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13+ Care Package Ideas
We are continuing our snail mail series this week with things to mail your grandkids, and I’ve got to tell you, week one was great!
You can find our Pen Pal ideas and read about the benefits of having a pen pal here.
I sent my granddaughter Morgan her first letter, which she loves to ‘read’ over and over.
She’s already filled in some of the boxes on the template and dictated the rest of the letter to me through her mom. (Thanks Amanda!)
Update 2023: We have now been pen pals for over TWO YEARS! When we first started utilizing snail mail to make connections we used this inexpensive set of pen pal templates. Even as someone who connects with kids fairly easily, I loved having these templates so that I could have a kickstart each month. It made it so easy! We now use Over the River PLUS printables and are continuing to maintain monthly connections.
Why Care Packages
This week we are going to talk about care packages.
We had mentioned that engaging with our grandkids in Pen Pal fashion is a great way to be consistent in our relationship.
We also know that mindfulness, knowing what they love, is another key to success on the long distance grandparenting roadmap.
Related: Top 11 Tips for Long Distance Grandparents
What better way to demonstrate that we know our grandkids than to send them something a little bigger than a letter every once in a while.
Care packages, just like letters, are great for all ages.
They don’t have to be expensive, and they can be something you put together yourself, or you could have Amazon or Walmart do the work for you.
In fact, I’m listing my most recent care package item by item at the very bottom.
Before we get to all the ideas, just remember to run everything by mom and dad first to make sure it’s okay.
Related: 7 Tips for Tough Conversations With Your Grown Kids
Now let’s dive into all the fun things to mail your grandkids!
‘Show You Know Them’ Mail
Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:
Cheer Them On in New Things
What are your grandkids working toward?
Are they playing a new sport?
Picking up a new instrument?
Trying out a new hobby?
Moving into a dorm?
Beginning a part-time job?
These are all excellent opportunities to let them know you are cheering them on by sending a little something that will help them move a little further down the road in their pursuit of new things.
Share Things They Enjoy
If you read an article that corresponds with something they love, or maybe a location in your (or their) hometown that you’ve visited together, print out a copy and package it up with some of their favorite snacks and a message sharing why that particular piece of writing caught your eye.
Remind Them of a Previous Shared Experience
You can also send something that to you, seems completely random and silly.
The last time Morgan visited here, she found a nice flat rock out by the garden.
Related: Slumber Party at Grandma’s
“Look at this! Why is it here? Can I bring it inside?”
Well, that little rock had quite the weekend!
It went for rides on the Little People school bus, it became a desk for the Little People teacher, and it was a pan for pretend cooking too.
I’ve got some pictures of our adventures with the rock, so I packaged them all up and sent them her way because the rock wanted to play at her house too!
As a long distance grandparent, this is a great way to return to a shared experience even after they’ve gone home. It tells my grandkids that I’m thinking about them and helps cement the experience in their memory bank as well.
Themed Care Packages
Themed boxes are fun too!
And the possibilities are unending – here are just a few ideas:
- Get well box
- Happy first day of Fall
- Box containing ingredients for their favorite treat.
- Snack box (with a movie coupon?)
- Morning box (an assortment of coffee, or a Starbucks card and mug for the older grands, for younger kids you could send some parent-approved cereal or breakfast bars.
- Evening box – maybe some new jammies or a story. You could even write the story!
- Getting your driver’s license box
- Cheering you up box
- Love crafts? Send a box of supplies they can get creative with
- Beauty Product samples box
There are so many possibilities here, so let’s get creative!
Remember, these will be great if you have a few dollars to spend or no budget at all.
9 Items I Put in My Most Recent Care Package
This care package is what I put together recently for my five-year-old granddaughter and if you’re like me, sometimes a creativity kickstart is helpful.
An example is just what you need!
I send 1-2 care packages a year that are what I would consider “spontaneous”.
These are not birthdays, celebrations, holidays, etc.
If you wanted to send a little box of goodies more often then you could easily divide what I have listed below into multiple care packages and send it throughout the year!
Related: You Can Love Being a Long Distance Grandparent
This way she can practice up and it gives her a conversation starter with great grandma. Ollie Coloring Book – This is a favorite of my grandkids and it has special meaning. You could purchase something of similar meaning to your grandchild. “Ollie” the owl is the character in the video that tells my grandkids their Bible stories at church. They LOVE Ollie and this coloring book was from the OrangeStore which is the name of the church’s curriculum used on Sundays. Find something comparable for your grandkids!
