We’ve talked about scrapbooking in past posts, but let's drill down a bit this month and think about generational scrapbooking. Have you thought about helping your grandchildren create a scrapbook that takes a journey through the family history? It could be a great activity for grandparents and grandchildren to share with them. Not only this but with digital photo scanning and editing, you can tell your family's story.
1. Start by gathering photos and old documents:
Family recipes would also be a great addition here. Information about homes or land owned and movement between countries or states would add much detail.
Did you have family who immigrated through Ellis Island into the United States? Do you have any documentation or photos from that process? Where did they settle, and what lifestyle became your foundation in this country? Trace your heritage through the travels of your ancestors.
Old photos may be scanned or photographed to create a digital file that allows you to print multiple copies to create a scrapbook for each grandchild. It also allows you to add names and dates to photos. Alternatively, you could type paragraphs and details out, print copies, and then trim them to work into the design of the scrapbook.
2. Create generational dividers in the scrapbook by creating tab pages with historical details from the era represented by each generation:
World events, wars, and other military service are landmarks in most families. In addition, look to scientific discoveries and changing technology. For many generations, advances were relatively slow, and society didn’t change dramatically. Now, ten years can bring dramatic changes to our lifestyle. Think of the change from landline telephones to mobile devices that are almost fully functional computers.
Wow!
3. Think about tracing some of your generations through their interests:
For example, old family photographs with cars can be fascinating. The styles and their choices speak volumes about who the people were.
It’s also fun to capture the youth of people we only knew as old folks. I love seeing some pictures of my grandmothers as smiling young women. Sometimes you see their interests reflected in pets, gardens, vacations, and other seemingly ordinary activities. Those activities are a window into the hearts of the family members before us.
What has been preserved, and what has been lost?
Maybe the generational scrapbooking project can become an activity goal for a year, depending on how much material your family has to draw from. A monthly or weekly gathering could be planned to work on sections and have quality time to talk about the people in the pictures and the family memories being passed on to the youngest generation.
4. At the end of the scrapbook, create a section for them to fill in their life’s journey:
Give them landmarks to watch for and commemorate.
The firsts: graduations, marriages, births, deaths, and lifetime events are important. We learn as we pass through the stages of life. We also learn from taking time to do bird’s eye viewing of our own and our ancestors' lives and experiences.
What ideas do you have for creating a generational scrapbook?