6 Nice Things to Write in a Letter to Your Grandkids (That They’ll Never Forget)

Sharing is caring!

A while back, I was digging through an old kitchen drawer looking for a rubber band. Instead, I found a birthday card from my grandmother. I knew it was hers before I even opened it. That loopy handwriting. The little heart she always drew next to her name. I sat right down on the kitchen floor and read it three times.

She’s been gone a long time now. But for a few minutes, it felt like she was right there with me.

That’s the power of a letter.

Texts and video calls are great. I love seeing my grandkids’ faces on my phone. But those moments come and go. A letter sticks around. Your grandkids can hold it, read it again, and tuck it away for years. Maybe even show it to their own kids someday.

And here’s the good news: you don’t have to be a “good writer” to do this. Your grandkids won’t care about spelling or perfect sentences. They’ll care that it came from you.

So what do you actually say? Here are six ideas to get you started, plus some sample lines you can borrow or make your own.

1. Tell Them Exactly What You Love About Them

Our grandkids hear “I love you” all the time. And that’s wonderful. But how often do they hear why?

When you tell a child exactly what you love about them, something clicks. It stops being something Grandma just says. It becomes something they believe. And kids hold onto things they believe about themselves for a long, long time.

Start with something you admire. Think about who your grandchild really is. Are they kind to animals? Always curious? A little bit stubborn? (Hey, stubborn kids often grow up to be the ones who never give up.) Pick one thing and tell them you see it.

Then add something small. This is the part that makes a letter special. Mention a little habit or moment that maybe nobody else noticed. It shows them you’re paying attention, and that means the world to a kid.

Here are a few lines to get you thinking:

• “I love the way you always save the last cookie for your little brother.”
• “You ask the best questions. Never stop asking them.”
• “I noticed how you sat with the new kid at your birthday party. That was a big-hearted thing to do.”
• “Your laugh is my favorite sound. It fills up the whole room.”

One quick tip: if you have more than one grandchild, write each of them their own letter. Kids compare. (We all did!) When every grandchild gets a letter that’s just for them, nobody has to wonder who Grandma loves more. They’ll each know they’re loved for exactly who they are.

2. Share a Story From Your Own Childhood

Here’s something funny about grandkids. Most of them can’t picture you as a kid. To them, you’ve always been Grandma. You’ve always had reading glasses and a kitchen that smells like coffee.

A story from your childhood changes that. Suddenly you’re a real person who scraped her knees, had a best friend, and worried about tests. It also gives them a little piece of family history they can’t get anywhere else.

Not sure what to write about? Try one of these:

• Your first job. What did you do? How much did it pay? Kids love hearing that you worked all day for what they’d spend on a snack.
• Where you grew up. What was your house like? Your school? Did you walk to school, ride a bike, or take the bus?
• A time you got in trouble. Trust me, this will be their favorite. Knowing Grandma wasn’t perfect makes you even more lovable.
• What things cost back then. Candy bars, movie tickets, gas. The numbers will blow their minds.

Here’s how you might start:

• “When I was your age, I spent every Saturday at the drugstore counter with a 10-cent soda…”
• “Did you know I once got sent to the principal’s office? Here’s what happened…”

One quick tip: keep it short. You don’t need to write your whole life story. One good story, told well, is better than ten rushed ones. Save the rest for your next letter. That way, they’ll have something to look forward to.

Read Also: 8 Rules Grandparents Should Never Break When There’s a New Baby

3. Remember a Special Moment You Shared

Think about a time you and your grandchild did something together that made you smile. Now write it down.

When you bring up a memory you share, you’re telling them something important: That time mattered to me, too. Kids don’t always know that grown-ups remember the little things. Finding out that you do can make them feel really special.

Here are some moments you might write about:

• The day they were born, or the first time you held them. What did you think? How did you feel?
• A fun day together. Maybe a holiday, a sleepover, a fishing trip, or an afternoon baking cookies.
• Something funny they said when they were little. Every family has a few of these!

Here’s an example:

• “I still laugh about the Thanksgiving you announced to the whole table that the turkey ‘looked sleepy.’”
• “The first time I held you, you grabbed my finger and wouldn’t let go. I didn’t want you to.”

One quick tip: paint a picture with your words. What did it smell like? What could you hear? Was it hot, rainy, or snowing? Little details like “the kitchen smelled like cinnamon” or “the lake was so still it looked like glass” help them step right back into that moment with you.

