How Do I Make A Memory Book For My Grandchildren?
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Photo albums are great, but a grandparent memory book is a personal and meaningful keepsake that your grandchildren will cherish for the rest of their lives.
Memory books are books that hold memories, photographs, and other keepsakes. They are like time capsules for you, your grandchild, and your family, holding special moments in life between their pages. It will be something your family will hold close and re-visit time and time again throughout their lives.
Learn how to create a memory book for your grandchild in this blog post. We will outline everything you need to form an invaluable book for your little one.
1. Choose A Theme
The first step in creating a grandparent's memory book is to choose a theme. A theme will guide you on the rest of your journey gathering, writing, and making a memory book for your grandchildren. It will always be something you come back to and consult when you are feeling stuck or need more ideas on what to include.
There are many themes that you can choose from when it comes to creating a grandparent memory book. You could create a genealogy book detailing your family tree and history. Future generations of your family will love learning about their grandparents, their family, and loved ones in your memory ook. Another great idea is to capture family memories and traditions in a scrapbook-like book. Decide what theme you will use for your book, then move on to the next step.
2. Gather Photographs & Handwritten Notes
Now that you have your theme, it is time to gather keepsakes and pictures to add to your book. Photos and other items can bring your story to life. They will also be valuable keepsakes that your grandchild will treasure forever.
Mementos like greeting cards, pictures, postcards, family recipes, and other mementos are great ideas of things to include in your grandparent memory book. You could also include pages from your journal if you feel comfortable enough.
Family Tree Themed Memory Books
If your theme is your family tree, consider gathering photos from all of your family members throughout their lifetime. Each page could be dedicated to a person with photos of them in their childhood, teenage years, and adulthood. Your grandchild will love seeing their grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and other relatives as kids, teens and adults.
Family Scrapbook Memory Books
Grandparents have the freedom to include almost anything in scrapbook-style books—photographs, postcards, ticket stubs, certificates, journal pieces, recipes, locks of hair, and more. Anything that could go in time capsules will work. And, when future generations flip through the pages, they will find pieces of family stories and memories all in one space.
3. Select Your Book
Now that you have everything gathered, you will need to choose the memory book that you will use to store everything in and, eventually, hand it down to your grandchildren. It will be a keepsake that they will treasure for their entire lives and give to their kids. This is a big decision!
Before you start searching for your book, think back to your theme. What type of memory book are you making for your grandchild? Is it a journal filled with meaningful stories from grandma and grandpa? Or is it a scrapbook with photographs? If you are making a photo-heavy memory book, look for a book that has a lot of room for pictures. Grandparents making a journal book filled with stories and pictures should choose a book that has space for writing and photographs.
A grandparents memory book should have ample room for you to fill with photos, stories, and other keepsakes.
4. Include Important Family History
After you have bought and filled your grandparent's memory book with photos, you need to break out a pen or pencil and start writing. While it would be fun to fill your grandparents' memory book with great photos, your grandchild will also want to hear the stories behind the pictures. Make sure to write down the stories or memories connected to each photo in your book.
If one grandparent journals, give them the responsibility to fill the book with writing. They can document their life, memories, and stories that they don't want to forget. Written stories will answer questions your grandchild may have, immerse them into your world, and share memories from events or holidays that they may be too young to remember. Grandma or grandpa can sign the entry with their names, making it even more personal.
Make sure to label people in the pictures so your grandchild and easily identify members of their family. People change a lot over time, and this information will help your grandchild know who they are.
5. Involve Other People
It does not just have to be the grandchild's grandmother and grandfather included in the creation of the book! Ask other members of the family to join in on the fun. Each family member can create one page, making the book even more valuable.
Different members of your family can add their own personal touches to the book by documenting memories and adding photos or other keepsakes. Having more people involved in the creation of the book will allow it to be a more diverse, comprehensive look at your family's history.
6. Leave Space For More of Their Life Story
Now that the grandparents have added their memories, leave space for your grandchild's. Leave several pages near the end blank and title them with their name. Your little one can fill in the page on their own time, adding their information and pictures. It will be a great way for them to share their own memories alongside their family's.
