We journeyed south to a family reunion yesterday and catching up with cousins, aunts and uncles was a blast. Our parents are all deceased but I couldn’t help looking at my young granddaughters and looking forward to the time when I could share with them the memories I have of their great-grandparents. The stories we tell of our cherished times together allow us to understand our family history and to create a special bond that will last their entire lives. There are many ways to share that family story with our grandchildren as they grow.
With the youngest children, you can create a personalized memory book to record those special events and activities you share with your grandchildren. Greeting cards you’ve sent them, entrance tickets to plays and concerts, miniature golf score sheets, photographs of grandma and child on the elephant ride at the zoo, special drawings done together, and above all else, little notes and letters you send to them to let them know you love them and how special they are to you.
How to make a Granny Loves you Memory Book
Materials
1 large scrapbook with plain cover. You can purchase these at Hobby Lobby or other craft stores.
Adhesives for adding items to the pages. I suggest Glue Dots. You do want acid free adhesive that won’t damage the photographs. There are many such products on the market. I like the Glue Dots because they are so easy for little hands to use and no mess to clean up!
Markers, stickers, paints to decorate the cover and the pages. You do not need all the fancy scrapbooking stuff you’ll find at your local paper or hobby shop. Elaborate scrapbooks have become the norm these days with large amounts of cash required to create them. But your grandchild will be happy with some fun little stickers, markers and glue dots. There are tons of creative scrapbooking websites to give you ideas, but I much prefer the natural creativity of children.
For even younger children or for some who prefer this method, you can make a collage type memory box. Use a large sturdy boot shoe box. Sit one day with your grandchild and cut out photos from magazines, old children’s books, coloring books or even use real photos printed out on copy paper.
Overlap and glue chosen pictures and photos, creating a collage effect. You can purchase a collage glue or make one with watered down Elmer’s school glue. Let the box dry completely and then spray with a shiny decoupage sealer.
For small children, they sometimes like to be able to take out mementos and pictures to look at, touch and explore in a more tactile manner.
Later as the child grows older, they might want to make the memory book above.
Memories become part of our family story when we talk about them, share them with each other. A simple trip to the zoo can be shared over and over by laughing about how Grandma climbed aboard the elephant and almost fell off the other side!
I sent my soon to be three year old granddaughter her first love letter a week ago. In it I sent a photo of her picking peas in the garden and one of her helping me shell them. I wrote her a short note thanking her the great time we had and for her help. I decorated the note with pawprint stickers and told her they were from Gabriel, our cat. Her mother says she is still carrying her “letter from grandma” around with her and showing everyone.
