by Sarah Lyons
There is nothing more heartwarming than a gift made by a child — and it’s an affordable, fun way to say thank you and celebrate.
Celebrate National Grandparents Day (Sept. 11 this year) by honoring the grandparent in your kids’ lives with some of the following ideas:
Tasty Treats
Kids love to help out in the kitchen, so why not put together some tasty treats? Get the kids involved in the baking and put together a plate of cookies. If Grandma and Grandpa have a special diet, there are many healthy options.
Prints
All you need is a child’s cooperation, some paint and a little creativity to make a gift. Handprints, fingerprints and even footprints can be used to make a variety of crafts and art. Try putting your child’s prints on an apron, ornament, tea towel, oven mitt or T-shirt.
Utilize Beads
Beads are an affordable and versatile craft item that can be used for a variety of gifts. Small children can string beads on a pipe cleaner to make an ornament or necklace. Older children can make personalized jewelry or key chains.
Frame it
Photos make a favorite gift for a grandparent. Get kids involved in picking out favorite photos from the past year and putting them into a collage with handmade drawings or a poem. Try making a scrapbook page that can be framed for a special gift. Picture frames can be made with popsicle sticks or clay, or an existing frame can be painted or decorated with craft supplies.
Personalized Gifts
Talk to your child about their grandparents’ favorite hobbies and tailor the gift to their interests. For example, use permanent markers to decorate golf balls for the golf lover, decorate a plain coffee mug, create a special bookmark for a bookworm, or use fingerprints to decorate wooden utensils. Making personalized gifts also helps teach kids to be observant of other’s interests that may be outside their own.
