DIY gifts for grandparents: 7 plaster ideas to make with the grandkids

TL;DR: The DIY gifts grandparents love most are the ones made by their grandchildren’s own hands: with Aqua Resin and a few silicone moulds you can make little hand casts, trinket trays, frames and porcelain-effect Christmas decorations in one afternoon, all signed by the children.

Introduction

Grandparents do not need one more object: they need a memory. That is why gifts made by the grandchildren stay on the shelf for years, while others end up in a drawer. The secret is to choose a project the children can really do, with a result beautiful enough to put on display.

In this guide you will find 7 DIY gifts for grandparents in plaster, to make with the grandchildren for Christmas, Grandparents’ Day or a birthday. For each one we explain what you need, who does what and how to personalise it, using the method we follow in our workshop.

Contents

• Key points
• Why a gift made by the grandchildren
• 7 DIY gifts for grandparents
• The basic method in 5 steps
• How to wrap them
• Common mistakes
• Recommended products
• FAQ
• Make your gift

Key points

• The most moving gift: a cast of the grandchildren’s little hands, a keepsake that becomes more precious every year.
• The mix: 100 g of Aqua Resin into 30 g of cold water, always powder into water; demould after 30 minutes and fully dry in 24 hours.
• The roles: the adult weighs and mixes, children from 5 years old pour, decorate and sign.
• The material: Aqua Resin is not an epoxy resin: it is a premium alpha-based plaster, non-toxic and water-based.

Why a gift made by the grandchildren

A shop-bought present is chosen in a few minutes; a gift made by the grandchildren tells the story of an afternoon spent together, fingers covered in plaster, a colour chosen with care. For grandparents, it is proof that someone was thinking of them. Plaster is the ideal material: you can work with it on the kitchen table, it has no smell, it cleans up with water and it gives a solid, elegant object that does not look like a rushed craft.

7 DIY gifts for grandparents

1. A cast of the grandchildren’s little hands

This is the gift that moves people most: the child’s hand reproduced in 3D, with every crease of the skin. With the Love Cast Kit you prepare the alginate, dip the little hand in for a few minutes and pour Aqua Resin into the impression. Every step is in our guide to making hand and foot casts.

2. Grandparent and grandchild holding hands

An even more symbolic version: the grandparent’s hand holding the child’s, in a single sculpture. You need a larger container and a little patience, but the result is a unique family keepsake. You will find tips for couple and family casts in our hand casting guide.

3. A photo frame with the grandchildren’s picture

A porcelain-effect plaster frame holding the children’s best photo. The grandchildren can colour it, add glitter or write a message on the back. The full tutorial is in our guide to making a handmade plaster photo frame.

4. A signed heart trinket tray

For grandad’s keys or grandma’s rings: the heart trinket tray mould is easy to pour and demould, perfect even for the youngest. Each grandchild chooses the colour and signs the back with a permanent marker.

5. A keyring with an initial

A small object to carry everywhere: grandad’s, grandma’s or the grandchildren’s initial, poured into an alphabet mould and finished with a ring. All the steps are in our guide on how to make keychains.

6. Christmas decorations with the grandchildren’s names

Plaster stars, trees and baubles to hang on the grandparents’ tree, each with a grandchild’s name and the year written in marker. Every Christmas you add a new one, and a small family collection is born.

7. The colourful surprise

For colour lovers: any mould becomes brighter with a few drops of Aqua Pigment in the mix, in the grandparents’ favourite shades, or with a gold edge of Aqua Metal brushed onto the dry piece.

The basic method in 5 steps

1. Choose the gift

Decide with the children what to make, so they feel part of the project from the start.

2. Prepare the mix

The adult weighs 100 g of Aqua Resin for every 30 g of cold water, pours the powder into the water and stirs until it is a smooth cream, like thick yoghurt. For an even colour, add Aqua Pigment to the water before the powder.

3. Pour into the mould

The children pour the mix slowly into the mould and tap it on the table to bring the bubbles up.

4. Demould and let it dry

After 30 minutes, demould by gently bending the silicone; for the alginate cast, wait until the plaster is solid. Then allow 24 hours of drying before decorating.

5. Personalise and wrap

Colours, gold details, names and the date on the back: this is when the gift truly becomes the grandchildren’s own.

Pro tip: have each child make a different piece and put them all in one box: the grandparents will receive a small set signed by every grandchild.

How to wrap them

• A box with tissue paper and a card written or drawn by the grandchildren.
• A shadow box frame for hand casts, with the name and date of birth.
• Ribbon and a tag for keyrings and hanging decorations.
• A photo of the creative afternoon tucked into the parcel: grandparents will love the behind-the-scenes too.

Looking for more festive ideas? Our guide to DIY Christmas gifts has more projects to give.

Common mistakes

• Too much water in the mix. The piece becomes fragile: always weigh powder and water.
• Moving the hand in the alginate. The impression gets distorted: keep the little hand still until the alginate is firm.
• Demoulding too early. Wait the full 30 minutes, especially with thin shapes.
• Decorating a damp piece. Wait for the 24 hours of drying.
• Adding Aqua Metal to the mix. The metallic colour is applied only by brush on the dry piece.

Recommended products

• Aqua Resin: the white alpha plaster with a porcelain effect.
• Love Cast Kit: alginate and Aqua Resin for little hand casts.
• Heart trinket tray mould: the ideal first gift for the youngest.
• Aqua Pigment: colour in the mix.
• Aqua Metal: gold details by brush.

FAQ

What DIY gifts can you make for grandparents?

With Aqua Resin plaster you can make, together with the grandchildren, casts of their little hands, a signed heart trinket tray, a photo frame, a keyring with an initial or Christmas decorations with their names.

How long does it take to make a plaster gift?

Pouring takes a few minutes, demoulding happens after 30 minutes and full drying takes 24 hours. It is best to pour one day and decorate the next.

Can children join in?

Yes: Aqua Resin is non-toxic and water-based, suitable for children from 5 years old with adult supervision. The adult weighs and mixes, the children pour, decorate and sign the gift.

How do you make a cast of the grandchildren’s hands?

With the Love Cast Kit: prepare the alginate, dip the little hand in for a few minutes, take it out and fill the impression with Aqua Resin. Once the plaster is solid, remove the alginate and let it dry for 24 hours.

How can I make the gift more personal?

Write the grandchildren’s names and the date on the back, add gold details with Aqua Metal by brush or colour the mix with Aqua Pigment in the grandparents’ favourite shades.

Make your gift

Pick an idea, set the table and call the grandchildren: in one afternoon you will have a gift for the grandparents that no shop could ever sell.
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