When you homeschool, it isn’t just your family that is homeschooling. Often, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends don’t understand what you’re doing, and why. So that can make holiday get-togethers a little awkward. However, if you give the right gift, it can go a long way to help grandparents and extended family feel better about homeschooling. So dive into this special gift guide for grandma, when you homeschool!
The Gift Guide for Grandma (and Grandpa too!)
I’ve put together a list of great gift ideas to give grandparents. You can give the right gift and make them happy and make great memories too.
1. Make it yourself
A handmade gift can be special and meaningful. It could be as simple as a drawing your child has made that you’ve framed. Or a craft they’ve done that is functional as well as beautiful.
If your child has studied any kind of handcrafts – crocheting, knitting, sewing, woodcarving, etc – have them work on a grandparent gift. Not only does your child get to show off their skills, and impress grandparents with how talented they are, but those grandparents will get something to treasure and brag about to all their friends and neighbours.
2. Memorialize it in a book.
Create a yearbook or photo book from everything you’ve done over the years to give to grandparents. You can fill it with photos from all those field trips you’ve taken, or workshops you’ve participated in. And maybe include those casual photos from playing in the yard, or those formal family pictures you get taken every year.
If you create a yearbook, you could include samples of writing, drawing, or pictures of crafts and science projects from your kids over the year. And you can also write notes describing your children’s explorations in history and geography.
3. Personalize it.
Next on this gift guide for grandma are those incredibly personalized gifts. Let your kids pick out a favorite saying, or a great photo and personalize a gift for grandparents. There are lots of places that will place your picture on a mug, or embroider a fabric related item, for a small fee.
You can even order your personalized gifts online. Try a site like Things Remembered, or CafePress for great options that you can customize, and give the right gift to your grandparents.
Or try making it yourself. One year, my children and I made my dad a personalized sweater, with a phrase on it that’s very meaningful to him. He teared up when we gave it to him, and it’s now one of his favorite shirts.
4. Decorate it.
There’s nothing more special than hanging a handprint or carefully painted ornament from grandchildren on their tree. Or maybe you’ll have your children choose something meaningful for their grandparents’ tree. Birthstones, flowers, even just colors can help make a tree ornament something different.
Or if you don’t have a tree, what about another festive decoration? One year, I bought my mom an outdoor plaque for her deck fence. On one side, it’s a scarecrow face, and on the other a silly snowman.
5. Have fun with them.
Grandparents love to spend time with their kids, so getting them something that they can do together makes a great gift. Try a fun board game or card game. Or maybe a puzzle. Tailor the gift to the ages of your children and to the dexterity of the older adults.
Here’s our list of tried-and-true all-ages games:
- Uno
- Racko
- Chinese Checkers
- Croquenot
- Sorry
6. Inspire them.
Whether or not the grandparents in your life are religious or not, you can inspire them by giving just the right gift. Give them something to uplift or to make them happy. Maybe it’s a carefully chosen book, or a specially chosen CD. Or try adult coloring, with inspirational phrases.
You could even create your own personalized CD, using music performed by your kids, if they are musically inclined. Or have them autograph whatever book you choose. Or have them color one of the inspirational pages, as a start.
When you homeschool, give the right gift from this gift guide for Grandma.
The holidays can be stressful. But giving the right gift to homeschooling grandparents can help smooth over ruffled feathers and create a more peaceful holiday. Whether you choose to share what your kids are doing, or encourage grandparents to enjoy their time with your kids, or just to spread joy, this gift guide will save you time and stress.
