New Grandfather gift dilemma

Well done Grandpops, that’s lovely ?

Thanks for posting the photo. What you made is lovely and I'm sure will be treasured. Congratulations on the arrival of your grandson.

That’s lovely and unique.
Congratulations on your Grandson, Enjoy.

It is so cute!

How nice to get an update.
A labour of love; the best kind of gift.

Oops, just seen what you did do - it's gorgeous!

I like the toy box idea, maybe not a huge one but one that could also be an ark, or a garage, or farm. One of those, not all three, though that would be a neat trick!

Then for subsequent birthdays a new elephant or car or sheep could be given to go into the toy.

Beautiful

How lovely Grandpops, I’m sure it will be greatly appreciated.

That's really nice. And so original. Congratulations!

Thanks all for the suggestions. I decided to probably wait on the toy box idea until they move owing to lack of space. So I went with the door hook idea....hopefully repeatable for other grandchildren though I hope the name begins with an easier letter to cut than "G" .

A bit of a struggle but within my basic carpentry skills. G is his first name, L the surname. Hardest bit was painting in a straight line as you can probably see!

Picture attached (hopefully). Admittedly a bit garish but it is supposed to show Giraffe and Grass (only G words I could think of that could be represented in colours) plus the playing kit colours of Harlequins and Leicester Rugby teams (the mother's and father's favourite teams).

I enjoyed designing and doing it so if it ends up at the bottom of a drawer I won't mind!

I too think the toy box is a good idea,and the bank account idea,maybe a box for an account book that will fit in a drawer.
Congratulations to you both too.

Grandpops, named door plate or coat hook is a great idea. Might be wise to choose something that is relatively easy to repeat !? This is your first GC , there may be more to come , I am sure you would to treat them all equally ! Congratulations ?

Favourite toy of our son (now in his 30's) was a set of wooden bricks his Grandad made, I think he just cut a length of 2x2 into bricks and blocks of various sizes and smoothed the edges.

They were used to make farms, houses, castles, garages etc etc over the years, and now ready for his D to use when she's big enough.

My dad made both of my kids a wooden picture frame when they were born with their names on, we’ve regularly updated the pictures as they’ve grown and it’s a lovely wee keepsake that doesn’t take up much space at all! He used a bit of clear plastic stuff instead of glass in them - that might be an easier project?

Grandpops my late husband made our daughter a push along. All it was wooden rectangle for the base 4 pieces of wooden round the sides about 4" deep . Long handle with a bar between it and 4 wheels. After sanding down used child friendly varnish. She is 38 and her brother used it after her . My grandson's use it . He was a klutz when it came to carpentry but he enjoyed making . Plenty of plasters where used. It has outlived him.

Thanks all for your continued suggestions! I think a toybox is a great idea and within my "skills" but their house is v small so may not, on reflection, be sensible at this point sadly. So I am veering towards a door plate/coat hook with name/initials and/or a castle that can flat pack. Of course the challenge is that I don't know the name yet (they have a favourite)!

My grandson was gifted a toy box with his name on the front. My father made my brother a wooden garage - been played with by his son and my grandchildren and is strong enough to stand on!!! My son was given a wooden lorry with his name on the front. The book looks great Ixion.

My dad made me a fantastic farm when I was little it was a wooden tray size painted green a mirror for a duck pond and some barns which I now recognise as simple of course the animals were bought
But yes a personised Toybos is another great idea

My husband made a wooden bed for our eldest - still treasured 43 years on!

Are there local U3A courses or college courses in woodwork where you could make something? A door plate with his name that he could keep? A simple wooden castle appropriate for Playmobil or Lego people? A personalised wooden photo frame? Something he could say in decades to come "My grandad made this for me".

What a lovely idea. The toy box sounds a good one.

Some children’s lives are recorded in My Baby books - when they were born, how much they weighed, who were the first visitors, when the first tooth appeared.
How well do you get on with and know the other grandparents? You could produce a book going back in time, giving details and photographs of parents’ and grandparents’ lives - when they were born, the decades they lived through, how they dressed together with key events, etc.

I’m new to this so k may not do it right but , a keepsake box for your grandchild is something they can always , take with them wherever they go , it’s a nice start for the parents to put ribbons , and cards and things from the hospital and from their baby shower and their special day , thr keepsake box items can grow and change as they get older

Thanks all for the suggestions. It has given me some things to think about.

You are right that I could ask but, to a certain degree, it is about surprising the parents rather than the child

Their house is pretty small so I also don't want to give them something "awkward" to store/use!

I will do some further research too on the craft. I am not hugely talented at woodwork but am assuming that care has to be taken to avoid using nails etc so proper joints etc are better. Will have to search my memory of school woodwork lessons!

Thanks all