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Home » Parenting » From the Mouths of Moms » 20 Memory Keeping Ideas [From the Mouths of Moms]

20 Memory Keeping Ideas [From the Mouths of Moms]

By Krissy of B-Inspired Mama 25 Comments

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Keeping Kids Memories

Every Thursday I bring you kid-tested parenting tips for a specific parenting challenge “from the mouths of moms.”  Last weeks post with tips for your first weeks with a newborn went viral; make sure to check out the great discussion in the comments, too.  This week I asked our creative mamas for ideas on something I struggle to make time for: memory keeping…

20 Memory Keeping Ideas for Moms [From the Mouths of Moms] at B-Inspired Mama

20 Tips for Memory Keeping

1. Make a Video of Kids Memories – “Since hubby and I are filmmakers – he makes a video each year that he completes for our first son’s birthday. I feel so lucky that we have this. Of course, we also take photos throughout the year too.  He gets footage of everyday things, but especially of special outings — so these videos capture our memories. I love them!!” Jennifer from The Good Long Road (Watch one of Jennifer’s precious videos here!)

2. Use Snapfish – “We create albums in Snapfish. So we have an album for ever month. I take a lot of pictures with my phone and we can download easily with their app. Then we share those albums through a password protected link with family and friends. Then we create a photo book for every few months.” Kathy

3. Keep Memories in a Word File – “I have a word document folder that I keep for each child that has their growth milestones, as well as funny & profound things they say.” Laura from Play Dr. Mom

4. Store Keepsakes in Hanging Files – “I also started a file system (just in a hanging file crate) for each kid to keep all their drawings, projects, and school work organized by year.” Laura from Play Dr. Mom

5. Get Deals at Shutterfly – “I make photo books from Shutterfly 1-2 times a year when ever they have a free photobook offer.” Roopa from Putti’s World

6. Keep Memories in a Memory Jar – “We have started a memory jar tradition.” Maggie from Red Ted Art

7. Make a Slide Show of Kids Memories- “For my older son’s first Christmas, I told my husband that the only present I wanted was a slide show of pictures of our son’s first year. My husband now makes a combination video/ slide show of both of our sons for me each year. I love it!” Carolyn from The Pleasantest Thing

8. Make a Photo Calendar Each Year – “My Sister-in-law makes a photo calendar for everyone for Christmas. Each month features what the kids did that month the previous year. Now that I have a baby, I can’t wait to do something similar.” Kathy

9. Try Winkflash – “I make albums using Winkflash when they have their flat-rate sales.” MaryAnne from Mama Smiles

10. Keep a Digital Journal to Turn into a Book – “I also keep a digital journal where I record memories every day. We get it bound every five years, and our kids will be able to have copies of their own.” MaryAnne from Mama Smiles

11. Write Kids Memories in a Journal – “Since I like to write, I keep a little journal of funny things my kids say or do.” Danielle from 52 Brand New

12. Use Your Cell Phone & Instagram – “I capture all of our everyday moments using my iPhone, then share them with family & friends on Instagram and use the app to upload them to Flickr at the same time. All my favorite photos are disseminated and archived with just the touch of a button.” Stacy from Kids Stuff World

13. Write Birthday Letters to Your Kids – “I write my children a letter on their birthdays. I seal the envelope. I don’t want them to open them until they are at least 16.” Danielle from 52 Brand New

14. Record Memorable Dates on a Calendar – “I use my Google calendar to remember dates that big things happen.” Amanda from Dirt and Boogers

15. Back Up Photos in Picasa – “We have an extended Picasa account which is backed up, in which we keep all our photos.” The Monko from Taming the Goblin

16. Keep Memories with a Blog – “I started blogging as a sort of online scrapbook making.” Roopa from Putti’s World

17. Make a Time Capsule – “We did a time capsule this year, to open in 10 years – I tired to put in of mix of highlights form this year and little things we see/use every day. It includes things like a wipes container, parking stubs and tickets from places we went on vacation, my 4 year old’s taekwondo schedule” Carolyn from The Pleasantest Thing

18. Keep a Scrapbook for School Memories – “I keep a school scrapbook for my kids. This is very simple, just a 2 page layout of the highlights of the year. That helps me keep it manageable.” Kristen from Busy Kids = Happy Mom

19. Do A Photobook Page a Month – “At the end of each month, I put my favorite pictures of the kids in a photo book page and write a few things about what they’re doing. At the end of the year, I get the book printed and start a new one.” Lorie from Reading Confetti

20. Add Secret Stuff to a Scrapbook – “I make an old fashion scrapbook – nothing fancy at all. I keep all their artwork, awards, some journal entries from school, things they are proud of – and then I also keep secret things that they would never guess (like a movie stub from a favorite movie, notes from teachers, pictures they don’t know I’ve taken), and I put it together at the end of elementary school, and then again as the move out of junior high. Now that one of mine is older, he’s helping to add to the book.” Jacquie from Edventures with Kids

How do you keep memories for your kids and family?  I’d love to hear in the comments below!

More Tips from Fellow Moms:

  • 10 Tips for Teaching Kids About Good Touch Bad Touch
  • 10 Tips for First Day of School Readiness
  • 10 Tips for Teaching Kids Gratitude

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Filed Under: From the Mouths of Moms, Parenting Tagged With: Kids Memories, Memory Keeping

About Krissy of B-Inspired Mama

Former M.Ed Art Teacher. Current Blogger & Social Media Influencer. Always Crazy & Creative Mama of 3.

