Kids' Artwork Gift Ideas for Grandparents (and Other Relatives)

Ask any grandparent what they want for Christmas or their birthday and many will say the same thing: "Just a drawing from the children." They mean it. A grandparent's home is often a gallery of children's art. With a little effort, that fridge-door drawing can become a gift they keep for the rest of their lives.

The best gifts made from a child's drawing

A photo book. The all-time favourite. Choose a dozen or two of the year's best pieces, add captions in your child's own words, and have it printed. Grandparents look at it again and again. Our guide to making a children's artwork book explains each step.

A framed print. Choose one standout drawing, print it on good paper and frame it. It looks as if it belongs on a gallery wall, and sits happily beside their other family pictures. See art prints.

A phone case. Grandparents carry their phones everywhere, so a case printed with a grandchild's drawing gets shown to everyone they meet. See phone cases.

A mug. An everyday gift: a drawing on a mug that they use every morning. Some shops, including ours later, print mugs from your library.

Greeting cards. A set of cards printed with your child's pictures means every birthday message from them is a work of art.

A canvas. A stretched canvas gives a small drawing real presence on a wall.

A shared digital library. Not a physical gift, but a lovely one: invite them to your family library and they see every new drawing the moment it arrives. See family sharing.

How to choose the pictures

• Choose pieces that include the grandparents (a portrait, their house, their dog).
• Pick bright, bold drawings that look great at a distance.
• Include a few that show your child's age, so the gift records a moment.
• Ask your child. Their favourites are often the best.

Make it personal

Captions turn a nice gift into a treasured one. Write down what your child says about each picture: "Grandma in her garden. She has a big hat." Add a short dedication on the first page from your child, written or dictated.

Get the timing right

Printed gifts are made to order and posted, so plan ahead:

A few more ideas

• A drawing in a frame, with the original on the back. Mount the real drawing and add a photo of your child holding it.
• A year of drawings as a calendar. Choose twelve pieces, one for each month.
• A "drawing of the month" post. Send one scan a month as a card.

A little advice

Keep it simple. One good gift beats five average ones. Choose one format, pick the best pictures, add captions, and check everything twice before you order. Grandparents will not remember the price; they will remember that the picture is from their grandchild.

Gift ideas by effort

Make your child part of it

Children love making a present, and grandparents love knowing they helped.

• Let your child choose the drawings. Their favourites are often not yours, and that is part of the charm.
• Have them dictate the captions or write a dedication on the first page.
• Let them sign the cover, even if it is a scribble.
• Take a photo of them handing the gift over or opening the parcel with the grandparent.

Presentation matters

• Wrap the gift in a child's painting for instant personality.
• Add a handwritten card from your child, even if it is a scribble and a kiss.
• If you are posting it, include a note about what each picture is, so the grandparent knows the stories.

For relatives who live far away

Distance makes drawings more precious, not less.

• Order a photo book and have it posted straight to them, with a card.
• Invite them to your family library so they see new pictures as soon as they arrive, and can tell the child they love them.
• Print and post a single favourite each month. A small ritual builds a collection.

"But the drawing is not very good"

Do not worry. A grandparent is not judging composition. They love the colours, the wobbly lines, the little notes. A messy, joyful drawing of "Grandad's garden" is the best present you can give. The crayon-style quality is the whole point.