The Best Memory Books for Grandparents to Give to Grandchildren

Journals to help grandparents share their stories and make new memories

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Collage of memory books we recommend for grandparents on a blue background

Verywell Family / Lecia Landis

Whether grandparents live near or far, having the older generation complete a memory book creates a personal, special bond with the grandchild, as well as a cherished document that will memorialize your family’s history. 

Memory books come in a variety of formats. Some grandparents enjoy telling their own stories; others might prefer to answer prompts or write a letter to their grandchild. If the grandparent has a hard time getting started, it might be fun to discuss what they might include in their memory book at your next family gathering.

To find the best memory books for grandparents to share with their grandkids, we considered a variety of types, from books filled with blank pages or prompts to letter-writing sets that grandparents and grandchildren can complete together. Different methods of sharing memories, such as photos, recipes, and videos, were also considered. We looked for quality products that will be a keepsake for future generations. 

Best Overall

Memories for My Grandchild

Memories for My Grandchild (Cloth Bound, Deluxe Edition) Hardcover – December 1, 2019

Amazon

Pros
  • Attractive cloth covered book

  • Prompts make it easy to complete

  • Pocket holds special documents

Cons
  • Small font size

  • Less room for free writing

“Memories for My Grandchild” is our best overall pick because of the thoughtful guiding questions it provides in a beautiful keepsake cloth-covered book. Grandparents will love completing simple prompts on archival paper, knowing the memories will be maintained years to come. 

The prompts focus on family history, beginning with anecdotes about the grandparent as a baby and young child, and continuing through the grandparent’s life, education, friendships, and hobbies. There is also a family tree for the grandparent to complete. The back cover includes pockets to store photos, documents, and other small mementos.

Best for Grandkids

Letters to My Grandchild

Letters To My Grandchild Book

Pottery Barn Kids

Pros
  • Prompts make it easy to complete

  • Creative format

  • Can be completed over time

Cons
  • Lacks short questions 

  • Letter format makes it harder to share

Help grandparents create an heirloom with this creative take on a memory book. The small book features 12 envelopes with blank fold-out letters. Each letter has a prompt, such as “Here is a special story about our family” or “The best advice anyone gave me was.” For grandparents who want to bond with their grandkids, this is an interactive memory book that they can work on together. Once the letter is completed, it can be mailed or stored in the enclosed envelope to be opened at a later date.

Best Joint Keepsake

The Grandparent Book

The Grandparent Book : A Keepsake Journal (Hardcover)

Walmart

Pros
  • Prompts make it easy to complete

  • Section for grandparent and child to do together

  • Spiral bound lays flat

Cons
  • Little room for long prose

Organized into sections devoted to a stage of life, like childhood, teenage years, adulthood, grandparent life, and more, this keepsake journal has easy-to-complete prompts. With less room for free-writing and more of a "complete the sentence" format, this journal is a great option for the type of grandparent who appreciates quick and concise storytelling. For a fun family activity, there is a section that the grandparent and grandchild can complete together.

Best With Prompts

Tell Me Your Life Story

Tell Me Your Life Story, Grandma: A Grandmother’s Guided Journal and Memory Keepsake Book (Tell Me Your Life Story® Series Books)

Amazon

Pros
  • Book series feels personalized

  • Unique questions and prompts

Cons
  • Some prompts aren't suitable for all family types

This innovative series allows you to pick the exact type of book that will be helpful for your family (Grandma, Grandpa, etc.), which ups the personal factor. Each book has over 200 questions requiring a range of short answers and longer detailed responses.

The book and prompts are organized in chapters that move through life stages, so it’s easy to focus on one special moment at a time. Family members will appreciate the detail of the questions, like “Do you have a favorite number and why?” or “Favorite movie snack.” The grandparents will be able to share small yet interesting insights that you’d never think to ask.

Best for Writing

Letters to My Grandchild Notebook

Letters To My Grandson Personalized Name Notebook Custom Baby Boy Journal Customized Gift For New Born From Grandparent Child Memory Book

ETSY

Pros
  • Personalized cover

  • Lots of room to write

Cons
  • Created for one grandchild

Create a memento for a grandchild with this personalized notebook featuring their name on the cover. We love that the book includes blank pages, which can be ideal for grandparents who love writing, are long-winded, and won’t need the help of prompts to get writing. Since it’s made just for one grandchild, this is a good gift for only children or grandparents who truly love to write and share their thoughts with each grandchild.

