We just wrapped up third quarter parent-teacher conferences. It’s so hard to believe that my baby is only three months shy of finishing first grade. It makes me want to cry; namely because while she is three-quarters of the way through first grade, I am only one-quarter done constructing her first grade scrapbook.
I’m not big on cramming every single event into a single scrapbook. That goes double when i am scrapping school events. I like layouts to be in chronological order, preferably one theme per page. My daughter’s kindergarten scrapbook started out with a page dedicated to each month, but i found that some months featured more activities than others. Knowing this I am making adjustments to her first grade scrapbook.
Obviously, if you have older children and you just got into scrapping, then you might have a hard time collecting enough photos and memorabilia to design one book per grade. Fortunately, you can still create memorable albums even if your child is currently in high school.
Your first task is to get organized. Dig around for the first day of school candid photos, school portraits, class pictures, report cards, and certificates or awards your child may have earned. Next, ask other family members if they have pictures of your children participating in school concerts, plays or other special events. Finally, if your child’s school has a store, then consider purchasing bumper stickers, buttons or other items that feature the school’s name and mascot.
Once you have your photos and memorabilia collected, it’s time to start collecting journaling items. I would start with quizzing your child about his favorite subjects, favorite teachers, best friends, fondest school memories, etc. You don’t have to go into minor details; rather your goal should be to add some journaling to each page, so that the subject matter enhances the layout. For example, if your child’s favorite extra-curricular activity is band, then add quotes from his favorite musicians or list his favorite songs. You can also journal about his first band concert or how he felt marching in his first parade.
What other ideas do you have for school scrapbooks?
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