It seems only fitting with my two teen children off at summer camp for a week long sleepover adventure, that I would take on this topic. There will probably be more to say when they return home as well as layouts to share, and then the younger kids go next month so I am sure they will do things differently. Summer camp is often a great memory of your childhood so it should definitely be scrapbooked. Here are some ideas for doing so.
Send a camera with them. It doesn’t have to be a fancy expensive camera, a disposable is fine. But allowing your child to get camp pictures from their perspective is a great idea. Be sure and check your camps rules as many don’t allow you to bring actual cameras and insist on only disposables.
Send paper for them to journal on (or an actual journal). Ask your child to record their daily thoughts about camp, what they did, what they saw, what they ate. How else are you going to know, because with all the fun that camp can pack in, they are sure to forget a few things.
Send questions for them to answer. I had them fill out a questionnaire before they left. “What are you looking forward to most?” “Since this is the first time you are going, what do you think you will get to do?” “What do you think your cabin will be like?” “Are you excited to go”. And then I sent each of my two kids with questions to answer both the first day and the night before the last day. You could also send some for each day if you wanted. I asked questions like “What was it like when you got there?” “What happened when you got off the bus?” “What is your cabin like?” “Do you hope you come back again next year?” “What was your favorite camp memory?” “What was your favorite thing to do”. These questions will help me better journal the experience for them, since it is through their eyes.
Save everything camp related. I saved the camp brochure, camp supply and packing list, the pictures that showed what their camp shirt looked like this year, a letter I already received from one of them, and the receipt indicating that we paid for camp. I plan to save all letters I get, the questionnaires I sent, any photos they come home with, papers, and I’ll snap pictures of any creations they made, etc.
Summer camp is a wonderful experience for your children, so why not do your best to create a lasting memory of such an exciting time for them.
Nicole Humphrey writes articles for the Scrapbooking Blog and for the Frugal Blog. She also guest blogs on a variety of topics. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
Journaling Children’s Thoughts and Words
Tips for Scrapbooking With Your Children