Best Creative Format

Grandparent-Grandchild Writing Kit

Grandparent-Grandchild Writing Kit

Maisonette

Pros
  • Creative back and forth format

  • Engages grandparent and child

  • Your kid gets mail

Cons
  • Letters need to be saved to create keepsake

  • Mail and stamp required

A little different from a memory book, this writing kit is both an engaging activity between a grandchild and grandparent, and if saved, will act as a darling keepsake. Included in the set are eight correspondence sheets that can be completed by both parties and mailed back and forth, along with envelopes for each sheet.

Not only will this set boost writing skills for the grandchild, but it’s also a fun way to engage with grandparents who are near or far away and will thrill your kiddo when they get their own letter in the mailbox.

Best for Photos

A Grandparent’s Keepsake Album

A Grandparent's Keepsake Album : Special Memories of My Grandchild's First Years (Hardcover)

Walmart

Pros
  • Prompts and space for free writing

  • Best for very involved grandparents 

Cons
  • Book only documents the grandchild’s life 

Formatted a bit differently than others, this book is for a grandparent to document the first years of their grandchild’s life. While it will certainly create a special keepsake for that child, this book isn’t focused on the history and memories of the grandparent’s life. Best for a very involved grandparent or even as a gift for a first-time grandparent. They’ll treasure putting this together and documenting life as their grandchild grows.

Best for Recipes

My Family Cookbook

"My Family Cookbook"

Uncommon Goods

Pros
  • Easy format to capture family recipes

  • Creates a useable heirloom

Cons
  • Recipe specific book

We are obsessed with the idea of passing down recipes from one generation to another, so if food is your family’s love language, consider this book as a gift to your family’s stomach and memories. The blank pages are formatted like a recipe: There’s room for ingredient lists, recipe directions, and even a photo and notes. If your grandparent cooks all the family favorites just from their head, grab this book and jot those recipes down on paper. Your whole family will thank you at the next meal!

Best Conversation Starter

Questions You'll Wish You Asked

Questions You'll Wish You Asked: A Time Capsule Journal for Grandparents and Grandchildren

Barnes & Noble

Pros
  • Creative prompts for easy writing

  • Beautiful design

  • Blank pages included for free writing

Cons
  • Easier to use one book for each grandchild

Grandparents who want to create a book of memories but aren’t sure what to write will appreciate this book. It’s filled with over 100 questions about their life, values, and memories. While some questions are pretty common, others are more unexpected and unique, and may bring up discussions that you wouldn’t normally think to have. These include questions like, “If you could give your 18-year-old self any advice, what would it be?” and “If you could choose your last words to me, what would they be?” 

Blank pages at the end of the book give grandparents some space to journal and write whatever they choose. There are also some questions about grandchildren that make it a little easier to dedicate one book to each grandchild, although it is possible to answer about multiple grandchildren if you want to use the blank space in the back.

Best Activity Book

Camp Granny

Camp Granny book for grandparents to share with their grandchildren

Amazon

Pros
  • Creative and interactive

  • Encourages kids and grandparents to spend time together

  • Full of beautiful illustrations

Cons
  • No pages for writing down memories

If you would rather experience memories together instead of writing down your own, then this book is a great option. While it doesn’t include prompts or journaling pages, it is full of activity ideas and advice on making every moment grandparents and grandkids spend together more memorable and enjoyable. There are pages of tips on how to make your visits more “kid-friendly” and personalized, as well as advice on how to keep in touch when you live far from each other. 

The real selling point of this book is that it includes detailed descriptions of over 130 activities for families to do together. These are arranged in sections, like “kids in the kitchen,” “kids in the garden,” and “rainy day activities.” All instructions are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, making this a really fun book for kids to read.

