12 Thoughtful and Practical Gifts for Grandparents

It’s no secret we’re fans of HOKA’s running shoes, but the brand also makes stylish kicks for hiking and everyday life that are just as comfortable. This supportive pair has an elastic drawcord instead of laces, so they can be slipped on and off easily, which reviewers herald as a reason to wear them to the airport. They still boast the same cushy insole as other HOKAs, so you can rest assured that the wearer will feel like they’re walking on clouds.

If you’re the type to welcome frequent visits from grandma and grandpa, upgrading their luggage is a subtle way to encourage them to visit more often. This rolling carry-on suitcase from Quince has plenty of room for a weekend trip’s worth of clothes, and there’s a front pocket to keep small items organized and easy-to-reach.

Not every grandparent goes by “Grandpa” or “Grandma,” but finding personalized gifts for “Papa,” “Gogo,” or “Nono” can be difficult. This Etsy shop creates custom sweatshirts with collegiate-inspired stitching that can be customized to say whatever name you’d like. Expecting parents: This would be an adorable way to break the baby news to a grandparent-to-be, and you can have the baby’s name embroidered on the sleeve, too.

Long-haul flights, noisy gyms, and family-filled vacation houses all have one thing in common: They require a way to temporarily escape the chaos. These noise-cancelling headphones will drown out background noise and allow grandparents to catch up on their audiobooks or podcasts. Or they can use them to blast (at a reasonable volume, of course) their favorite tunes straight to their ear drums while doing chores around the house.

Not only can grandparents use a Kindle to tear through their favorite novels and biographies, they can also use it to read bedtime stories to the little ones while on the go. (But keep in mind that illustrations in children’s books will show up in black and white.) We like this one because the screen, as the name suggests, has a matte finish like paper, meaning it’s easier on the eyes and there’ll be no glare, even on the sunniest of reading days.

Spending long days running after grandchildren can definitely lead to tired, achy feet, which is why supportive slippers are a must. These ones from L.L. Bean are lined with plush shearling that keeps feet warm, but not sweaty, and the non-slip soles mean they can be worn inside and outside without fear of falling.

There’s no such thing as too many baby pictures, but finding enough wall space to display them all can be a challenge. Rather than printing out hundreds of photos, consider investing in a digital photo frame as a gift. You can add photos to the slideshow with a few quick taps on your smartphone, even if your recipient lives far away. Pro-tip: We recommend pre-loading the frame with photos so that it’s ready to go as soon as it comes out of the box.

Long drives are a small price to pay to spend time with kids and grandkids, but they do take a toll on the body. This supportive cushion can help relieve back and pelvis pain that comes with long stints spent in the car, plus it helps correct posture to prevent future pain, too.

For grandparents, carrying and lifting kids might not be as easy as it once was — not that it was all that great back then, honestly — and can lead to some serious soreness in the neck and shoulder region. To soothe cranky muscles and offer relief, wrap up this weighted neck and shoulder heating pad as a gift. The comfortable weight creates a relaxing deep-pressure effect, and the heat setting can be adjusted easily with the attached remote.

Welcoming a grandkid to your house? Instead of turning the guest room into a full-blown nursery, start small with a piece that can be easily set up and taken down when baby visits. This collapsible pack-and-play not only has room for a little one to roll around and sleep, but also has a removable changing station and bassinet. The best part? It can be set up and collapsed with one hand — no tools or complicated instructions required.

Displaying finger paintings, macaroni art, and precious doodles in the home is an obvious must when you’re a grandparent, but how do you store old art pieces when it’s time to display the newest masterpiece? Instead of throwing those “vintage” works in a drawer (or *gasp* into the recycling), consider this handy-dandy frame that displays and stores up to 100 pages of artwork. There’s room for years’ worth of drawings, and it has a magnetic latch for easy storage and picture changes.

With age comes wisdom, experience, and growth — but growing older also brings on a lot of aches and pains. Whether the grandparent in your life is often active or feeling new creaks thanks to chasing around a toddler, there’s a good chance he’ll appreciate a little muscle relief. Gifting professional massages is extremely generous, but if that’s not in your budget, HydraGun’s massaging stretchpad will be the next best thing. Boasting seven powerful stretching and massage routines, the pad gently lifts, pulls, pushes, twists, rolls, and adjusts the body to help release stiffness and tension from neck to hips. It’s got three intensity levels and a built-in heating feature to boost blood flow and flexibility. It also rolls up easily for storage. Our deputy editor Maggie uses it a few times a week after workouts or long days, and feels instant relaxation.