What questions should I ask my grandparents about their life?

Updated October 2026

Short answer: ask about concrete memories first (their childhood home, first job, how they met), then turning points and legacy (“What are you proudest of?”). Record the answers on a phone, and a life story book ($49) turns up to 60 minutes of audio into an illustrated book.

The topics to cover, twelve starter questions and tips for recording, so the stories are not lost.

5 topics to cover

1. Childhood

Where they grew up, their parents, school, games and holidays.

2. Young adulthood

First jobs, moving out, friends, music and how they met their partner.

3. Family life

Wedding, children, the homes they lived in and the traditions they started.

4. Hard times and proud moments

The hardest years, what got them through, and what they are proudest of.

5. Legacy

Advice, family recipes and how they want to be remembered.

12 questions to start with

1. Where did you grow up, and what did your street look like?
2. What did your parents do for work?
3. What was a normal school day like?
4. What was your first job, and what did you buy with your first paycheck?
5. How did you meet Grandma (or Grandpa)?
6. What was your wedding day like?
7. What was the hardest year of your life, and how did you get through it?
8. What are you proudest of?
9. What do you remember about the day your first child was born?
10. Which family recipe should never be lost?
11. What advice would you give your grandchildren?
12. How would you like to be remembered?

A printable list of 20 interview questions comes with every life story book order.

FAQs

What questions should I ask my grandparents about their life?

Start with concrete memories (their childhood home, school, first job), then relationships and turning points (how they met, their wedding, hard years), and end with legacy questions (what they are proudest of, their advice).

How long should a grandparent interview be?

Several short sessions of 15 to 20 minutes work better than one long one. Kemuva’s life story book includes up to 60 minutes of audio in total.

Can I record it on my phone?

Yes. A phone voice memo is fine. Sit close, in a quiet room, and let them talk without interrupting.

How do I turn the answers into a book?

Upload the recordings and a few photos after ordering the life story book ($49). It becomes a 20 to 30 page illustrated book, with a preview in about 72 hours and one round of revisions.

When should I order for Christmas?

Order a life story book by December 18 so there is time for the preview and a revision.

Ready to create it? See the life story book, $49 →