Grandparents Day Crafts and Activities
We celebrate National Grandparents Day on the first Sunday after Labor Day in September. The whole day is dedicated to honoring grandparents much like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are dedicated to parents. Our children have a special connection with their grandparents and it’s definitely something we should celebrate.
Grandparents Day is a chance to treasure that connection and spend quality time together building stronger bonds and making memories together. You can help your kids celebrate Grandparents Day at home and in the classroom with lots of fun craft ideas and activities. I’m excited to share some of my favorites and get some printable crafts for Grandparents Day you can do with your preschoolers too.
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How To Celebrate Grandparents Day
Did you know Grandparents Day was established by a kid? A nine-year-old little boy wrote a letter to the president, Richard Nixon, asking for a day dedicated to celebrating grandparents. Today, National Grandparents Day serves three important purposes.
The day honors grandparents, give them an opportunity to show their love for their grandchildren, and helps to teach children the valuable resource of strength and information we have in our older generation.
Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or grandparent, you can help encourage and facilitate Grandparents Day activities this September. There are so many fun things you can do at home or in the classroom to honor grandparents and focus on their contributions. Keep reading to discover some of my favorite crafts for Grandparents Day and Grandparents Day activities with you to help you get started!
Grandparents Day Crafts for Preschool
Crafts might get a little messy sometimes, but they’re really important for developing preschoolers. Besides, crafts are so much fun! Adding Grandparents Day Crafts for preschool learners to your agenda is a great way to help your kids build important skills.
Preschoolers can experiment and get creative with crafts. Plus, crafts for Grandparents Day help preschool learners build fine motor skills too. Grandparents Day crafts for preschool make celebrating in the classroom or with your grandparents more fun too! Check out some of my favorite Grandparents Day ideas below.
Grandparents Day Printable Craft
If you’re looking for an easy craft that won’t require lots of preparation beforehand, you should definitely check out my Grandparents Day printables. This craft for Grandparents Day is a cut-and-paste activity that’s easy for little hands and great for building fine motor skills too.
I’ve put together easy printables to help your preschoolers talk about their grandparents. They can put together the grandpa or grandma craft printable and color the figure to look like their own grandma or grandpa. It’s a great way to facilitate conversation about grandparents with your preschoolers this year.
“When I’m 100” Grandparents Day Craft
When you are 100 years old, what will you do? Where will you go? What will you look like when you’re 100? This fun craft for Grandparents Day encourages kids to explore questions and share them with their own grandparents.
Talking about how different the world was 100 years ago and exploring where you might be in 100 years is a fun way to get your preschoolers thinking about the future. Plus, it makes for a great writing prompt!
Grab this free craft for Grandparents Day and use an aging app to create this adorable gift for Grandparents Day or the 100th Day of School
Handprint Keepsake Activity
This idea for Grandparents Day is great for little hands. If you’re doing this craft at home, check out this framed handprint keepsake from The Grandparent Gift Company. You’ll get an embossed page for your child’s handprint and a beautiful wood frame too.
Handprint keepsakes are a fun activity for the classroom too. Your preschoolers can use an ink pad or finger paint to help create handprints with your students. Have students press their hands to the paper after applying paint or ink. You’ll be rewarded with a special gift for Grandparents Day.
DIY Grandparents Day Card
You can make a special DIY Grandparents Day card for the special grandparents in your life this year. DIY cards are a lot of fun for preschoolers and filled with creativity! You can use just about anything to make a special card for your grandma or grandpa.
Begin with construction paper or cardstock and add as many colorful decorations as you like. From glitter and crayons to pom poms and stickers, there are tons of fun ways to make a card honoring your grandparents on their special day. Get more Grandparents Day Ideas for Cards and Grandparents Day crafts for preschool from The Spruce.
Best Grandparents Ever Trophy
Do you have the best grandparents ever? National Grandparents Day is the time to let them know. Preschoolers can show their grandparents they’re the best grandparents ever with a fun trophy craft.
