12 Heartwarming DIY Gifts For Grandparents From Toddlers And Kids

There's a reason grandparents keep the wonky clay thing from 1994. A homemade gift from a grandchild isn't judged on quality; it's kept because of who made it.

Twelve ideas below, split by age, so a two year old and an eleven year old can both contribute something real.

Toddlers, with an adult doing the fiddly bits

• A painted mug. Paint-your-own kits turn a toddler's scribbles into something nanna drinks out of every morning - and she'll tell everyone who made it.
• Handprint and footprint art, dated on the back, in a cheap frame.
• Salt dough handprint decorations for the tree, which last decades.
• A decorated plant pot with something already growing in it, so it can't be forgotten about.
• A photo magnet for the fridge, made from a printed photo and a sticky magnet strip.

Primary school age

• A mug painted with a drawing of grandad, complete with his actual level of hair.
• A recipe book of the family's meals, one page per recipe, illustrated.
• A homemade calendar with a drawing for each month and every family birthday marked on.
• A pressed-flower bookmark, laminated so it survives real use.
• A 'ten reasons you're the best nanna' list, written out and framed.
• A hand-drawn map of the walk you always do together.

Older children and teenagers

• A recorded interview asking about their childhood, first job and how they met. The most valuable thing on this list.
• A photo book made online with pictures from the last year.
• A playlist of the songs they were young for, written out on paper as well as shared on a phone.
• A scanned and reprinted copy of an old family photo they thought was lost.

Making it land

• Deliver it in person if you possibly can. The handover is most of the gift.
• Write the child's name and the date on the bottom of anything made. Grandparents date everything.
• Include a card the child has written. It gets propped on the windowsill for weeks.
• One good gift beats three. They haven't got the shelf space and they'll say so eventually.
• For grandparents who live far away, post it with a photo of the child holding it before it was wrapped.

Shop grandparent cards

How to write it so it lands

• Date everything. In twenty years the date is the part nobody remembers.
• Let the child hand it over themselves and explain it. That's the bit that gets retold.
• Take a photo of the gift before it leaves the house.

Where to shop next

• DIY teacher gifts kids can make
• Rainy day craft kits for kids
• Homemade Father's Day gifts
• Crafty hen do ideas at home
• Pottery painting at home
• Cheap date night ideas
• Date night at home ideas
• Date nights that keep the spark going
• Date night ideas for parents
• Date night ideas in the UK
• Rainy day activities for kids
• Teacher thank you gifts
• Hen party at home
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Funny Father's Day cards
• Good luck cards
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are the best DIY gifts for grandparents?

Things that get used or displayed: a painted mug, handprint art, a photo magnet, an illustrated family recipe book, a homemade calendar with the birthdays marked, and a recorded interview about their own childhood.

What can a toddler make for grandparents?

Paint-your-own mugs, handprint and footprint art, salt dough decorations, a decorated plant pot and a fridge photo magnet - all with an adult handling the cutting, baking and gluing.

What's a meaningful gift for grandparents who say they want nothing?

A recent printed photo of the grandchildren, something handmade they can use daily like a painted mug, and a visit with a date already agreed. Those three cover almost every grandparent.

How do you send a homemade gift to grandparents far away?

Pack it well, include a card in the child's handwriting, and send a photo of the child holding the gift before it was wrapped so they can see the maker as well as the thing.

Do you sell craft kits or mugs?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations, all posted from the UK. Any craft kit or mug kit mentioned here is an outside recommendation, not something we stock.