You know the little cliché about grandparents referring to the past as back in the day? Well, what if kids could actually learn what it was like back then in a fun, meaningful way? And build a closer connection with their grandparents as a result? Grandparents Day activities are the perfect opportunity for children to connect with these special members of the family.
One of the most special and memorable ways to celebrate is to have an event where you invite grandparents to come visit at school! If you’re thinking of planning such an event, here are some of my favorite Grandparents Day activities and ideas for the classroom that foster speaking & listening skills, writing, and building relationships.
Preparing for Grandparents Day
Planning any event with classroom visitors can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Take a cue from “the good ol’ days” and just keep it simple. These are a few ways to help make a Grandparents Day celebration as least complicated as possible:
❤️ Pick an easy theme that doesn’t require spending lots of time or money. For instance, you can do a “Grandparents Lend a Helping Hand” theme, and decorate your classroom door with their hand prints.
❤️ Use Canva to create a free invitation. You can even print a template, and then have students help create the invitations by filling in information or gluing it onto cardstock.
❤️ Be mindful of students who do not have grandparents to bring. On the invitation, clearly communicate that a parent or any other family member is welcome to attend instead.
Grandparent’s Day Activities and Ideas
During the celebration, you’ll probably want to have at least one specific activity for students and their grandparents to do together. Here are some ideas that are easy to implement:
❤️ Classroom Tour: Have students give their grandparents a classroom tour. You could choose to print a classroom scavenger hunt to provide kids with ideas of specific things to show them.
❤️ Sing-A-Long: Have the class sing a song for their special guests. A popular favorite is A Song for Grandma and Grandpa by Johnny Prill, or you could have them sing a fun throw back song like Twist and Shout. Throw in some simple hand motions, and you’re good to go! Grandparents will love watching the kids sing to them!
❤️ Photo Booth: Have your students and their guests capture their special memories with a Grandparents Day photo booth.
This can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be. I’ve done ones with or without a butcher paper backdrop. You don’t even necessarily need a designated space, just as long as you remember to snap some pictures of families together.
And photo booth props are always a hit. Since Grandparents Day is in September, I’ve usually just provided some seasonal ones for grandparents and grandkids to choose from and pose with.
❤️ Grandparent Interview: This activity really helps encourage students to connect with their grandparents, and learn some new things about them too!
Student Gift for Grandparents
Another Grandparent’s Day idea is to have your students make a keepsake gift for their special guests to take home with them. Grandparents of my own students have always loved receiving this Grandparent’s Day Booklet created by their grandchild. It has a cover that the kids color, simple writing prompt pages for them to fill out, and space to add illustrations. Students answer prompts such as:
- My favorite thing to together do with you: _________
- What I think school was like when you were a kid: _________
- What I think you did for fun when you were my age: _________
- Happy Grandparents Day! I love you because: __________
Their grandparents absolutely love reading all of their responses!
If you’d like to have your students make these for their grandparents too, you can get this same resource by clicking on either button below:
However you might decide to celebrate Grandparents Day with your class this year, I hope your students make some special memories! Maybe even some that they might remember years from now, to tell their own grandkids about “back in the day.”