A simple preschool cup craft makes a great trophy craft for Grandparents Day you can do at home or in the classroom. Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:
- A foam or paper cup
- Yellow construction paper
- Safety scissors
- Washable Yellow paint
- Paintbrush
- Marker
- Glue
- Butterscotch Candies
Once you’ve gathered your materials for this Grandparents Day craft for preschool, use the yellow paint and paintbrush to paint both the inside and outside of the cup. Then, let it dry while you cut “handles” for your trophy from the yellow construction paper.
The handles should look like the letter C and your preschoolers can make them as large or small as they would like. Next, you’ll need to cut a circle from the construction paper too. I like to teach my preschoolers to trace the top of the cup to form a perfect circle.
When the cup has dried completely, you’re ready to write on your Grandparents Day trophy. You might choose “Best Grandparents Ever!” or “World’s Best Grandpa!” Then, You’re ready to glue the construction paper handles to your trophy cup and glue the circle to the bottom for the base.
Finally, fill your trophy with butterscotch candy “gold” for the very best grandparents. You could also fill the trophy with your grandma or grandpa’s favorite candy. Another fun idea is to have kids write all the reasons why their grandparents are the best on slips of paper or craft sticks and fill the trophy with these sweet memories for grandparents to read.
Grandparents Day Activities You Can Do Together
National Grandparents Day is an excellent time to let your grandparents know how much you love them and honor their role in your life. It’s also a great time for kids and grandparents to spend time together engaging in activities they’ll both enjoy. Check out my favorite Grandparents Day activities to get some extra quality time with your favorite grands:
Interview a Grandparent
Can you think of a better way to show our appreciation for our grandparents than to take the time to get to know them better? Teaching children to listen to their grandparents’ stories and ask them to share their wisdom gives both generations a special gift.
I like to begin by looking through old photographs together or sharing popular family stories. Preschoolers will soon realize their grandparents were once young and become interested in their lives before they became grandparents. For example, my son was excited to learn that his grandfather once rode motocross bikes through the desert.
I’ve put together a few Grandparents Day printables to help you interview your own grandparents this year. Grab one and get started with one of my favorite Grandparents Day activities for kids of all ages!
“I Love You Because” Grandparents Day Activities
Have you read I Love You Because I Love You by Muon Thi Van? It’s a beautiful picture book that makes for a wonderful story time Grandparents Day idea! Read the book aloud to your preschoolers and then add this handwriting activity for extra learning fun.
Grandparents Day activities that teach our preschoolers how much they are loved by not just their parents but their grandparents too are really special. This I Love You Because I Love You book and Grandparents Day craft for preschool encourages kids to express their love for their grandparents while learning that grandparents love them too.
Celebrating Grandparents Day Virtually
We like to take the opportunities to celebrate this holiday with our grandparents whenever possible. Whether it’s inviting them to coffee and donuts in the classroom or spending time interviewing grandparents and getting their stories, quality time is important and special. However, it’s not always possible.
The past few years have taught us that sometimes we have to get creative and find ways to maintain connections and build relationships at a distance. Fortunately, technology has made it easy to spend time with grandparents this year even if you can’t be in the same place. Whether you’re celebrating Grandparents Day during COVID or you live far away from your extended family, you can use these ideas to celebrate Grandparents Day virtually.
Phone Interview
You can use my printable Grandparents Day activities to conduct an interview with your child’s grandma or grandpa over the phone. It’s also a great time to practice speaking on the phone and telephone manners with your children. Plus, grandma will certainly love hearing your child’s sweet voice on the line!
Facebook Messenger Chat
Another fun option for celebrating Grandparents Day virtually is to use Facebook Messenger. Many grandparents have Facebook and it’s easy to use the chat feature to talk with grandchildren. This method of chatting is great for young children like preschoolers since they can see your face.
Plus, my kids really love the filters and virtual games available through this messaging platform. It’s a great way to fill in awkward silences and spend extra quality time with grandparents you don’t get to see often.
Send a Care Package
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of sending a care package to your grandchild or grandparent. You can fill the box with ideas and crafts for Grandparents Day and special treats too. Don’t forget to let your grandparents know how much they mean to you by including the greeting card crafts for Grandparents Day I shared above.
Do you already have a fun way to celebrate National Grandparents Day with your preschoolers? Share your favorite crafts for Grandparents Day and the Grandparents Day ideas you’ve come to love in the comment section. I can’t wait to read them and try a few with my students too!
