Polish Grandparents' Day (Dzień Babci i Dziadka): Printable Cards and Ideas for Kids 3–7
In Poland, Grandparents' Day – Dzień Babci i Dziadka – is celebrated over two days: Grandmother's Day (Dzień Babci) on 21 January and Grandfather's Day (Dzień Dziadka) on 22 January. For many grandparents the best present is a laurka – a hand-coloured card made by a grandchild, wonky, colourful and signed with the child's own name. A printable card helps when time or ideas run short, and the child still does the most important part: colouring, drawing and thinking up the wishes. Below you'll find tips for making a card with a child aged 3–7, what to write inside and how to prepare the day at nursery or a Polish Saturday school.
What's in “Dzień Babci i Dziadka”?
“Dzień Babci i Dziadka” is a 23-page printable PDF (A4) for children aged 3–7, entirely in Polish. Inside are 5 cards to colour: two “Dla Babci” (For Grandma – a bouquet of tulips and a heart in a flower wreath), two “Dla Dziadka” (For Grandpa – balloons and a present) and one “Dla Babci i Dziadka” with the whole family. Each card has space for wishes and a signature. There are also 2 portraits in a decorated frame, 2 questionnaires about Grandma and Grandpa, 9 colouring pages, a maze, counting cookies and “Best Grandma” and “Best Grandpa” medals to cut out. Want to try it first? Download the free sample – 6 pages with a card for Grandma, a portrait, a colouring page and counting.
How to make a card with your child, step by step
- Print on thicker paper. A card on 160–200 g/m² paper doesn't bend and lasts longer on the fridge or in a keepsake drawer.
- Let the child choose. Bouquet or heart? Balloons or present? When children choose themselves, the card is truly theirs.
- Colour without hurrying. A three-year-old needs only a few colours and chunky crayons. Older children can add details – dots on the vase or patterns on the balloons.
- Wishes. Five- and six-year-olds can try writing the wishes themselves, mistakes and all. Younger children dictate and an adult writes down their words exactly as they said them.
- Signature. At the bottom is a line marked “Od:” (From). Even a three-year-old can draw a sign there or add a fingerprint coloured with a felt-tip pen.
What to write in a card for Babcia and Dziadek
The best wishes are the ones the child thinks up. If your child needs a hint, ask: “What do you like doing most with Grandma?” or “Why do you love Grandpa?”. A few simple Polish examples:
- Kochana Babciu, dziękuję, że zawsze masz dla mnie czas. (Dear Grandma, thank you for always having time for me.)
- Kochany Dziadku, jesteś najlepszy na sankach i w czytaniu bajek! (Dear Grandpa, you're the best at sledging and reading stories!)
- Babciu, Twoje ciasteczka są najlepsze na świecie. (Grandma, your cookies are the best in the world.)
- Dziadku, dziękuję, że uczysz mnie nowych rzeczy. (Grandpa, thank you for teaching me new things.)
- Kochani Babciu i Dziadku, kocham Was bardzo mocno! (Dear Grandma and Grandpa, I love you very much!)
The questionnaires “Wszystko o mojej Babci” and “Wszystko o moim Dziadku” (All about my Grandma / Grandpa) are a good warm-up: the child completes sentences such as “Grandma's best dish is…” or “What I like doing most with Grandpa is…”, and then it is easier to say thank you.
Grandparents' Day at nursery and Polish Saturday school
- Cards after the show: after a performance, children hand their grandparents the coloured cards and medals.
- A portrait exhibition: “Moja Babcia” and “Mój Dziadek” portraits hung in the corridor are a lovely surprise when grandparents visit.
- Circle time: fill in the questionnaires together – the teacher reads a sentence and the children take turns talking about their grandparents.
- Polish Saturday schools: for children who speak another language every day, a card in Polish is a chance to practise “Kochana Babciu” and “Kochany Dziadku”. If the grandparents live in Poland, scan the card and send it, or show it on a video call.
Colouring and games for the whole week
The book has 9 colouring pages about time spent with grandparents: baking cookies with Grandma, Grandpa reading a story, a winter walk, knitting, hanging a bird feeder, tea at Grandma's, sledging with Grandpa, a jigsaw puzzle and planting flowers. Each has a caption in large outline letters that older children can colour. There is also a maze in which a girl with a bouquet finds the way to her grandparents' house, and a page for counting cookies. You can do one page a day in the week before 21 January.
Medals for Grandma and Grandpa
The child colours the “Najlepsza Babcia” and “Najlepszy Dziadek” (Best Grandma / Best Grandpa) medals and an adult helps cut them out. Glue a piece of ribbon on the back and they are ready – perfect for a family lunch, especially when the grandchildren hand them over with a little speech.
The book is for your own family, or for your own class or group if you are a teacher. Illustrations created with AI assistance and reviewed by hand.