As the summer holidays quickly approach, I am thinking of ways to capture our upcoming summer fun. The kids grow so much each year, I love being able to look back over the years and see what we got up to and how little they looked!
This summer, I am looking at soccer camp, art camp and a two night getaway for the family. I’ll keep you posted on our activities over on my Instagram page.
Last year we didn’t get up to much, and with the lockdowns and restrictions, getting out and about has never felt as important as it does now. It feels more exciting to be making plans and looking forward to activities, camps and holidays.
So now, how to capture these great experiences so we can look back over them? Here are my top five ideas on how to capture summer memories…
Photobooks
Storing memories in a photobook is a wonderful way to save photos for the future. Back in 2012, I started creating one photobook per year. I put highlights from the year into the photobook and I have them all stored on a shelf.
It’s really nice to be able to pick up a year, and look through the highlights. I include birthdays, any holidays, and fun adventures we might get up to.
There are wonderful websites like Bonusprint, where you can create a photobook online. They have a variety of options where you can place images, text and background however you would like. Or, if you don’t have the time to do that, you can simply upload your images and they will place them into a book for you.
Some of our favourite summer memories involved just hanging out in the backyard being honest. You can't beat a paddling pool, some toys and a hammock with stand.
Journal
When we went away to Crete a few years ago, each child brought a blank notebook with them to journal their experiences. We went into the local bookshop before the trip and they each picked out a notebook.
They began filling the notebook before we even left, noting what they were packing and what they were excited for. The journals came in hand while waiting in the airport, on the plane, and for quiet mornings in the hotel room. It gave the kids something to do and now, it is a beautiful memory for them to look back over.
Little Miss,who couldn’t write at the time, drew pictures in her book instead. So, this is an activity that would suit most children.
Photoframe
A modern photo frame is so simple to set up and use. Long gone are the days of needing memory sticks. Our Nixplay photo frame works with an app that allows me to simply select photos form my phone and they magic onto the frame.
It’s a great way to be able to get recent photos up on the frame for us to bask in the memories of our summer fun.
As silly as that may sound, my Instagram has become my online scrap book of memories! It’s fun to share with my followers but it’s also fun to scroll back and see memories from over the years.
I was hacked and lost my first Instagram account in 2019. Since that, I wouldn’t rely on my Instagram to hold family memories long term. Having the images printed in a photobook is a much safer way to keep them into the future.
Arts and Crafts
You can get hands on with the kids, to create arts and crafts projects that capture the memories of your summer experiences. This can also reinforce learning and communication.
For example, if you go to the aquarium, after you come back, you could look for some fun worksheets online that the kids can do. There are wonderful resources on Twinkl, I have been using them since the lockdown started in 2020. I can easily search for any topic, and print out educational and fun worksheets or colouring pages to go along with it.
Let me know how you capture your family summer memories in the comments!
