Grandparent's Day is dedicated to celebrating anyone who carries the role of a grandparent - by birth or by choice - and to remember the Grandparents we have lost and miss dearly.
Luckily the Tuscaloosa Area has no shortage of ways to celebrate these special people in our lives! Check out the ideas below, and be sure to take pictures to submit your photos from Grandparent's Day to be featured in a September Newsletter!
For Families with Small Humans
Capture a Memory
Pictures are worth 1,000 words! Plan ahead with a photo gift from your little one, schedule a Grandparent's Day photoshoot, or take some pictures with your phone to send with a sweet text about how much they mean to your family.
Need a lead to find the perfect photographer? Check out our Area Photographer Guide!
Handprint Art Everywhere
Starting off with a tricky one! Tiny hands move fast and without warning, so while you have unlimited options on Pinterest and can DIY to your heart's content (with or without calling in your other mom and dad friends for backup and emotional support), there are places in Tuscaloosa and Northport where you can get professional help having your child's hand or fingerprints made.
Check out the Arts & Crafts Guide for the full list. Check with your child's daycare to see if they are already making an art project for Grandparent's Day, or ask very nicely if they will help you get that perfect handprint. They get a lot of practice!
Snuggle Up for Story Time
Attend a story time at the Tuscaloosa Public Library during the week, check out a book to read on the couch at home, or ask Grandma or Grandpa to tell a story about when they were little. Pro tip: if you're choosing a story time at home, record the entire interaction and send it to them so that you all can watch the sweetness later on!
For Families with Youth and Adolescents
Walk and Talk
Some grandparents love to stay as active as possible! Catch up on life by joining them on a walk at the park or the indoor track. Remember that today is their day, so let them set the pace.
Helper for a Day
Yard work, shifting furniture, reaching the tallest shelf.. even the most independent of grandparents sometimes enjoy a helping hand! Offer to be a helper for the day, so that they can do the things they may be hesitant to do by themselves.
Create a Card
Sometimes the simplest gifts are the most appreciated! Show them that they have your attention and effort by designing and hand-delivering a heartfelt card!
For Families with Fur-Grands
A Walk in the Park
It's as simple as it seems! Throw an, "I love my Paw-Paw," bandana on your pup and meet up at for some quality time at your nearest dog-friendly park. (Don't forget water for both grandparent and grandpup, it's hot out there!)
Sleepover, Anyone?
Have your parents ever had their grand-dog over for a spend-the-night party? This may become a new (weekly) tradition for you! Pack up their food, a few favorite toys, and your freshly-bathed pup, and let the grand-paw-rents have an afternoon of fun!
Precious Paw Prints
It's the equivalent of handprint art! A few dollars at a local craft store for an ink pad and some small canvases, and you have the ingredients for an adorable mantle-topper gift. Pro tip: check with businesses in our Arts & Crafts Guide to see if anyone can loan you a paw!
For Families from a Distance
Send some Snail Mail
A care package of homemade art projects is delightful way to put a smile on a grandparent's face! Never underestimate the impact of opening a box to a macaroni necklace and decorated picture frame. Pro tip: check shipping timelines ASAP to make sure your package arrives in time!
Interweb Conversations
Whether it is via FaceTime or Google Meet, nothing makes the day of a grandparent like getting to see their little grands! Plan ahead with cute homemade signs or to time it at dinner so that you can "share a meal" together. Most importantly, make sure that you are focused and intentional with this time!
Meet in the Middle
Even if it's not exactly in the middle, check to see if there is something fun to do between your homes! Aquariums, festivals, museums, a concert, maybe even a beach, take a day trip to meet the grandparents and spend the day doing something together!
For Families Experiencing Loss on Grandparent's Day
Take Your Time
If today is difficult, don't skip over those feelings! Take a few moments of quiet to process them, and go on about your day however you need.
Visit a Special Spot
Visit the restaurant where you used to eat lunch together, the section of the bookstore where they loved to shop, or to the grocery store to get ingredients to make the dish that they always made when you came by to visit (there's always one!). Go to their graveside for a few minutes. Visit whichever place reminds you of the good times that you've had together.
Encourage Someone Else's Grandma or Grandpa
Pending restrictions due to illness, ask local assisted living homes if you are allowed to bring treats for some of the residents. If you are hesitant to go alone, reach out to local churches for an opportunity to serve residents with a group.