Best for Videos

Heirloom Video Book

Amazon Heirloom Video Book

Amazon

Pros
  • Easy to create video book

  • Ideal for grandparents unable to write

  • Helpful option for families 

Cons
  • 20-minute video limit

  • Costlier than other traditional books

We know that for some families, a written book isn’t always a realistic option. For younger grandparents that would rather go digital, this innovative custom video book is a modern choice. Easy to design, the book holds up to 20 minutes of video footage that’s super easy to upload and edit from a phone or computer.

To create a keepsake, draft up some question prompts and have a grandchild interview their grandparent on camera. Upload the video, and in a few quick steps, you’ve created a family heirloom.

Best for Grandpas

Grandpa's Story

Grandpa's Story journal to share with grandchildren

Amazon

Pros
  • Beautifully designed cover

  • Helpful prompts

  • Layflat design makes writing more comfortable

  • Text can be small

Made specifically for grandpas who want to share their life story, this artfully designed keepsake book offers a nice mix of blank journaling pages and easy-to-follow prompts. The prompts take grandfathers through their lives, with pages dedicated to early childhood, school years, work and traveling, and family and relationships. It also encourages grandpas to dive deeper and write about more thought-provoking topics, with prompts about their values, what they would have done differently in life, and the best advice they've ever received. There are also blank pages that give grandpas room to get creative and write whatever they want. 

We appreciate how aesthetically pleasing this book is, made of a beautiful linen cover with thick, archival paper that won't easily break down over time. Some pages also feature thoughtful quotes, and the book lays flat to make writing in it more comfortable. The publisher also offers an identical journal for Grandma's only.

Best Universal Journal

This Life of Mine: A Keepsake Journal

this-life-of-mine-a-keepsake-journal-for-grandparents-parents-and-anyone-to-preserve-memories-moments--milestones-keepsake-legacy-journals

Amazon

Pros
  • Beautiful cover

  • Wide range of prompt questions and styles

Cons
  • Not grandparent specific 

Beautifully crafted, this standout book is not grandparent specific but will certainly work for a memory book. Featured are a mix of short-answer questions, fill-in-the-blanks, open-ended prompts, and spots for sketches or photos. This book moves through stages, trying to capture info to create a picture of a full life. Different from other books, these prompts may be more thought-provoking and have a wider range of categories.

Final Verdict

For a fun family activity, the "Memories for My Grandchild Keepsake Journal" is easy to complete and simple to share with friends and family once it’s done. For a special memento that’s geared for one grandchild, "Letters to My Grandchild" is a nice mix of prompts and open-ended writing.

What to Look for in Keepsake Books for Grandchildren

  • Personal Preference: Consider the personal needs of the receiver as you choose the book. If they love to write, pick one with lots of open blank pages that allow them to add as much of their story as they want. If writing is difficult for them or they simply don't love it, select a shorter book with easy prompts that help them convey the same heartfelt message. Fitting their needs will help create a memory book they’ll feel good about passing on to the family.
  • Fun to Do: The last thing you want to give grandparents is another chore. The memory book should be fun to complete and fill them with excitement to pass down their most cherished memories. If they are reluctant, give them the book at a time when you’re together and have the grandchild ask the questions while someone else records the answers in the book. 
  • High Quality: It’s likely that the memory book will become a cherished family heirloom. As the book is passed around and shown to new generations through the years, it is likely that it will take a bit of a beating. Choose a book style that can last and has a high-quality binding that won't prematurely fall apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is a memory book?

    A memory book is a place to record an individual’s personal history. Some are mostly blank books, while others have detailed forms and prompts for the writer to complete. The books are a place to store life’s meaningful memories and can be shared with family and friends. 

  • When should l give a memory book to the grandparents?

    A memory book can be given to grandparents as a sweet pregnancy announcement, at a gift-giving holiday, your child’s birth, birthday, or anytime. If there’s a family celebration where you’ll all be together, it can be fun and helpful to give them the book and then complete it while you’re all present.

Why Trust Verywell Family

Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of an 11-year-old son, an 8-year-old son, and a 4-year-old daughter. With all four of her kids’ grandparents living nearby, she’s ashamed to admit she’s never had them create a memory book and is promptly ordering four copies of her favorite one and putting those grandparents to work.