4. Pass Along the Life Lessons You’ve Learned

You’ve lived a lot of life. You’ve had good days, hard days, and everything in between. Along the way, you figured some things out. That know-how is one of the best gifts you can give.

And here’s a little secret: kids often listen better to advice in a letter than to a talk at the kitchen table. A letter doesn’t feel like a lecture. They can read it on their own time, think about it, and come back to it when they need it.

Here are a few lessons worth sharing:

• Kindness is free, and it comes back around. Being nice to people costs nothing, but it can change someone’s whole day.
• Mistakes are how we learn. Everyone messes up. What matters is what you do next.
• Hard times don’t last forever. When things feel awful, it helps to know they’ll get better.
• Call your mother. (You can have a little fun with this one!)

Here’s an example:

• “I’ve learned that the people who matter most won’t care what you wore. They’ll remember how you treated them.”
• “I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life. Every single one taught me something.”

One quick tip: pick two or three lessons, not ten. Too many, and they’ll all blur together. If you can, tell a short story for each one. Something like, “I learned this the hard way when I was sixteen…” A story makes the lesson stick.

5. Tell Them How Proud You Are, and That You Always Will Be

Kids need to know someone believes in them. When that someone is Grandma, it hits different. Knowing you’re proud of them can give them courage now and stay with them long after they’re grown.

Be proud of who they are, not just what they do. Good grades and trophies are great. But try to go deeper. Are you proud of how hard they try? How they treat their friends? How they keep going when something is tough? Tell them.

Let them know your pride doesn’t depend on winning. Kids sometimes worry they’ll let people down. Tell them they can’t. Whether they make the team or not, get the A or not, you’re still proud of them.

Here are some lines you can use:

• “I’m proud of you for trying out for the team, whether you made it or not.”
• “No matter what you become, you will always make me proud.”
• “I love watching you grow into the person you are. I’m proud of every bit of it.”

One quick tip: say it plainly. Don’t bury it in the middle of a long paragraph. This might be the line they pull out and read again on a bad day, years from now. Make it easy to find.

Read Also: Emotionally Intelligent Grandkids Have Grandmas Who Teach Them These 12 Unexpected Life Lessons

6. Share Your Hopes and Wishes for Their Future

Every grandma dreams a little about what’s ahead for her grandkids. Who will they become? Where will life take them? Put some of those dreams in your letter.

Your wishes give them something to grow toward. They also remind your grandkids that you’re cheering them on, whether you live down the street or across the country.

Here are a few wishes you might share:

• That they find work they enjoy. Not just a job that pays the bills, but something that makes them feel good about their day.
• That they see the world, keep good friends, and stay close to family. The things that make life full.
• That they’re happy. Whatever happy looks like for them.

Here’s an example:

• “I hope you find something you love so much that you lose track of time doing it.”
• “I hope you always have a friend you can call at 2 a.m. And I hope you’re that kind of friend, too.”

One quick tip: keep your wishes wide open. “I hope you become a doctor” can feel like pressure. “I hope you find work that makes you proud” leaves room for them to choose their own path. You want your wishes to feel like a warm hug, not a to-do list.

Bonus: Tips for Making Your Letter a Keepsake

You’ve got the words. Now here’s how to make your letter something they’ll want to keep forever.

• Write it by hand. Your handwriting is part of the gift. Someday, just seeing it will bring you right back to them.
• Use good paper. Pick something sturdy or a pretty card that will hold up over the years.
• Date it and sign it with the name they call you. Grandma, Nana, Mimi, Gigi. Whatever makes them smile.
• Tuck in a little extra. An old photo, a pressed flower, your famous recipe card, or a $2 bill (kids love those!).
• Think about timing. Birthdays, graduations, and the first day of school are great. But a “just because” letter in the mailbox can be the best surprise of all.
• Write a “save for later” letter. Seal one up for their 18th birthday or wedding day. Imagine them opening it years from now.
• Keep a copy. Snap a photo or make a copy for yourself or the family, just in case.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. Tell them what you love about them. Share a story from when you were young. Remember a special moment together. Pass along a lesson or two. Tell them you’re proud. And share your hopes for their future.

You don’t have to use all six in one letter. Even one or two will mean the world.

And please don’t worry about making it perfect. It doesn’t need fancy words or pages and pages. One page that sounds like you is more than enough.

Remember that card I found in my kitchen drawer? Someday, your grandchild will find your letter in a box or a drawer. They’ll see your handwriting, read your words, and for a few minutes, it’ll feel like you’re right there with them.

So grab a pen this week and write the first one. Your grandkids will be so glad you did.

Sharing is caring!