Celebrating Grandparents’ Day with Multicultural Stories
Grandparents’ Day is a special occasion to honor the wisdom, love, and traditions passed down through generations. It’s a time to celebrate the unique bond between grandparents and grandchildren, recognizing the role that elders play in shaping our cultural identities and family histories.
In a global learning environment, Grandparents’ Day also presents an opportunity to explore the diverse ways in which grandparents are celebrated and cherished across different cultures.
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The Importance of Grandparents in Multicultural Families
In many cultures, grandparents are the keepers of traditions, storytellers, and moral guides. They are often the bridge between the past and the future, sharing stories and experiences that enrich their grandchildren’s understanding of their heritage.
This connection to cultural roots is especially important in multicultural families, where grandparents may bring unique customs, languages, and perspectives that help children develop a broader understanding of the world.
By highlighting the stories of grandparents from different cultural backgrounds, educators can foster empathy, respect, and a sense of global community among students. Sharing these stories can also encourage children to explore their own family histories and appreciate the diverse traditions that make up our global society.
Picture Books Featuring Multicultural Grandparents
To help you celebrate Grandparents’ Day in your classroom or at home, here are some wonderful picture books that feature multicultural grandparents. These stories are not only heartwarming but also provide valuable insights into the traditions and values of different cultures.
1. Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker
In this moving story that celebrates cultural diversity, a shy girl brings her West African grandmother – whose face bears traditional tribal markings – to meet her classmates. –Amazon
2. Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the new year by eating a special soup, a tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. This year, Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make the soup — Freedom Soup — just like she was taught when she was a little girl. –Amazon
3. A Gift From Abuela by Cecelia Ruiz
Abuela can’t help thinking how much she’d like to give Nina a very special treat, so she saves a little bit of her money every week — a few pesos here, a few pesos there. –Amazon
4. The Wakame Gatherers by Holly Thompson
Nanami has two grandmothers: Baachan, who lives with her family in Japan, and Gram, who lives in Maine. When Gram visits Japan for the first time, Baachan takes her and Nanami on a trip to the seaside to gather Wakame, a long, curvy seaweed that floats near the shore. –Amazon
➡️ Author Read-Aloud & Teaching Guide
5. When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling
For one young girl, summer is the season of no school, of days spent at the pool, and of picking golden limes off the trees. But summer doesn’t start until her lola—her grandmother from the Philippines—comes for her annual visit. –Amazon
6. A Day with Yayah by Nicola I. Campbell
Set in the Nicola Valley, British Columbia, in Canada’s westernmost province, a First Nations family goes on an outing to forage for herbs and mushrooms. A grandmother passes down her knowledge of plant life and the natural world to her young grandchildren. –Amazon
7. Grandfather Counts by Andrea Cheng
When her maternal grandfather comes from China, Helen, who is biracial, develops a special bond with him despite their age and language differences. –Amazon
➡️ Teacher’s Guide from Lee & Low Books
8. My Grandma and Me by Mina Javaherbin
While Mina grew up in Iran, her grandmother was the center of her world. Whether visiting friends next door, going to the mosque for midnight prayers during Ramadan, or taking an imaginary trip around the planets, Mina and her grandma are never far apart. –Amazon
➡️ Activity Kit from Candlewick Press
9. A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu
A curious and active Asian American girl spends the day learning tai chi from her grandfather, and in turn, tries to teach him how to do yoga. –Amazon
➡️ Teacher’s Guide from Lee & Low Books
10. My Two Grannies by Floella Benjamin
Alvina has two grannies: Grannie Vero from Trinidad and Grannie Rose from England. When Alvina’s parents go on vacation, both grannies arrive to look after Alvina. But the two grannies have two very different ideas about what to eat, what to play, and even what stories to tell. –Amazon
11. Dear Juno by Soyung Pak
Juno’s grandmother writes in Korean and Juno writes in drawings, but that doesn’t mean they can’t exchange letters. –Amazon
12. Pablo’s Tree by Pat Mora
Each year on his birthday, a young Mexican American boy looks forward to seeing how his grandfather has decorated the tree he planted on the day the boy was adopted. –Amazon
➡️ Activity Suggestions from the Author:
- Using branches, students create their own tree for a special person or to remember a specific birthday of their own.
- Make items for Pablo’s sixth birthday.
Activities for Grandparents’ Day
Incorporating these stories into your Grandparents’ Day celebration can inspire a range of engaging activities:
- Story Sharing: Invite students to share stories or memories about their own grandparents. If possible, encourage them to bring in a photograph or an object that reminds them of their grandparents and share its significance with the class.
- Cultural Exploration: After reading one of the suggested books, explore the culture represented in the story through art, music, or food.
- Letter Writing: Have students write a letter or draw a picture for their grandparents or an older relative. If they don’t have grandparents, they could write to an elder in their community. This activity can help students express their appreciation and strengthen intergenerational bonds.
Grandparents’ Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diverse ways in which grandparents contribute to our lives. By sharing these multicultural stories, we can help students appreciate the richness of their own heritage and the importance of cultural traditions around the world.