Previous Post: « Mama Knows Best: Tips for Mothers from Mothers [Chrissy from The Outlaw Mom]
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. D Platt says

    June 16, 2015 at 5:13 PM

    These are all great, but you should also check out Keepy! Keepy has the added bonus of video commentary from your kids, adding grandma and other relatives as fans, and having a private webpage for all your posts! (Don’t worry, it’s all private!) http://www.keepy.me

    Reply
    • Krissy @ B-Inspired Mama says

      June 17, 2015 at 12:53 PM

      Sounds cool! THanks for sharing with us.

      Reply
  2. Susan says

    September 27, 2014 at 10:34 PM

    I love all these ideas! Only problem is I did #3 (keep milestones in a word document) and my computer crashed! I lost all of my daughters milestones from birth to 13 months. I wrote down what they were, the day and the story behind each milestone and I lost it all. If you do that, I would recommend emailing it to yourself every month or so. I know like to use facebook as a way of keeping track of her milestones and memories on a day to day basis then I’ll make a scrapbook/photobook with shutterfly (mostly free using coke points) and add those milestones, funny moments and little things she does to my scrapbook.

    Reply
    • Krissy @ B-Inspired Mama says

      September 28, 2014 at 11:19 AM

      Oh that must have been heartbreaking, Susan!! I’ve been hearing far too many stories like this lately, and I REALLY need to back up my computer before it happens to me. Thanks for sharing that reminder!

      Reply
  3. April says

    July 13, 2013 at 8:58 PM

    Just saw the idea for an ugly photo book. I have started one for our family, and in it go all the ‘bad’ pictures that inevitably get taken. Its a fun way to remember all of the ‘not so perfect’ memories that make being a family so fun. I covered the book with a brown paper grocery bag with cutouts for the eyes… kinda lime being so ugly you need a paper bag over your head..the kids love it!

    Reply
    • Krissy @ B-Inspired Mama says

      July 15, 2013 at 10:09 AM

      Ha! I’ve never heard of that, but love it! Thanks for sharing, April!!

      Reply
  4. kathleen says

    March 9, 2013 at 12:02 PM

    when my son was little I didn’t have time or energy to keep a baby book. My solution was to set up a tape recorder next to the changing table. every time I changed his diaper I would hit record and start talking to him about his day. the bonus all of his first coos and giggles I have recorded! now I need the same son to help me get into a format I can keep and off the cassettes worked for me!

    Reply
    • Krissy @ B-InspiredMama says

      March 12, 2013 at 9:26 AM

      That’s brilliant!

      Reply
  5. Kelly says

    January 8, 2013 at 1:03 AM

    Love this list! I was struggling to keep up with writing in a journal to remember cute things my daughter says, so I wrote a blog post to publicly shame myself into remembering. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Anonymous says

    September 1, 2012 at 2:00 PM

    I write a letter every month since i know i am pregnant to write how and what i feel, then 1 letter each month for their first year, and then a letter every now and then when important things happen like first day of school, birthdays, xmas, surgeries, etc . It is great to read them later and give them thei letters when they grow up.

    Reply
  7. AGirlintheSouth says

    August 29, 2012 at 7:41 PM

    I just got my 10 year old a Smash Book – now she gets to record the things that are important to her along the way and I keep the photo memories digitally organized for her.

    Reply
  8. Anonymous says

    August 25, 2012 at 11:35 PM

    When I have kids, I would like to make a time capsule with alot of their favorite stuff from preschool. Especially the first day of school and then present them with it when they graduate. I will put their school supply list in it, pictures, and of course write a letter to them. I will have quite some time to come up with more ideas to put in it, but that's what I have in mind for now.

    Reply
  9. Jaime JJ says

    August 25, 2012 at 1:30 AM

    great ideas! I need to do a time capsule with my boys. That would be a lot of fun:-) Pinning and fb sharing this week as my finds on kids co-op, Jaime@FSPDT

    Reply
  10. Crafting Play says

    August 24, 2012 at 6:35 PM

    I have a blog that I try and keep updated with stories and notes (I'm pretty sure no one else reads it besides Grandpa). I eventually would like to have that printed up as a book.

    Picasa is also great for adding notes to my photos and having them accessible on all my devices, anytime and anywhere. Great for sharing too.

    Reply
  11. Sammy Smith says

    August 24, 2012 at 1:45 PM

    These are fantastic suggestions. My mom is turning 50 this year, and I am definitely nabbing your memory jar idea. 50 memories for 50 years.

    I noticed many of your ideas involve the use of photographs, which makes sense. It's always nice to have a keepsake to remember the day by. My mom and I did Glamour Shots one year. It was fun to get our makeovers together, and she still has the photo hanging on the wall. I have read some Glamour Shots price reviews, and they seem like they are still affordable, if anyone is interested in that as an idea.

    Thanks for the inspiration. I can't wait for October, so I can see her face when she gets her jar. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Kristen @ Busy Kids = Happy Mom says

    August 23, 2012 at 8:08 PM

    This is awesome! I'm going to add it to my family traditions pinterest board!

    Reply
  13. Vicky says

    August 23, 2012 at 4:01 PM

    Such great tips. Like Danielle, a friend of mine does a funny book where she writes all the funny things the kids say. They love to hear this as they get older. Vicky from http://www.messforless.net

    Reply
  14. Jennifer Fischer says

    August 23, 2012 at 3:20 PM

    Once again, great job with the list. Thanks for including me!

    Reply
    • Krissy Sherman Bonning says

      August 23, 2012 at 5:08 PM

      Thanks for helping out, Jenn!

      Reply
  15. Lorie K says

    August 23, 2012 at 1:28 PM

    Great ideas! Love the idea of a birthday letter!

    Reply
    • Krissy Sherman Bonning says

      August 23, 2012 at 5:07 PM

      I know – I wish I had been doing that!

      Reply

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