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National Grandparents’ Day – celebrated on September 12 – is quickly appoaching and you and your children may be looking for some fun, last-minute things to do with Grandma and Grandpa to remind them how special they are to your family. These easy crafts and hands-on activities to do with grandparents are a great way to let them know just how you feel and will create cherished memories for years to come.
National Grandparents’ Day honors those special grandmas and grandpas in our lives. Marian McQuade — a West Virginian elderly advocate — founded National Grandparents Day in 1978 after eight years of campaigning. McQuade asserted that the point of the holiday was not to bestow presents on grandparents, but to help alleviate some of the loneliness some older adults experience later in life as their children are busy with work and chidren of their own.
“Nobody loves children like their grandparents,” geriatrician Preeti Malani told the Washington Post. “They are such an important part of the lives of children, something that is so fundamental and important for both grandparents and grandchildren.”
Easy crafts for kids to make and give for Grandparents' Day
These easy crafts will ensure some great toddler-grandparent bonding time.
DIY handprint keychains using old-school Shrinky Dinks can be made for grandparents ahead of time or as a fun and easy craft to work on together. Toddlers will love painting their hands and seeing their print shrink in the oven right before their eyes.
For quick and easy crafts your little ones can help make, this no-sew rice heating pad uses upcycled baby legwarmers. Little hands will have fun scooping and pouring in the rice, and grandparents will appreciate this handmade craft that soothes minor aches and pains and serves as a sweet memento of baby’s first few months.
Want to get grandma and grandpa outside? Try an outdoor activity for kids
Getting out in nature is always a great activity for all ages, whether it’s a walk along a paved state park path or a leisurely stroll through the backyard.
“Take a nature walk and go slow enough to examine every flower and bug. Take a jar in case the children capture something they want to look at upon their return,” grandmother Theresa Bell Kindred suggested. “Just make sure and poke holes in the top of the lid for ventilation (in case they catch a frog or something) and explain that all nature’s creatures have to stay outside where they live (or you might find a frog in your bathroom).”
Outdoor play in the sprinklers, chalk art, and gardening are easy ways for grandparents and younger children to have fun outdoors. Grandparents who are good with their hands or have special skills like knitting and woodworking might wish to pass along their knowledge to their special little ones.
While toddlers may not be able to handle a knitting needle, a spool knitter, also called a knitting tower, is perfect for little hands. The tool allows young children to create a knitted piece from start to finish. This knitting mushroom from Bella Luna Toys is an inexpensive option and a fun activity for grandparents and toddlers.
Things to do with grandparents when you can't be together
If you’re unable to be together for Grandparents’ Day this year, there are still a number of ways to stay connected on this special day and throughout the year. If you’re miles apart or staying socially distanced for safety, these crafts and activities are perfect for kids and grandparents who can’t be together.
Keeping a journal together is one way to make lasting memories from a distance. Sharing Stories, Making Memories: A Journal for Grandparents and Grandchildren, is designed for grandparents and their grandchildren to work through together. The pages allow for creativity and provide writing and journaling prompts that can be mailed back and forth throughout the year for what is sure to become a treasured keepsake.
Make a regular virtual date. “This is a great time for grandparents to connect with grandkids virtually. Need a break in your day? Schedule a regular FaceTime story time where grandma reads them a book,” Meredith Gordon previously told Mom.com. “Have a digital show-and-tell with grandpa showing off the million and one crafts your child already made that day.”
Grandparents Day is the perfect opportunity to focus on your parents and their relationship with their grandchildren whether celebrating together or across the miles. The memories made are sure to be cherished for years to come.
