To help the grandparents in your life feel appreciated on National Grandparents Day, try to put together something that’ll make them feel special. It’s not so much about what you give; it’s about the thought you put into it. Some fun Grandparents Day celebration ideas may include giving them a handmade card, making their favorite dessert, personalizing a daily item, or planning an activity to do together. We hope this Grandparents Day ideas list helps you celebrate the beloved grandparents in your life—no matter what you decide.
Gift Ideas for Grandparents Day
Grandparents Day gift ideas can vary depending on who is giving the gift. It might be a 5-year-old grandchild making a handmade gift, an adult child giving a practical gift as a thank you for being such a great grandparent, or an adult grandchild looking to spoil their grandparent. Below, we provide Grandparents Day gifts for all ages.
Make a Handmade Card or Craft
To make Grandma or Grandpa feel special, a younger grandchild may want to spend time drawing up a special card as a Grandparents Day gift. As a parent, you may also want to get involved and help them make a photograph craft of some sort. You can print out photos and make a quirky scrapbook filled with special memories and drawings.
Personalize a Household Item
Grandparents may not think to personalize items, so it might make a unique gift. If you know Grandma wears a robe around the house every day, you can monogram a robe or have a sweet message sewn in. Another example may be customizing golf balls for a grandparent who spends a lot of their free time golfing.
From mugs and hats to quilts and bags, the personalization possibilities are endless. You can find several personalization websites online or find a small shop on Etsy to support.
Make Life Easier with Technology
As our loved ones age, keeping up with technology may be a challenge. Help them incorporate it by gifting techy gadgets for Grandparents Day. Some tech gadgets may include:
- Amazon Echo: This device features Alexa, the voice assistant who can help a grandparent in several ways. They can ask her to play music, get news updates, read the weather forecast, control smart lights around the home, set timers, provide reminders, and much more. You can help set some daily prompts up to make the gift more useful.
- Smart light bulbs: If your loved one is always forgetting to turn off the light or if certain switches or lamps are hard to turn off, consider putting in smart light bulbs. You can then help them set up the bulbs with their Echo and on a mobile app. They can then use their phone or just ask their voice assistance to turn off the lights.
- Fitness tracker: If your loved one interested in tracking their health, a fitness tracker might make the perfect gift for Grandparents Day. They can track their heart rate, steps, calories burned, sleep, and more. Some even can even detect falls and car crashes, automatically alerting emergency services when needed.
- Robotic vacuum: Cleaning may not be as easy as it once was. Help Grandma or Grandpa keep their home tidy with a self-cleaning vacuum that automatically picks up debris. You can even help them set up a daily cleaning schedule through an app or show them how to turn it on whenever they leave the house.
Encourage Them to Spend Time on Hobbies
Many grandparents have tried-and-true hobbies, but some may need a reminder to indulge in them again. Help them reignite their passion for former hobbies or pursue new ones. For instance, if Grandma always loved gardening, consider new gardening tools, seeds, or planters. Or if a grandparent really loves spending time reading in their yard, make it more enjoyable with new patio furniture, a wind chime, or a birdfeeder.
Other hobbies may include crafting or sports. If that’s the case, consider new supplies like new types of yarn or a new pickleball set.
Upload Photos to a Digital Frame
Celebrate Grandparents Day with a gift that keeps them connected, like a digital photo frame filled with cherished memories. You can pre-upload a frame with significant moments throughout their lives.
Options like the Aura frame even allow loved ones to upload photos to the frame from wherever they are, which is ideal for grandchildren who may live far. They can help their grandparents stay in the know by uploading a few photos now and then.
Ideas for Grandparents Day Activities
You can also show love by planning a meaningful activity to do together to celebrate Grandparents Day. Of course, the activity will depend on age ranges, and the only thing that matters is spending quality time together. Take a look at the Grandparents Day celebration ideas below to spark an idea.
Follow a Special Recipe
Several families have hand-me-down recipes or specific dishes they love to enjoy together. If there are recipes or meals important to your grandparents, it might be the perfect activity to bond with them. It’s a wonderful way to get several generations together as well.
If there are only two or three of you, consider making a single item, like an apple pie. But if you have several cooks in the kitchen, try to prepare a variety of treats or split into teams to tackle different courses.
Play a Game
Another way to spend quality time together is by playing board games or doing jigsaw puzzles together. It’s a fun way to bring all ages together, engage different skills, and share laughs.
Reminisce on Memories
To bring generations closer, think about taking a trip down memory lane by going through old photo albums, scrapbooks, or video tapes together. Kids can use this as an opportunity to learn more about their family history.
Parents can encourage grandkids to ask about their grandparent’s life, career, love story, or family trips. It can spark conversations and help strengthen their bond.
Get Out in Nature
For families or grandparents who enjoy spending their time exploring the great outdoors, a walk in the park or a scenic walking trail might be an ideal gift. Plan to take a picnic along, so you can spend time chatting while walking and then indulge in tasty treats after.
Make a Craft
For younger kids, creating something together might make the perfect bonding opportunity. You may want to try some of these creative crafting ideas for Grandparents Day:
- Creating memory jars
- Making bracelets
- Making origami
- Making suncatchers
- Painting coasters, flowerpots, or rocks
Read Together
If story time is particularly important in your family, it might be meaningful for Grandma or Grandpa to read to their grandkids. You can pick out a short book or choose a series to make it a tradition.
Families who get together often can make it a point to get together to continue the series on.
Watch a Movie or Play
Seeing a favorite movie together, watching a new movie in the theater, or going out to see a classic play might be the perfect Grandparents Day event for families who love film. You can even have
Grandma or Grandpa choose a family-friendly, age-old classic to share with the family.
Visit a Museum, Zoo, or Aquarium
Choose an activity that’s fun for the whole family and still an opportunity for kids to learn. Pick a museum that interests the whole family—nowadays so many museums have interactive exhibits for all ages to promote engagement. Or, go see fascinating creatures and learn all about them at your local zoo or aquarium.
Go Out for a Meal
For grandparents who aren’t as active, a nice lunch or dinner out might be the best idea. Take them to a favorite restaurant they haven’t been to in a while or pick an upscale restaurant serving their favorite cuisine. You can treat them to a nice meal and catch up over a gourmet meal.
Host a Video Call
Visits aren’t always possible, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the day special. Plan a day of virtual activities. Platforms like Zoom make it easier than ever to set up virtual games and see each other’s faces to reminisce. To make it more fun, you can even pick a theme, host themed games, and have everyone pick out virtual backgrounds accordingly.
How to Celebrate Grandparents Day in Senior Living
If your senior loved one lives in a senior living community, you may think it’s not possible to celebrate the way you’d like, but that’s far from the truth. Many communities encourage families to visit and join in on activities to help their loved one feel connected.
Our Sunrise communities host events to celebrate special occasions, often welcoming family members with open arms. Loved ones are welcome to visit on Grandparents Day to enjoy the community’s activities and shared spaces. Additionally, if Grandma or Grandpa is able to leave safely, you can take them out to enjoy celebrations together.
If the beloved grandparents in your life aren’t living in a senior living community, but you’d like to learn more, find a Sunrise community near you. Our team is readily available to help you navigate the senior living journey—from researching to moving and everything in between.