“Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” — Alex Haley
Why Grandparent-Grandchild Play is So Special and Enduring
For some grandparents, play is a language they never stopped speaking while others might need to shake out their play muscles a bit. But finding time to play with grandchildren is not just fun for all involved, it is foundational. Endless studies have been reported on the lifelong benefits of spending quality time with grandparents.
For many families, grandparents offer not only love and wisdom, but ways of playing that nurture children's growth and deepen lifelong bonds. And we know that children benefit immensely from play - especially with grandparents. Shared play fosters emotional closeness, improves communication, and builds lasting memories. At the same time, shared play encourages storytelling, problem-solving, cooperation, and empathy, all skills that serve kids for a lifetime.
Although every day should be grandparents day, today we are taking some time to celebrate some grand ways to connect the generations through play. Whether you live nearby or are planning a weekend visit, we've compiled a list of fun and creative ideas for Grandparents Day that bring playful, screen-free ideas into focus, many of which can be made even more special with our toys and games.
Our Top Ten Fun and Creative Ideas for Grandparents Day
“The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.” — Sam Levenson
Host a Family Puzzle Night
Bond over brain teasers! Puzzles are perfect for quiet evenings filled with shared laughter and a sense of accomplishment. Choose a parrot or elephant puzzle from our new wooden puzzle collection. These puzzles promote problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and number learning while being just the right challenge for all.
Create Art Projects Together
Art is a universal language, and kids love seeing their grandparents draw, paint, or create side by side with them. Set up a simple art station with paper, markers, and stickers. To take art making to another level, bring the Little Friends out to play. Children can draw scenes around their figures, creating farms, cities, or schools for their dolls to "live" in. This is a lovely way to initiate storytelling and helps kids build empathy and narrative thinking, while sharing stories of “what if” and “all of a sudden!”
Engage in Imaginative Storytelling
To continue with the storytelling theme… Few things are more heartwarming than hearing a grandparent tell a story and then watching a grandchild add their own creative twist. This back-and-forth can be extended with open-ended play tools like our soft dolls and puppets. Puppets allow kids and grandparents to create plays together, building confidence and expression, while dolls help children explore emotions and scenarios through pretend play.
Build a Marble Run Together
Everyone loves a good old fashioned marble run! This collaborative activity encourages engineering thinking, spatial awareness, and loads of giggles when marbles go flying. Best of all, it’s a toy that can grow with kids as every marble track construction session races into a brand new adventure. HABA’s wooden marble run systems as well as Kullerbü or Hubelino sets let children and grandparents build and race marbles and balls while learning about gravity, cause and effect, and perseverance.
Make a Memory Book
Creating a scrapbook or memory journal together is a meaningful way to preserve family stories. Let kids decorate the pages while grandparents share their favorite memories or life lessons. You can even add in the stories that you created together while playing or the amazing art projects that you created.
Set Up a Pretend Play Café
Turn your kitchen into a pretend play café and invite kids to be chefs while grandparents “order” their favorite foods. This kind of role-play supports language development, sequencing, and social-emotional skills. HABA’s pretend play food sets and 3 in 1 Creative Play Set offer open-ended possibilities for this kind of creative play. Whether whipping up a spaghetti dinner or sushi, this kind of delicious pretend play builds bridges between generations because everyone loves a good meal!
Build Some Classic Play Structures
Building Blocks never go out of style. Together, grandparents and grandchildren can build towers, bridges, or even replicate famous landmarks. At HABA, we’ve been making beautiful and sustainably sourced building blocks for generations so that play can cross generations. These heirloom-quality wooden building toys often get passed down, creating not just structures but traditions.
Take Play Outside
When the weather is right, outdoor toys can offer hours of active play. From digging in the sandbox to setting up a backyard obstacle course, nature becomes the playroom. Our garden tools encourage a love of gardening, something that will definitely unite the generations and are perfect for tactile play that strengthens motor skills.
Play a Travel-Friendly Game
If you’re celebrating Grandparents Day on the go, don’t worry. HABA has a full collection of travel games that fit easily in a bag and are perfect for car rides, restaurants, or waiting spaces. These games help improve focus, turn-taking, and memory and they’re just as fun for adults as for kids.
Build a Family Tradition
Make Grandparents Day an annual event. Whether it’s a specific game you always play together, a shared storybook, or a craft tradition, these rituals help children feel secure and valued. Perhaps you will choose a game like Animal Upon Animal, our bestselling stacking game challenge that’s fun for all ages for your yearly go-to? Or perhaps every Grandparents Day you will create a new puppet show or have a block stacking challenge!
At HABA, we believe play is for every generation. Our toys are designed to entertain, engage, and educate, but most importantly, to connect families through meaningful moments. This Grandparents Day, we invite you to celebrate with play that brings joy, learning, and love to both young and old. We hope you make the most of your time together with some of these creative ideas for Grandparents Day, because every giggle, story, and game shared becomes a memory cherished for generations.
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