1. Store memories in a photo album
When we take a photograph, it is with the intention to capture that moment and preserve it forever – so the last thing you want is to leave those memories stuck on a memory card or on a roll of film. Print out your photos at the end of the summer and stick them in an album that you can take out and enjoy with your kids again and again.
2. Put a scrap book together
This can contain anything and everything – newspaper cuttings, photos, ticket stubs – the list goes on. Every scrap book is unique and evokes personal, happy memories each time you flick through.
3. Make a mixtape of songs from your adventures
Music is one of the most evocative mediums. A song can jolt your memory and transport you to a particular place or time, so why not make music a key part of your family adventures this summer? By creating a mixtape of these songs for the car, you can help your little ones to look back on all of the happy memories you created together during the school break.
4. Work on a big project together
It could be a gigantic jigsaw or a fun craft – whatever it is, make sure to involve all the family. By spending time together, bonding over a shared pastime, this creates wonderful memories – and by hanging the finished product on the wall or giving it a special place on the mantelpiece, these memories can be preserved all year round.
5. Make a big deal of the little things
We bet that some of you can still remember being taken to the beach when you were younger, and perhaps being treated to an ice cream on the way home. While it may just be a day out for you, a trip like this is a big deal to a little one – so pull out all the stops and make sure it is the best day ever, from start to finish.
6. Write down your tales and adventures
Next to photos and videos, stories are a great way to capture and preserve memories. Invest in a travel journal or a diary for your little ones to jot down their adventures from the summer – this way, they will be able to relive them again and again at the flick of a page.
7. Keep a memory jar
Why not put your memories on full display? To make a memory jar, all you need to do is fill a glass jar with remnants from your trips – leaves, sand, shells, etc. – decorate it, and give it pride of place in your child's bedroom.
8. Get crafty with your photos
Does your little one have a favourite photo from their summer holidays? Why not get creative with ways to present it by making a homemade photo pendant, creating a special picture frame, or getting it made into a canvas?
9. Create a blog or Instagram account
In this digital age, more and more mums and dads are turning to social media and blogging to record and share their special family memories. Why not make a note of your family adventures by starting a blog, or creating a family Instagram account for your photos? If you are concerned about online safety, there are various privacy settings that you can activate.
10. Give something back
When you create a strong memory, it’s because the people, the place or any other detail from that adventure struck a chord. The best way to preserve a memory is to keep it alive, so why not choose a charity that affected you as a family, and make a plan to support it? It could be animal preservation, a local cultural organisation – anything!
