Scrapbooking with Kids

By: Toronto4Kids

Scrapbooking - it's now one the fastest growing hobbies in North America and one of the hottest trends! Scrapbooking is all about preserving your family memories by adding photos, journaling, memorabilia, stickers and embellishments to form a creative layout. And, it's a great craft for kids too! Children by nature love to glue, colour, cut, peel & stick, and explore textures and shapes. Together, you can create some amazing time capsules that can be enjoyed today and for many generations to come!

Though most Scrappers spend time designing pages "about" their kids, why not take the opportunity to "involve" the kids? In today's tech-heavy homes where children are weaned on a diet of gadgets and gizmos, scrapbooking can provide a creative outlet! Let's face it … most kids enjoy craft work so scrapbooking offers the rare opportunity to spend quality family time making something artistic and imaginative. You can hang out telling "tales" about their family and their life. Kids' innate curiosity about the past, especially about their own history, really lends itself to the making of a family scrapbook.

Getting your kids involved!

They need their own supplies!
Scrapbooking with kids means they'll head straight for all your precious scrapbooking supplies. If you are reluctant to let kids share your materials and tools, you can give them a basic supply of papers, stickers, tape, photos, gel pens, along with child-friendly scissors - complete with a box to keep it all in. Don't forget to set aside any papers, scraps, die-cuts and stickers that are no longer suitable for adult scrapbooks and save them for the kids.

Kids Scrapbooking Kits
Purchase themed scrapbooking kits! These can be a great way to simplify your kids' scrapbooking projects. Kits include paper, embellishments, stickers and other materials -- all to help them get started. Kids can now easily design their own pages since everything in the package is colour coordinated.

Let your kids tell the story!
As parents, scrapbook pages of your kids fill up many pages. But these stories are told from your perspective. How about including your child's viewpoint? Children love to tell and share the many wonderful stories that have impacted their life, even if just a few keywords or short sentences. Use interview-style questions to get answers! If possible, have your child write out those answers in their handwriting and voilà … another piece of your child's uniqueness is retained on your pages!

Include their art!
Include art and pictures they have drawn. Don't forget to have them sign and date it. Or, have your kids record an everlasting hand or foot print in a scrapbook by using an archival ink pad. Incorporate special pictures or assignments from school and cards they have made for you over the years.

Leave it up to them!
Often, a child's imagination will take it off into a different direction when allowed to run free with a pile of crafting supplies. Don't be surprised if the layout looks nothing like you thought it would - it's probably exactly the way your child thought it would. These can turn out to be the best pages ever!

Toddler Friendly Kids Scrapbooking Pages
Here's a fun way for your toddler to have their very own toddler-friendly scrapbook to play with. Have copies made of their favorite scrapbook pages and laminate them. Simply round the corners so that are not sharp and store them in a 3-ring folder.

Kids' Scrapbooking Projects

Scrapbooking with kids does not have to just be about an entire year in their life. You can collaborate with them on smaller projects and mini-albums based on:

• Sports/Hobbies
• Outings: theme parks, zoos, waterparks, etc.
• Summer vacations/trips
• Best friends, siblings, cousins
• Pets
• School activities
• Summer camp
• Favorite Toys, books, foods & clothes
• Birthday Parties

With a minimal amount of effort, you and your child can create a lasting work of art chronicling their childhood triumphs, adventures and escapades. And, it will make the sharing of scrapbooking albums all the more special if you have worked together! These scrapbook pages are bound to light up faces for years to come! You will feel good about the results!