Create a photobook with your kids
It’s amazing to think that physical photo albums have become a retro oddity so quickly, but many young children today think of photos as something that live on phones and computers. Printing photos and creating a special book is a wonderful way to preserve cherished memories – and a great way to pass a rainy afternoon!
Pick a theme
It could be fun to create the photobook around a theme, such as a family event or “the summer I was 7.” Equally, creating a “the story of me” book with a child, ranging from baby photos right up to a picture of the day the photobook was made, is a great opportunity to discuss memories of each event being recorded, and a lovely keepsake to look back on in later years. You could even start the project by taking the photos together, maybe creating a “day in the life” story, and let the child decide what should be photographed.
Home printing – or online?
You could use your printer at home to print out the photos, though it may not be the best quality. Alternatively, there are plenty of online photo services (including Snapfish and Shutterfly), and some high street shops (such as Boots) still offer the service too. It’s worth keeping an eye out for bargain deals from the online photo service as it’s easy to upload the photos you want to print, and they often offer bulk deals and free shipping.
Choose your book
For the book itself, you could buy a scrapbook or drawing pad at a stationery shop or supermarket, or you might want to make your own by stitching or gluing construction paper together. If you do buy the photobook, it’s worth considering a spiral bound one, as with all the glue and glitter you may need room to grow!
As you create each page, discuss which photos to select and why. Maybe each page could have a theme, or perhaps the book will be a chronological recording of an event. In that case, you can start by putting the photos in order.
Glitter and glue
You might choose to cut come photos into shapes such as stars or flowers, and your little ones can decorate the page by creating frames and borders of drawings or glitter. You might also want to caption each photo, or even write up the child’s recollections of the memory it captures on the facing page. This could even be a fun way to get your kids to practice their writing.
However you decide to create your photobook, it’s certain to become a precious keepsake in years to come!