Grandparents Day ideas for OSHC
26 DIY activities for Grandparents Day at before and after school care or vacation care. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Backyard Bocce Tournament
Teams roll balls as close as they can to a small target ball in this Italian lawn game, enjoyed in parks and backyards across Italy and Australia.
Father's Day · Mother's Day · Recycle Day +1Bottle Cap Keyrings
Children decorate metal bottle caps with pictures or paint and attach them to keyrings as gifts for special people.
Craft Day · National Families Week · Grandparents Day +1Button Families
Children glue buttons onto card to create families of characters, adding drawn details.
National Families Week · Clay and Pottery Day · Mother's Day +2Clay Family Figures
Children model their family members, pets or special people from playdough or clay to share who is important to them.
Dance-Off Day · Disco Day · Time Travellers Day +2Dance Through the Decades
Children learn simple dance moves from different decades, discovering how music and dance have changed over time.
Gardening Day · Craft Day · Mother's Day +3Decorate a Planter
Children paint a wooden or recycled planter and pot a small succulent to take home and care for.
Mother's Day · Father's Day · Grandparents Day +2Decorated Gift Candles
Children decorate pillar candles or battery candles with tissue paper and glue to create a special gift.
National Families Week · Grandparents Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Family Tree Art
Children draw and decorate their family tree with names, drawings and photos of the people who matter to them.
Italian Festa Day · Cooking Day · Grandparents Day +3Fresh Pasta With Nonna
Children make fresh pasta dough by hand and cut it into ribbons, ideally guided by a nonno, nonna or family member who makes pasta at home.
Songkran · Grandparents Day · Craft Day +2Garlands of Respect for Elders
Children thread colourful flower garlands inspired by Thai phuang malai, learning how Songkran honours grandparents and elders, and give them to family members or a special older person.
Messy Play Day · Craft Day · Mother's Day +2Gem Art Photo Frames
Children decorate cardboard photo frames with gems, sequins and patterns to display a photo or drawing.
Grandparents Day · National Families Week · Mother's Day +2Handprint Family Tree
Children make a tree using painted handprints as leaves, with each leaf naming a special person in their life.
World Hello Day · Kindness Day · Grandparents Day +2Hello Postcards for Neighbours
Children write and decorate hello postcards for a local aged care home, school or community group, spreading friendly greetings beyond the service.
Father's Day · Mother's Day · Grandparents Day +1Helpful Jobs Coupon Book
Children make a booklet of vouchers for helpful jobs they can do for a special person.
Learn to Day · Yarn Day · Craft Day +3Learn to Finger Knit
Children start with finger knitting to learn the basics, then try simple needle knitting when ready.
Pioneer Day · Time Travellers Day · Grandparents Day +1Old-Fashioned Games
Children try games from the past like hoop rolling, marbles and hopscotch. A playful look at how children played long ago.
Day of the Dead · Mindfulness Day · Grandparents Day +1Our Remembering and Gratitude Wall
A gentle, optional activity where children add a drawing, note or photo of someone or something special to them, inspired by the ofrendas Mexican families make to remember loved ones.
Mother's Day · Father's Day · Grandparents Day +2Pop-Up Heart Card
Children fold and cut card to make a greeting card with a heart that pops up when it opens.
Mother's Day · Father's Day · Grandparents Day +2Salt Dough Pendant Necklaces
Children shape salt dough pendants, bake and paint them, then thread them onto cord as a keepsake gift.
Father's Day · Paper Crafts Day · Grandparents DayShirt and Tie Cards
Children fold card into a shirt shape and paint a bright tie to make a greeting card for a special person.
World Smile Day · Kindness Day · Craft Day +2Smile Bunting for the Community
Children decorate bunting flags with smiling faces and cheerful messages to give to a local aged care home, library or community centre.
Show and Tell Day · National Families Week · Grandparents Day +1Special Item Sharing
Children bring a meaningful item from home and share its story with the group, building confidence and connection.
Mother's Day · Father's Day · Grandparents Day +1Special Person Interview Card
Children answer fun questions about their mum, carer or special person, creating a heartfelt card full of their own words.
Kindness Day · Careers Day · Friendship Day +1Thank You Notes
Children write thank you notes to staff, cleaners and others who help at school.
Grandparents Day · Time Travellers Day · Games Day +2Then and Now Games
Children learn and play games from older generations, such as marbles and elastics, and compare them with games they play today.
Greek Day · Cooking Day · Grandparents Day +2Yiayia's Biscuit Twists
Children roll and twist soft dough into koulourakia, Greek butter biscuits, ideally alongside a yiayia, pappou or family member who bakes them at home.