Best gifts for grandparents

Nothing says “I love you” more than a home-cooked meal and preserving those classic family recipes is a gift not only for grandparents, but for the generations to come too. This is a blank recipe journal where you can record all of your favorite dishes in one place, and make sure recipes are passed down. With 110 pages there’s plenty of space to record all the family secrets.

Heads up

There’s some work needed on the grandparent’s end to record recipes.

Specs

• 110 pages
• Paperback

Finding out you’re going to be a grandparent for the first time is one of life’s great joys. But the rules have certainly changed from when they were raising their families. This guide gently walks grandparents through everything from choosing their grandparent name to understanding why new moms make the rules they do, and why it's a good idea to go along with them. It's a great introduction to a beautiful new phase of life. 

Heads up

As you can expect, the book material is subjective and new parents may not agree with everything it says. You may want to pre-read before handing it off to new grandparents. 

Specs

• 272 pages
• Paperback (Kindle and library-bound editions also available)

For the grandparents that have it all, this ornament will serve as a reminder of how precious their grandchildren are year after year. This fully customizable ornament made of birch plywood can be inscribed with names, the year, and up to 50 characters of text to symbolize the bond between grandparent and grandchild, and commemorate the special year they leveled up. 

Heads up

At 3.15 inches in diameter, this ornament may be smaller than you expect

Specs

• Choose from 3 wood stains
• Customize with names, date, and text
• Dimensions: 3.15 inches round

This sweet rustic sign hangs in the grandparents' home, with space to feature favorite snapshots of their grandkids. We love that this one has clothespins to make switching out shots easier than in a traditional frame. There are spots for all the grandkids, or add cards, artwork, or little love notes from the grandchildren. 

Heads up

Some users complain that the jute rope unravels over time

Specs

• Dimensions: 13.62 x 5.98 x 1.5 inches
• Wood, glass, engineered wood, and jute rope
• Sign reads: "Side by side or miles apart, Grandkids are always close to the heart"

Family rings are beautiful, but you have to know what size to get, which can spoil the surprise. But this cool modern birthstone necklace fits anyone, and can be customized with as many as eight grandkid birthstones and initial-inscribed leaves so it reflects your family tree each and every time the grandparent looks in the mirror. Kids love knowing they have a place in the wearer's jewelry, and heart, too. 

Heads up

It’s recommended to remove around water (shower, pool, spa) and also while sleeping or exercising.

Specs

• Choose from gold, silver, or rose gold finish
• Customize with up to 8 birthstones and 8 initial leaves
• Chain length: 17.5 inches

Digital photo frames have gotten a facelift over the years, and now uploading images is as easy as emailing photos to your frame's address from anywhere in the world. With just a few clicks, photos automatically show up on the frame, in crystal-clear resolution, and in 60 seconds. Setup is easy too: the frame automatically looks for wifi, and remembers past addresses just like your computer does, so you can move it from place to place. 

Heads up

You can get a “Plus” subscription for $39 per year which allows you to send videos, add text to captions, use cloud backup, and create and edit photo albums.

Parents say

"I recommend the Skylight frame. We got it for my grandpa to get pictures of all his great-grandkids! You just email your photos to an email address set up specifically for the frame and they will pop right up!"

Specs

• Dimensions: 12 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• 10-inch display
• 1 lithium metal battery required, not included
• 1280 x 800 resolution

Preserve every precious detail in the grandkids' little starfish hands with this do-it-yourself casting kit, which includes everything you need including sealant, paints, molding powder, and an instructional video. Cast those baby feet, two hands holding each other, or even create a family cast with everyone’s hands together. Create memories that last forever, and a loving memento for when you are apart.

Heads up

Most of the reviews stress the importance of both reading all the instructions and watching the video before starting. 

Specs

• Includes plastic molding bucket, Step 1 molding powder, Step 2 casting stone, fine sandpaper, coarse sandpaper, demolding stick, detailing pin and instructions
• Enough material to cast 2 adult hands, 2 adults and 2 children age 10 and under, or 3-4 children under age 12

A good babysitter makes sure the charges in her care feel happy and loved, and grandparents can count on seconding these emotions after reading these sweet stories with their grandkids. Chock-full of tongue-in-cheek but actually quite practical advice, this book details for little "babysitters" how to care for their grandparents, from planning a sleepover with Grandma to crafting snacks with Grandpa (hint: anything dipped in ketchup is appropriate). Children and grandparents can read it together, and plan on fun times to come. 

