Secret Grandparent

We did this for our quarterly activity. A couple of weeks before the activity you need to check with the grandparents you have chosen to make sure that they will be able to make it to the activity. If they can then ask them for a brief history or info about themselves to read to the children the Sunday before the activity. On the Sunday before the activity we read our info to the children during sharing time and assigned the classes their secret grandparent (we paired up classes). We then asked the kids to write a note or draw a picture for their secret grandparent. The note could have a memory if the child knows this person or a something about themself, not revealing who they are, etc. We then put their notes and pictures in an envelope for their grandparent. A sack was given to one of the teachers in each group and it contained the envelope with the notes, hot chocolate, cookies, microwave popcorn, and a poem for the final act of kindness. Each item also had a poem attached to it. We asked the teachers to take one or two kids starting on Monday with the first act of kindness (letters) and deliver something each day of the week ending with the final act of kindness as a service in the yard of their secret grandparent (we did this in the fall so there were plenty of leaves to be raked). On Saturday the kids came to the final activity, which was a breakfast. The kids brought 5 pieces of fruit and we put together fruit baskets for the grandparents to take home with them. We also attached a scrapbook page with the pictures of the kids that were assigned to be their secret grandkids (we took the pictures the week before). The grandparents seemed to really like this activity and what kid doesn’t like to doorbell ditch a house, leaving one of their items on the porch. You need to have teachers that are dependable and willing to participate in the quarterly activities to make this activity work.

The other presidency did this the year before and they asked the kids to do the acts of kindness on their own, but most of the kids forgot. It was nice to have everything supplied this year but our teachers really had to step up and work together to coordinate the deliveries or one person or group of people were not left to do it all.

Here is a copy of the poems that were given with each item.
This poem was given to the grandparent the Sunday before the activity.
A grandparent is a special person,
That the kids all know and love.
They’re someone with a smiling face,
Always ready to give a hug.

A grandparent doesn’t need to be related,
They’re someone you admire.
And we would like you to be ours,
In a few words, you are hired!

Your grandkids will be a secret
And acts of kindness they’ll perform.
And when it is all over,
There’ll be no need to mourn.

For on the following Saturday,
A breakfast we will eat.
And your grandkids will be revealed,
At a fun greet and meet.

We hope you will enjoy this week,
Acts of kindness and service too.
A grandparent is a special person,
They are people like you!

This poem was attached to the envelope of notes and drawings and left on Monday.
Our first act of kindness,
Comes straight from the heart.
A special letter or picture to you,
Is how we’d like to start.

This poem was attached to the hot chocolate on Tuesday.
Our second act of kindness,
Will warm you through and through.
A cup of hot cocoa, on a cold night,
Is just the right brew.

This poem was attached to a package of cookies and delivered on Wednesday.
Our third act of kindness,
Is just as sweet as you.
We hope you like these cookies,
As much as we like you!

This poem was attached to a package of microwave popcorn and delivered on Thursday.
Our fourth act of kindness,
Is sure to hit the spot.
A microwave is what you’ll need,
To make this treat go “POP”.

This poem was tied to their door on Friday after an act of service was performed, such as, raking leaves, cleaning the gutter, sweeping the walkway, etc.
Our fifth act of kindness,
Takes time and effort too.
Take a look around your yard
We hope you see something new.

This last act of kindness,
Before the big reveal.
Is an act of service,
To show you how we feel.

While it’s fun to get cookies,
And lots of yummy treats.
To give of ones self is something,
That really makes this week complete.

Tomorrow we look forward,
We’ll see you there at Ten.
This rhyming has been really fun,
But now it has to end.

On Saturday we met at the church for breakfast and our attendance was good but I would call the kids with a reminder and a reminder to bring 5 pieces of fruit. We had muffins, water, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and a couple of breakfast casseroles. We had the kids sing a couple of grandparent songs out of the childrens songbook (we practices the week before) and we had them play a couple of “older games”, london bridges, button button who has the button, and a getting to know you game (M&M grab – tell about yourself for each m&m you take out of the bowl). We sent the grandparents home with the fruit bowl and the scrapbook page of the secret grandkids.