Grandparents Day Activity - An Interview by The Grandchild



Posted: Friday, August 18, 2006

by Nancy Johnson
Creative Child Activity Notebook

This Grandparents Day activity lets the child become a reporter and interview their grandparent. If the child does not have a grandparent living nearby, they can interview any older person who is special to them. This can be a neighbor, family friend, an older relative (aunt or uncle), teacher or community member that they know. Grandparents will love to reminisce about when they were young like their grandchild!

Children are fascinated learning what it was like when an older person was the child’s age. A fun activity to do with a grandparent or older person is "interview them". The child can get into character by being a "news reporter". Make a Press Badge and pin to their shirt. If they have a hat, place the Press Badge on the hat. The child will need a steno-style notebook and several sharpened pencils (in case a lead breaks!). A hand-held tape recorder can also be used to record their story.

Here is a suggestion of the type of questions that the child reporter might want to ask:

  • What year were you born?
  • Where were you born? (town, state and country)
  • Who are you named after?
  • How many were in your family?
  • Where did you go to school?
  • What was your favorite subject in school?
  • Who were your friends?
  • What games did you like to play?
  • Did you have any pets?
  • What was your favorite food?
  • Did you have a TV? If not, what did you do for fun?
  • Did you have a bicycle?
  • Did you go to the Movie Theater?
  • What was your favorite movie?
  • Anything else you can remember about when you were my age?
Once the child reporter has all their interview questions answered, copy the grandparent’s interview on notebook paper. For comparison, the child can answer the same questions on a separate piece of notebook paper. With 9" by 12" construction paper, glue the notebook paper of the interviews on the paper. Tape both interviews side-by-side to compare the similarities and differences.

Have someone take a picture of the child and the grandparent (or older person) together. Glue this photo with the interview, and write the grandparent and child’s name on top of the paper. As a special gift, give the child’s interview with the photo to the favorite grandparent or older person.

Even though National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day in September, all year is a wonderful time to celebrate grandparents.

As a mother, grandmother, and child development professional, Nancy Johnson, shares over 20 years experience working with children and planning activities on her website, Creative-Child-Activity-Notebook.com. Check it out for more school age child activity ideas including learning, holiday, party, cultural, and nature child activity ideas.

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