Heads up

You can purchase each book separately and there are a couple other equally adorable books in the series, like How to Read to a Grandma or Grandpa.Opens a new window

Parents say

"To announce our pregnancy we bought the How To Babysit a Grandma and How To Babysit a Grandpa books. We are going to put them in boxes and give them to his parents."

Specs

• Includes 2 books
• 32 pages each
• Hardback
• Recommended for ages 5-8

This is an adorable token for grandparents who may not live close by and would love the reminder of the grandchildren throughout the day. This little flat metal heart is a hug you can hold in your hand. Grandparents can put it in their pocket or purse and be reminded throughout the day of the little ones who love them.

Heads up

It’s tiny, which isn’t great to have around really little kids (choking hazard).

Specs

• Metal
• Dimensions: 1.06 x 1.02 inches

Is your parent or in-law a writer? Do they have a wealth of knowledge, stories, prayers, or advice? Then this softcover journal might be the perfect present. It has 64-double-sided sheets ready to be used for thoughtful memories, personal thoughts, recipes, drawings, or diagrams: basically anything a grandparent may want to pass down to the next generation. 

Heads up

If you’re stuck on things to say, there are other options that give you prompts, but we liked this blank slate notebook for a choose-your-own-adventure type of journal.

Specs

• 128 pages
• Paperback

If your parents or in-laws have a sense of humor, these custom socks would make a hilarious gift. Choose from any one of six colors, upload your favorite picture, and after a short time, your customized new socks show up, ready to keep grandparent toes warm. You can make socks with a single face or with two, and an emoji like a smiley face or heart. Made with 75 percent polyester and 25 percent cotton, these are durable and designed to give a high level of comfort.

Heads up

Choose a photo that is high resolution and shows the face well for the best results.

Specs

• Choose from 6 colors
• Upload up to two images of faces, pets or people

Give your parents or in-laws the gift of having coffee every morning with their grandkids with this 15-ounce white ceramic coffee mug. Personalize it with an adorable or fun photo and custom text to remind the grandparents just how loved they are. It’s dishwasher- and microwave-safe, so grandparents can enjoy holding it for a lot longer.

Heads up

You can add a new image or text on the back for an additional charge.

Specs

• 15-ounce mug
• Customize with up to two photos and two lines of text of up to 50 characters each

As your family tree grows, it can become more complicated to keep track of all the important dates. Birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations and special events can all be included in this Family Tree Plaque so you can see at a glance all the important family dates. 

Heads up

You have to paint and draw on the names and dates yourself, which may be hard for those without an artistic bent. 

Specs

• Includes 1 frame, 50 round disks, and 50 heart shaped disks, 
• Plaque dimensions: 15.8 x 6.3 inches

Get crafty with this adorable four-pack of bird houses, ready for your creative touches. They’re made of non-toxic materials and are eco-friendly, perfect for your feathery friends to make their home in. Make a matching set: one for the grandparents and one for the grandkids. This would make such a fun activity for grandparents to do with their grandkids too!

Heads up

The bird houses don’t come assembled.

Specs

• Includes 4 birdhouses, 24 paints, 4 brushes, and accessories
• No tools required

By far one of the coolest options on this list, the Long Distance Friendship Lamps allow you to set up two lights in different homes. The neat part is that they’re connected to each other via wifi and whenever someone touches their lamp, the other lamp changes colors. Send hugs or let your loved one know any time you’re thinking of them in a unique and special way.

Heads up

This is not cheap, and you have to have access to wifi for it to work.

Parents say

"These are expensive but awesome. A friend of mine uses this with a long distance friend & loves it. Basically when you touch your lamp, you change the color of both lamps so your friend or loved one knows you're thinking about them." 

Specs

• Includes 2 lamps
• Requires AC power and 2.5 gigahertz wifi
• Lamp dimensions: 5.5 x 5.0 x 5.25 inches

As you can see, there’s no one-size-fits all grandparent present. You know your parents/in-laws the best and know what they would love and enjoy. Here are a few questions to ask yourself or your child to really try and narrow it down. 

1. Have you heard the grandparent talking about something they wanted? 
2. Would the grandparent appreciate a sentimental gift, perhaps with a photo of the grandparents with the grandkids, or something that would remind them of a happy memory? 
3. Are there any family traditions (games, songs, food, locations) that you can commemorate with a gift? 
4. Are there any family memories you'd like to pass on to future generations?
5. Ask your child: Is there something they’d like to do with their grandparent? Or something they've done before that they enjoyed?
6. Ask the grandparent: Is there something they’d like to do with their grandchild?