made into butterflies, hands into the tops of flowers with stems drawn below… You can even use multiple handprints to create a border and write a message from your child inside.
Let the kids get messy!
3. Photo Gifts for Grandparents
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so why not try your hand at some photo-based gifts? These might require a bit more legwork (choosing photos and printing to the correct size), but they’re definitely a personalized favorite.
- A quick & easy project: Grab a small chalkboard, write your love message (I <3 Grandpa and Grandma), and snap a phone pic of your cuties in the backyard holding up the sign. This can be printed and given as a gift with a child-decorated frame!
- Here’s one that’s a bit more involved but would be a cool project for kindergarten or larger crowd: handmade snow globes out of baby food jars (or other comparably small jars, jam, etc…if you don’t have a baby in the house anymore!)
- And if you’ve got a LOT, and I mean a whole garden-full of grandkids and easy access to their individual pictures (maybe school pictures from last spring?), try making a centerpiece photo flower garden.
Let’s show our grandparents the love this September!
