Grandparents are famously hard to buy for. They've had decades to collect what they need, many are trying to declutter, and the answer to "What would you like?" is usually "Nothing, just come and visit." The trick is to take that answer seriously. The best gifts for grandparents who have everything are rarely things at all. They're time, memories and the grandchildren themselves.
Here are 25 ideas, grouped so you can pick by budget, distance and the age of the grandchildren.
Gifts Made by the Grandchildren
Nothing beats something small hands made. These cost very little and get kept for years.
- A framed drawing or painting. Ask the child to draw "a day with Grandma" or "Grandpa's garden". A simple frame makes it a gift.
- Handprint or footprint art. Especially for very young grandchildren. Add the date and age.
- A handwritten letter. Older children can write "Ten things I love about you" or a favorite memory together.
- A family recipe book. Collect the grandparent's own recipes, have the children write them out and decorate the pages.
- Homemade cookies or jam in a jar with a hand-drawn label.
- A video message. A short clip of the grandchildren singing, telling a joke or showing what they've learned. Put it on the grandparent's phone or a USB stick they can play on the TV.
Gifts of Time Together
- A "grandchild day" voucher. One day a month, the grandchild visits for lunch, a walk or a game. Make it a hand-drawn ticket book.
- An outing they'd enjoy but wouldn't book themselves: a garden, a concert, a matinee, a museum or a scenic drive.
- Teach-me sessions. The grandparent teaches a grandchild to bake, knit, fish or play chess, and the grandchild teaches them something on the phone or tablet.
- A standing video call at the same time every week, for grandparents who live further away.
- A family game night with an easy card or board game everyone can play. See games for grandparents and grandchildren for ideas by age.
Memory Keepsakes
- A photo book with names and dates written under each picture. It's easy to make online and a natural conversation starter.
- A digital photo frame that family members can send pictures to from their phones. Set it up before you give it, so it's ready to plug in.
- "Grandparent, tell me your story" journal. A guided journal with questions about their childhood, work and early family life. Or make your own using our list of reminiscence questions for seniors.
- Recorded interview. A grandchild asks ten questions and records the answers on a phone. It's a gift for the whole family.
- Restored old photos. Have faded or damaged family photos scanned and printed.
Consumables That Don't Add Clutter
- Their favorite treats, whether that's good coffee, chocolates or a particular tea.
- Flowers or a flowering plant delivered once a season.
- A meal out, or a home-cooked meal delivered by the family.
- Large print books or puzzle books in the genre they love. Our guides to large print crossword puzzles and puzzles for seniors suggest what to look for.
- A magazine subscription about their hobby, from gardening to history.
Simple Tech, Set Up Properly
Tech gifts go unused when they arrive in a box. They get used when someone sets them up and stays around to help.
- A tablet or phone stand so video calls don't need holding.
- Audiobooks or a music service with a playlist of songs from their teens and twenties already made.
- A brain games app chosen together. Pick something calm, readable and ad-free, and play the first round with them.
SilverMind is our own app, designed for older adults: large text, big buttons, short daily exercises of about six minutes, and no ads. It runs on iPhone and iPad and in any web browser at silvermind.app/play, which covers Android tablets and computers too. Eight exercises are free for good, so you can see whether they enjoy it before paying for anything. Our step-by-step guide on how to give an app as a gift to an elderly parent explains Family Sharing and gifting on the App Store.
The Gift They Might Value Most
- A promise you keep. Help with something they find hard: clearing the gutters, sorting photos, a lift to the doctor, or setting up the new phone. Write it on a card, then follow through.
Tips Before You Buy
- Ask the other side of the family. Grandparents often get duplicate gifts at Christmas.
- Think about hands and eyes. Small buttons, tiny print and fiddly packaging can turn a nice gift into a frustrating one.
- Respect their space. If they're downsizing, choose experiences and consumables over objects.
- Include the grandchildren in giving it. A gift handed over by a grandchild, with a hug, is half the gift.
For Grandparents With Memory Changes
If a grandparent is living with memory loss or dementia, simple and familiar works best: a photo album with names, a music player with favorite songs, a soft blanket or a large-piece puzzle. The Alzheimer's Association publishes a holiday gift guide for people living with dementia, and our article on gifts for elderly parents has a section on dementia-friendly gifts.
Why Connection Is the Real Gift
Many older adults say what they want most is time with family. The National Institute on Aging notes that hobbies and time with loved ones can give days a sense of purpose. So whatever you choose, attach some time to it: a visit to hand it over, a call to talk about it, or a promise to do it together.
Planning for the holidays? See our holiday activities for seniors for ways to include grandparents in the celebrations.
Research & References
- Participating in Activities You Enjoy As You Age - National Institute on Aging
- Gift Guide for Caregivers and People Living With Dementia - Alzheimer's Association
