Grandparents: Day Three

Gifts of Love

Part of Grandparents Day is reminding us to show our love and respect for our grandparents. One way to do this is with cards, gifts, and simple demonstrations of love.

Books:
The Gifts of Being Grand
by Marianne Richmond

Grandparents
by Roser Capdevila

Grandparents Day
by Nikki Tate, Benoit Laverdiere

Grandfathers are Like Gold
by Janet Lanese

Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother
by Lois Wyse

Songs:
I Love {Grandma, Grandpa, Granna, Gramps}
{He/She} loves me.
We're a happy family.
With a great big hug, and a kiss from me to you
Won't you say you love me, too!


Activities:
Cards--make a card that shows grandparents how much the child loves them. Our card has a flower on the front and says, "A grandparent's love helps us grow. Happy Grandparent's Day! Love, Kyle and Ryan." Then, we glued pictures of the boys on the inside. The flowers are made by cutting different sizes of circles out of paper that Kyle painted on with watercolors. We glued them on and dew in a stem, leaves, and grass.


Here's another idea for a similar flower card made from muffin cups.

There are numerous ideas for cards made by folding paper in half. Just having children decorate it and tell you what to write makes a wonderful card. Make a hand print or thumbprints for the child to decorate and turn into bugs, animals, flowers, etc.

Another idea:

The children paint their fingers a "flowery" color(s) and their palms green. They then place their hands down on white construction paper creating "handprint flowers." They then glue this to a larger piece of construction paper (their choice of colors) and glue a paper heart to the center. (Some may be able to cut out the hearts themselves.) This poem is then glued to the "card":

A Piece of Me (written by Kathleen Lademan) A piece of me I give to you: I painted this flower to say "I Love You" The heart is you, the hand is me To show we are friends, the best there can be I hope we'll save it and look back someday At the flower we shared on your special day. HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY!

Homemade Gifts--

Packet Gifts: Gather everyday items and attach clever sayings. Wrap them all together in a cute bag, box, or other container, such as a flower pot.

Grandparents Gift Packet

Hand Lotion - to remind you that babies need lots of soft touches
Safety Pin - to help remind you to be safe
Lifesavers - to remind you that grandparents can be lifesavers
Small hand mirror - to remind you that you play a very important roll in the life of your grandchild!
Wipes - for cleaning up those little messes
Candle - to remind you, you will be the light of that child's eye
Peppermint - to remind you that you are worth a mint
Brag Book - so you will always have your grandchild near
Sweet & Sour Candy - to remind you that every child can be both at any given moment
Clock - to remind you that time passes to quickly...enjoy every minute
Mounds Bar - for the mounds of wisdom you will pass on to your grandchild
Starburst - for that extra burst of energy when you wear out but they don't.
Hershey's Hugs & Kisses - because you deserve them~!

PAPER WEIGHTS For this gift, you will need a small clear jar. Have your child fill the jar with layers of dried beans and seeds. Provide your child with colorful options such as red kidney beans, green peas, yellow corn, etc. Secure the lid and turn the jar upside-down to use as a paper weight.

FRAMES Make or buy small cardboard frame inserts. Have your child glue old buttons around the frame. Tape a recent photo of your child in the frame. Tape a pop can pull on the back top to use for a hanger.

HAND -SOME BOOKMARK Have your child lay their hand and part of their arm on a piece of light weight cardboard, while you draw around it with a pencil. Cut out the shape and let your child decorate the shape with marking pens or crayons. Have your child write their name on the back and /or tape a small picture of them on the back. Cover the bookmark with clear self-stick paper on both sides and cut around the edges.

SEASONAL BOOKMARKS Have your child collect small colorful fall leaves and/or small flower petals. Provide her with a 5"x8" piece of clear self-stick paper (sticky side up). Have her place her leaves and petals on the sticky paper, then cover it with another piece of self-stick paper. Have your child press across the paper to remove any air bubbles created. Trim the paper down to a 2"x7" strip. You may be able to make two bookmarks from their art work.

Closing:
Once you've made your cards or gifts, help child wrap/address them. If grandparents live far away, mail the gifts. If not, talk to child about how exciting it will be to give the gifts to his grandparents on Grandparent's Day!