I admit that I am not a scrap booker. I take a lot of photos but then don’t do anything official with them, other than sharing a few on our family website or Facebook. Although I got several baby books with my first child, I managed to make just one single entry, the day that my son rolled over for the first time.
Still, I do like to collect my children’s artwork for posterity. I keep the very best pieces of art and donate the rest to the in-laws, because how could I possibly toss anything out that a child of mine created?
Along with the artwork, I try to collect my children’s stories, even before they can write on their own. While they are creating a masterpiece, I ask many, many questions about the piece, what it is, what it feels like, etc. On the back of each creation, I write this information down. It is a great insight into what my kids are thinking about.
Recently, I came across a great idea in Wondertime Magazine. The writer talks about helping your child to create a first journal. Basically, you provide a book and a number of colored pencils and have it out and available. Then you simply ask your child “What color was your day?” and have your child choose some colors and draw on a journal page.
I love this idea because it is a great way to capture the feelings of your child, expose them to color study and even provide a little therapy on difficult days. You could even add your own notes on the back of the drawing, as I do, or use journaling labels (the author’s suggestion).
Because the journal is in book form, you will have everything organized and in one place. Just beware of little fingers wanting to rip out the pages.
Enjoy!
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
Related Articles:
Introducing Art to My Little One