There are some teachers who teach us in classrooms…and others who teach us simply by sharing their lives with us.
Grandparents can be some of our children's greatest storytellers, cheerleaders, teachers, and keepers of family memories.
National Grandparents Day, celebrated this year on Sunday, September 13, gives us a wonderful opportunity to help children recognize these special relationships while learning about families, traditions, history, and the connections between generations.
And while the day may have "grandparents" in its name, classroom celebrations can easily include grandparents, great-grandparents, step-grandparents, older relatives, family friends, or another special older adult who plays an important role in a child's life.
Because at the heart of Grandparents Day is something beautifully simple: Celebrating the people who love us, guide us, and help connect our past with our future.
Here are five Grandparent Read-Aloud books to share:
Stories are a wonderful way to explore relationships between generations. Here are five books that can lead to meaningful classroom conversations.
1. How to Babysit a Grandpa by Jean Reagan: A funny role-reversal story told from a child's perspective about spending a special day with Grandpa.
2. How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan: The companion book celebrates all the fun and little traditions that can make time with Grandma memorable.
3. The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster: A beautiful story about a child's relationship with her grandparents and the ordinary moments that become treasured memories.
4. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña: CJ and his grandmother travel through their community together, providing wonderful opportunities to talk about gratitude, kindness, community, and seeing beauty in everyday life.
5. The Truth About Grandparents by Elina Ellis: A playful celebration of grandparents that challenges some of the funny stereotypes children may have about getting older.
5 Meaningful Grandparents Day Activities
1. Interview a Grandparent. Send home a few simple interview questions for children to ask a grandparent or special older adult. Children can bring their answers back and share one interesting thing they learned.
You're not just practicing interviewing and communication skills, but you're helping preserve a little piece of family history.
2. Create a Grandparent Portrait: Have children draw a portrait of their grandparent or special person.
Then add a simple writing prompt: "My grandparent is special because…" Put the portraits together for a sweet classroom display or send them home as keepsakes.
3. Give a Grandparent a HUG! Not just an ordinary hug but a giant paper one! Trace or create two hands and connect them with long paper arms. Children can decorate their creation and add a message in the middle. "A BIG hug just for you!"
It's simple, personal, and exactly the kind of handmade treasure grandparents tend to keep.
4. Plan Breakfast for Grandma or Grandpa: Let children pretend they're hosting a special Grandparents Day breakfast. Children can draw the meal, create a menu, count the foods, write labels, and even calculate how many plates, cups, or napkins they would need.
5. Make a Memory Heart: Give each child a large paper heart. Inside, have them draw or write about a favorite memory with their grandparent or another special older adult. Put the hearts together on a bulletin board.
Children may celebrate Grandparents Day without realizing that the holiday itself has a history!
My Grandparents Day Fact Booklet gives young learners an age-appropriate opportunity to discover why this special day is celebrated while also beginning to practice nonfiction reading and research skills.
Children can read about Grandparents Day, take notes, record their research, and then extend their learning through creative activities.
And because handmade gifts can be especially meaningful for this holiday, the resource also includes activities such as Hugs for Grandparents, Grandparent Portraits, writing prompts, coloring activities, and planning a special breakfast for grandparents.
It allows children to do more than simply learn about Grandparents Day.
Every Family Has a Story. One of the most beautiful things about bringing Grandparents Day into the classroom is seeing just how different every family's story can be. Some grandparents live next door. Others live thousands of miles away.
Some children see their grandparents every day. Others may connect through phone calls, photographs, letters, or family stories.
Some children may have great-grandparents in their lives, while others have another older relative, neighbor, family friend, or special adult who fills that important role.
However our families look, we can help children understand that relationships between generations are worth celebrating.
Grandparents and older adults can give children something no worksheet ever could—a connection to another time, another generation, and a collection of stories that belong uniquely to their family.
So this Grandparents Day, make the cards and crafts. Draw the portraits. Give the hugs. But also encourage your little learners to ask questions. Listen to the stories. Discover the memories.
Because one of the greatest gifts children can give their grandparents may simply be:
"Tell me what it was like when you were little."
This resource may be found in my store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher
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