Are you planning to squeeze in a special activity or two for National Grandparents Day? This year’s date is Sunday, September 12 (the first Sunday after Labor Day). Because this holiday falls so close to the start of school, I always scampered to include a project. I often resorted to a card-making center or a letter-writing activity that invited my third graders to honor a grandparent or a special senior friend. I made sure to provide plenty of extra materials so a student who wished to complete the project more than once could easily do so. I’d love to hear what you’ve got planned. Maybe your plans will inspire a colleague who is nearby or faraway to incorporate National Grandparents Day into her busy schedule too. Thanks for sharing!
Happily,
Diane
1. For National Grandparent’s Day many schools invite students to bring their grandparents with them. Prior to the date before the Grandparents come the create two quizzes, one for the grandparents and one for the students. The student question could be about terminology from the past and have the children help make grandparent quiz about terminology from today.(this activity depends on the age of the children)one for the grandparents and one for your students. Once everyone is assembled? Pass out the quizzes and on the day the grandparents visit and discuss the differences in language between the age groups. The answers sill make everyone laugh!
NOTE: If you have students who do not have a grandparent able to attend the activities, invite them to bring a special senior, a neighbor, a relative, a mom, or a dad.
2.Another suggestion is to hold a grandparents tea or luncheon. Combine the activity with a lesson on good manners for younger students, and your class will have a chance to show off its best behavior. Older students might enjoy planning a “senior” prom for elderly community members with old songs and memorabilia. NOTE: Make sure you take a lot of pictures during the luncheon and/or tea.
3.Grandparent Interview. Interview your visiting grandparents/senior citizen. Here are some Sample Interview Questions for grandparents.
Sample Questions for ‘Interviewing’ Your Grandparents
1. Where were you born? What year?
2. What are the names and birthdates of your brothers and sisters?
3. Did you have a pet when you were growing up?
4. Did you get an allowance?
5. Who was more strict, your mom or dad?
6. What were your favorite games and activities?
7. What chores were assigned to you?
8. What did your house look like? Is it still the same?
9. Did your house have electricity when you were young?
10. What traditions did your family have?
11. Did your family have big reunions?
12. Did you like school? What kinds of grades did you get?
13. What were your favorite subjects?
14. When you were a teenager, what time did you have to be home at night?
15. How old were you when you met grandma/grandpa?
16. How old were you when you got married?
17. What was your first job?
18. Tell me about my mom/dad when he/she was growing up.
19. What makes you proud of my mom/dad and me?
20. Have you accomplished what you wanted in life?
21. What do you think the President should do for the country now?
22. What advice would you like to give us?
There are so many great activities for National Grandparents Day.
Submitted by retired childcare “Adult Learner” instructor/trainer
I used to do a special activity for Grandparent Day but it is so hard at the beginning of the year. So I make sure i have art stuff available and say you can make a card for Grandma and Grandpa.
Last year I changed my Mothers Day Tea to a Family Tea and had so many Grandparents show up. It was a wonderful way to thank them for all they do for our little ones and a more relaxed time of year.
Thank you, C. Johnson & Darlene Taig. We just got back to school today after Tropical Storm Hermine wrecked havoc on our community. Your ideas/suggestions have helped.
Thank you so much!!!
For Grandparents Day the children make a card. Their handprints, one at each end of a strip of construction paper which ‘we’ write, A hug for you and children sign their names. In advance parents are asked to send in a long envelope with the grandparents’ names and addresses. The child’s name is in the return address place on the envelope. This way we know which goes where. The children choose the colors themselves and we really have a very special and beautiful card made by hand.
We ask the parents to bring in photos of grandparents along with addressed and stamped envelops for grandparents. We then send a hug card along with the school’s address for grandparents to write back to us. photos are placed on the wall around a map showing where grandparents live. As letters come in these are read and placed on our grandparents wall.
I had all the students bring in glass jars and we decorated them with tissue paper and diluted glue to make a “stained glass” effect. Then we placed small candles inside of them and attached a card. They turned out really cute.
A coworker of mine found flower pots for .17 cents and had each child bring in one bunch of flowers. The students each got to pick the blossoms they liked best to make an arrangement for their grandparents.