Starting Your Child's Scrapbook - Making Memories Last

A child's scrapbook is among the most prizedthat seemingly slip away so quickly.
possessions a parent can own. Whether you haveAs your child gets older, construct an album that
only one child, or several, it is likely you will wantwill include numerous art projects, drawings, and
to capture many of those first time memoriesstories your child has created to give it that
forever in an album that will preserve them forpersonal touch. Be sure to photograph important
many years to come. There are several ways tomoments such as graduations, special parties, or
do this, and you may even consider starting aany other important occasions. Encourage your
separate album for different segments of yourchild to become involved in the scrapbooking
child's life. Below are tips that will help youprocess by choosing pictures and suggesting ideas.
chronicle those precious moments so you canThis will add personality and really make it
view them over and over again.one-of-a-kind.
Begin with a baby book. The baby book willLastly, create a scrapbook chronicling his or her
include items such as baby pictures, locks of yourjunior high and high school years. Here, include
baby's hair, cards you received before and afterpictures taken at school functions and family
the birth, and various journal entries made byevents, providing appropriate captions for each.
you, the proud parent. You can begin makingWhile this part of the process may not be
these entries during your pregnancy as a way toappreciated while it is taking place, it may be
express to your unborn child how happy you aresomething to look back on when your children
about his or her impending birth. You can alsohave offspring of their own.
include when he or she began to walk, talk, andPresent your child with these albums at a time
memories of the first birthday.you deem appropriate. If he or she has taken an
Begin a toddler book. Since most children are quiteactive part in the process over the years, it is
active during this stage, you will probablylikely these albums will have been viewed many
accumulate a variety of photos to fill this album.times, and may be a requested keepsake. If you
Continue making journal entries that help thewish to keep copies of these albums, consider
pictures tell a story in such a way that anyoneduplicating each album as it is created. After all,
reading it can easily imagine being there. Writeyour child isn't the only one who will wish to look
down particular words or phrases spoken by yourback on all the special times.
child as a way to preserve the adorable moments