10 Teacher craft ideas for Grandparents Day

In the United States, National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday in September after Labor Day. It became a nationally recognized day on August 3, 1978 with a proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter.

Often schools will celebrate grandparents with a breakfast or special program on a weekday surrounding the official date. Teachers may be tasked with creating crafts with their students. 

When determining what craft to do with students, it is important to keep in mind materials available, student skills, and allotted time for creating. 

With these crafts, I have tried to offer a variety of skill levels with materials that are inexpensive or that are typically available in an elementary school setting. 

It is important to remember when working on crafts for specific days like Grandparents Day, that not all students have grandparents. There are many reasons for this and teachers must be sensitive to student needs. 

Providing an alternative activity or an alternative person to create the craft for is a way to alleviate possible issues. Students can create their craft for a parent, teacher, aunt, uncle, or other close adult in their life. 

Tips for crafting in your classroom

1. Using paper plates, muffin tins, ice trays or some other container to hold beads, sequins, etc. helps make them more accessible for students. 
2. Egg cartons make great paint pallets if you do not have reusable ones. 
3. I prefer glitter glue over actual glitter! It is much easier to use and far less messy. Today it can be found in small tubes, like the picture below. It can also be found in school glue sized containers. 

4. Making an example for students can often help them visualize what they are being asked to do. However, allow for creativity as well. 
5. Remember that crafts are a subjective activity. It is a time for students to express their creativity. Their creations do not have to be perfect. 

1) Thumbprint magnet

This craft is super easy and sentimental. Students can give this keepsake as a gift to a grandparent. Since it is so quick to make, it could also be done in addition to other ideas listed in this article. 

Materials

• Cardstock or wooden disks (1-2 inch/2.54-5.08 cm diameter)
• Small magnets or magnetic tape cut into small squares
• Tempera paint or ink pads
• Paper plates or small bowls (for pouring out paint)
• Hot glue or super glue

Directions

1. Each student needs a small cardstock disc or wooden disk. 
2. Using paint or stamp ink pads, have students dip only their thumbs. 
3. Create thumbprint hearts.
   • Press left thumb first and then right thumb. 

4. Allow the paint or ink to dry. 
5. Attach the cardstock or wooden disk to the magnet using hot glue or other strong adhesive (teacher only task)

If dipping their thumbs into the paint is proving difficult, you can also use a paint brush to cover their thumbs in paint. 

2) Paper plate portraits

This craft requires the collection of various materials, but you can also simply use construction paper scraps.

I would suggest making an example for students before they begin. This will help to guide them to follow the directions. 

Materials

• Paper plates
• Markers
• Yarn in various colors (hair colors)
• Buttons, sequins, beads, googly eyes
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• School glue

I would suggest using liquid glue. If you are only using construction paper scraps, then glue sticks are fine.

If you do not have access to buttons, sequins, etc., students can use construction paper and cut it into the desired shapes. 

Directions

1. Each student will need a paper plate. 
2. Students can use the yarn, construction paper, and other pieces to create a paper plate portrait of their grandparent. 

Paper plate portraits can be given as gifts or displayed at a Grandparents Day event. 

3) Grandparents day poems

This is more of an activity than a craft, but it is a great way to combine writing skills with Grandparents Day. 

There are several ClickView videos that can support students when they are writing poetry: Short Form Poetry, Unstructured Poetry, and Alliteration may help students when constructing these affectionate poems. 

Illustrating their poems will help students to make the connections between their written words and figurative language like imagery and similes. 

There are many examples of pre-written poems for Grandparents Day available with a quick search. These can be printed and students can add their handprints or decorate them.

However, writing their own short poems creates a more sentimental gift, allows for greater creativity, and links this activity to academic skills. 

Materials

• Paper – lined or manila
• Markers, colored pencils, or crayons

Directions

1. Model for students how to write a short poem for Grandparents Day. 
2. This poem can be specifically about their grandparents or about grandparents in general.
3. After writing their poems, students can illustrate their poetry.

Notes

• This activity will probably take more than one session, but can be incorporated into your writing time. You can take time to teach students about writing a draft and revising/editing skills can be reinforced. 

4) Handprint family tree

This craft will require students to do some of the work outside of school. If this is not feasible, students can use their own handprints multiple times. 

Materials

• Brown construction paper
• Other colored construction paper
• School glue or glue sticks
• Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
• Tree template 

Directions

1. Supply each student with a piece of brown construction paper. Students will draw a tree trunk.
   • If students are not able to draw on their own, you can create one as a template and make copies on brown paper/cardstock. 
2. Students will trace their handprint and the handprints of members of their family members (including grandparents). 
3. Students should write the names of their family members on each “leaf”.
4. Glue the handprints onto the brown tree trunk to create a family tree. 

These would be a lovely display option for a Grandparents Day celebration. 

5) Handmade cards

This craft is a low cost way to allow students to create something for Grandparents Day while also practicing their writing skills. 

If students are not of the age for writing, the teacher can write down what the students dictate to them. The students can also draw pictures instead of writing. 

Giving students a word bank of pertinent Grandparents Day vocabulary can also support developing writers. 

