Grandparents Day has a quiet kind of sweetness to it. There are no big presents to buy and no long to-do list, just a day set aside to say thank you to the people who came before us. And honestly, the simplest handmade things are the ones grandparents end up keeping in a drawer for years.
Sweet friend, whether you’re a mom at your own kitchen table, a grandma with the little ones over, a Sunday school teacher, or someone watching a roomful of children, these crafts are an easy way to help kids show love with their hands. They don’t take much. A little paint, some paper, and a bit of glue will get you most of the way there.
I’ve pulled together ten simple ideas below, the same kind of hands-on projects we made for our Father’s Day crafts. Each one is doable for real life, with real children, in the time you actually have.
10 grandparents day crafts to make with your little ones
Here are the ten to choose from. Pick whichever one fits the ages around your table and the supplies you have on hand.
1. paper plate medal
Cut a paper plate into a circle, punch a hole, and add a loop of yarn so it hangs like a medal. Kids color the middle and write something simple like “best grandpa.” It’s an easy win for younger ones, and grandparents love being handed a prize.
2. grandparents bookmark craft
A strip of cardstock, a drawing or a short note, and a punched hole with a little tassel of yarn. If your grandparents are readers, this is a gift they’ll actually use. It’s also a good quiet-table craft when you need something that won’t make a mess.
3. “all about my grandparents” craft
This is a fill-in page where kids answer questions about grandma and grandpa, like their favorite food or how old they think they are. The answers tend to be honest and a little funny. Grandparents hold onto these for a long time.
4. handprint family tree
Press little painted hands onto paper to form the leaves of a family tree, with each child’s print standing in for a branch. It’s a keepsake that shows just how the family is growing. If your kids love this kind of thing, we have a whole list of handprint crafts to try next.
5. cotton ball grandparent craft
Glue cotton balls onto a paper face for soft white hair, then add glasses and a smile. The gluing is the whole fun of it for toddlers. This is a good one for the youngest in the bunch, along with these other spring crafts for toddlers.
6. paper bag grandma and grandpa puppets
Turn a paper lunch bag into a puppet with yarn hair, a paper face, and a little outfit. Kids almost always put on a show once they’re done. It’s a fun way to reuse what you have, like a lot of our favorite recycled crafts.
7. handprint crown for grandma and grandpa
Cut a paper crown and stamp little handprints all the way around it. It’s a sweet nod to the verse that calls grandchildren a crown to the aged. If you like adding a bit of scripture to craft time, you’ll find more of that in our Father’s Day Bible crafts.
8. toilet paper roll grandma and grandpa
Stand an empty cardboard tube up and dress it as grandma or grandpa with paper, yarn, and a few marker details. They make a cute little pair to set on a shelf. If you’ve been saving tubes like I have, here are plenty more toilet paper roll crafts to use them up.
9. “reasons I love my grandparents” flip book
Staple a few small pages together and let each page hold one reason. Even simple ones like “you give me cookies” or “you read to me” mean the world coming from a child. Older kids can write their own, and little ones can draw theirs.
10. grandparents day trophy
Build a little trophy from a paper cup, a cardboard tube, and some paint, with “world’s best grandparent” on the front. Let the kids decorate it however they like, maybe with stickers or some leftover button crafts supplies. It’s silly and proud, and that’s the point.
why these little crafts matter so much
The craft itself is really just the doorway. What grandparents remember is that a child sat down and thought about them, and that someone helped make it happen. The bent edges and the too-much glue are part of what makes it precious.
There’s an old verse I think of around this day.
Children’s children are a crown to the aged. — Proverbs 17:6
That’s a good thing to keep in mind while little hands are busy. If your family likes weaving a bit of scripture into craft time, you might enjoy these Jesus crafts for another quiet afternoon.
simple supplies you probably already have
You don’t need a craft store run for any of these. Most of them come together with what’s already in the kitchen drawer or the recycling bin.
- Paper plates, cardstock, and construction paper
- Empty cardboard tubes and paper lunch bags
- Washable paint, markers, and crayons
- Cotton balls, yarn, and glue
- A stapler, scissors, and a hole punch
Lay it all out before you call the kids over. Once they sit down, you’ll want your hands free to help, not digging through a drawer for the glue.
making it work with little ones underfoot
Keep your hopes simple. A toddler is going to want to do the gluing and not much else, and that’s fine. Let them own one small part and do the trickier bits yourself.
If the craft turns out lopsided, leave it. Grandparents aren’t looking for tidy. They’re looking for the little fingerprints in the paint and the wobbly letters that spell their name. That part stays with them far longer than anything store-bought.
pick one craft and make it together this week
Pick the one that fits the ages around your table, gather your supplies, and sit the kids down to make something. That small bit of effort is the whole gift, really, and the grandparent on the other end will feel it.
Which of these are you thinking of trying? I’d love to hear about it down in the comments, and if you have a favorite grandparents day craft of your own, share it so the rest of us can borrow the idea.
And if you do make one of these, I’d love to see it. Send in a picture of the craft you made with your children, or share it in the comments below.
With your okay, your little one’s handiwork may be featured here on the site to encourage and inspire other families who are making something together too. So glad you’re here.
With love,
Betty
Get the FREE Printable Mother’s Day Crafts
Want to see Mom’s face light up? These free Mother’s Day Crafts help your kids say what’s really in their hearts—through two personalized keepsakes she’ll treasure forever.
They’ll fill in prompts like “I love you because…” and “My favorite memory with you is…”, then create interactive gifts with pull tabs and opening petals. Kids use their own words, making each craft completely one-of-a-kind.
Print it once, watch them create, and give Mom something she’ll never want to throw away.
frequently asked questions
what ages are these grandparents day crafts good for?
Most of them work from toddler age on up. The cotton ball face and the paper plate medal are easiest for the littlest ones, while the flip book and the “all about my grandparents” page are nice for kids who can write a little.
when is grandparents day this year?
In the United States, Grandparents Day falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day. In 2026 that’s September 13. It’s an easy one to forget, so it helps to make the craft a week or so ahead.
what if grandparents live far away?
Most of these travel well in an envelope. A bookmark, a flip book, or the “all about my grandparents” page can be popped in the mail. You can also snap a photo of the child holding their craft and send it along with a quick video call.
can i use these with a classroom or sunday school group?
Yes, they work well for groups. The medal, the crown, and the puppet are easy to set up at a table with a few shared supplies, and they don’t need much prep ahead of time.
how do i help a toddler who just wants to make a mess?
Let them. Hand them the gluing or the cotton balls and let that be their whole job. Put down an old towel or a sheet of newspaper first, and the mess stops being a problem you have to manage.
