Kids typically think of their grandparents as the nice, older folks who are happy to read endless stories, ooh and ahh over the latest artistic creation, and occasionally slip them the sweet treat mom says no to.
What kids don’t usually think about is that their grandparents were once kids and teenagers, like them, who eventually became moms and dads.
Grandparents have a lifetime of experiences to share about their lives growing up, their struggles and their joys at every phase. Taking time to hear about those experiences is a gift for everyone involved.
Grandparents treasure the gift of time spent together. Your kids will learn important family history, and there may be some surprise you haven’t heard about either!
When you’re considering how to honor grandparents on Grandparents Day — September 8 — why not honor their lives by listening to their stories?
Questions Kids Can Ask Grandparents
Download and print our list of 20 questions kids can ask grandparents. Consider using your phone to quietly video the conversations, too. In this age of 10-second sound bites, capturing the voices and faces of your family recalling precious memories will become another precious memory, too.
- When and where were you born?
- How did your parents choose your name? Did you have any nicknames?
- Tell me about the house and neighborhood where you grew up.
- Did you have pets? What kind?
- What were your favorite foods as a kid?
- What were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school?
- What kind of games did you play growing up?
- How were holidays (birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.) celebrated in your family growing up?
- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Did you go on vacation, and where was your favorite place to go?
- Did you like to play sports?
- What was your first job?
- What did you do after high school — go to college, trade school, join the military?
- Where have you lived?
- How did you meet Grandma/Grandpa? How did you get engaged?
- What do you remember most about your wedding day?
- Tell me about the day we first met each other.
- What’s been your favorite age to be?
- Looking back at your life, what are you most proud of?
- What do you want your children and grandchildren to remember about you?