Example words:

• grandparent
• grandmother
• grandfather
• thank you
• thankful
• support
• appreciate
• memories
• love
• traditions
• hugs

Materials

• Construction paper or cardstock
• Writing paper
• Markers, Crayons, or colored pencils
• Scissors 
• Stickers, sequins, beads, buttons, and other decorations 
• Glitter/glitter glue

Directions

1. Students can use the paper to create cards. These can be decorated.
2. Encourage students to practice their grammar and sentence construction. 
3. Cards can be presented to grandparents. 

6) Recipe book

Creating a class recipe book is a little more work for the teacher, but is a thoughtful keepsake. 

While I am not a grandparent, I do have a class recipe book that one of my son’s made in kindergarten. It is a cherished keepsake that we use to make cookies together during the holidays. 

Including family recipes adds a special element to this project. Students can decorate the covers. This activity also gives them the opportunity to discuss with family members and learn about traditions and food that is important to them. 

Materials

• Printer/Copy paper – for recipes
• Cardstock/Construction paper – for book cover
• Markers, colored pencils, crayons
• Pencils
• Binding materials – You can use yarn, brads, binder rings, report covers, or the spiral book
• Binding machine if available
• 3-ring hole punch

Directions

1. Students will bring a family recipe from home.
   • This can be done in various ways and is up to teacher discretion:
     • Option A: Students bring a hand written recipe from home.
     • Option B: Students write down how they think the recipe goes. This can result in an often  humorous version of the recipe book. 
2. Students can illustrate their recipe. 
3. After recipes are returned, the teacher can make copies. 
4. Using construction paper or cardstock, students can decorate their book cover. 
5. Books can then be bound using your chosen method. 

A nice touch is for the cover sheets to be laminated before binding. This allows the recipe book to last longer and gives it a more polished look. If a laminator is available to you, I would suggest taking the time to do this. 

7) Memory jars

Memory jars are a fun way for students to reminisce about their grandparents and share what they love about them.

If you cannot acquire enough jars for your class, consider alternative containers such as decorated envelopes or small cardboard gift boxes. You could even use party favor bags. 

Materials

• Small mason jars, baby food jars, or other containers
• Strips of paper
• Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
• Ribbons, bows, tags if desired

Directions

1. Each student will need a container and several strips of paper. 
2. Students will write memories about their grandparents on each strip. 
3. These strips will be placed in the container and shared with their grandparent.
4. Jars/containers can be decorated with ribbons or bows and include a tag. The student can label the tag with their grandparents’ names and their name. 

Notes

• Students can also add things they admire about their grandparents, encouragement for their grandparents, and things they like to do with their grandparents to the slips of paper. 
• Free printable tags are available online or students can make their own. 

8) Photo collage

Creating a Grandparents Day photo collage with students is a way for them to honor their grandparents and share happy memories. 

There are several ways that this craft can be modified for use in the classroom:

1. Students can bring photos, or parents can email them to be printed out. 
2. Students can draw pictures as well. If collecting photos is too daunting of a task, or if students do not have access to multiple pictures, have students draw pictures. The collage can also have a combination of photos and hand drawn pictures.  
3. Collages can be individually constructed on paper, or the class can make a large collage to be displayed in the classroom/Grandparents Day celebration. 

Materials

• Photos
• Construction paper
• Glue/tape
• Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
• Scissors

Directions

1. Collect photos. 
2. Students arrange the pictures on their paper.
   • If these are copied pictures, they can be cut up and arranged. 
3. Students glue the pictures to their paper. 
4. Students can add captions or other decorations to their collages. 

9) Felt bookmarks

This craft is quick and easy. Students can also make multiple bookmarks.

If your students are at an age where cutting felt rectangles is difficult, cut the bookmarks out ahead of time. However, if your students are capable, let them do the hard work!

If you feel that felt bookmarks are not conducive to your classroom, you can do the same activity with cardstock. 

Materials

• Felt cut into bookmark sized rectangles (Bookmark template)
• Scissors
• Liquid glue (not glue sticks)
• Sequins, buttons, beads, etc
• Glitter or glitter glue
• String or ribbon
• Markers 
• Individual hole punch

Directions

1. Provide each student with a felt bookmark.
2. Students can decorate the bookmark with sequins, buttons, etc.
3. When the glue is dry, punch a hole in the end. 
4. Add string or ribbon in a loop. Similar to this picture:

5. Give bookmarks as a gift to grandparents. 

10) Clay handprints

Clay handprints do require materials to be purchased, but are a fun activity for students. Including the name and age of the student adds sentimental value to the handprint. 

After students create their handprints, the clay must dry. Students can then personalize their creation with paint. 

Materials

• Air-dry clay
• Paint
• Paint brushes

Directions

1. Shape the clay into circular, semi-flat discs. Each student needs a disc. 
2. Press students’ hands into the clay to create a distinct handprint.
3. Allow the handprints to dry per the clay directions. This is usually at least 24 hours. 
4. Once dry, students can paint their handprints. 
5. Include the student’s name and age on the back of their handprint. 

Grandparents Day can be a fun and engaging experience for young students. These crafts offer a range of skill levels and materials that can appeal to any classroom. 

Sources

1. Creativity Portal (2000). Available at https://www.creativity-portal.com/howto/qa/bookmark.templates.html (Accessed on May 17, 2024). 
2. Tree Template (2008). Available at https://www.firstpalette.com/printable/tree.html (Accessed on May 16, 2024).