End of Summer Projects for Kids of All Ages

Leaving summer behind and heading back to school is rarely a fun prospect for any kid. Making an end of summer scrapbook or memory collage can be a fun way to soften the blow and make a one of a kind keepsake at the same time. Either of these projects can be done by a parent, a child or both.

Scrapbook

Materials
Scrapbook (or two 13" x 13" sheets heavy cardboard and fabric to cover them)
12" x 12" scrapbook or thick craft paper
Souvenirs (ticket stubs, fliers, photos, wrapping paper, etc)
Glue
Tape
Brads, large and small
Decorative embellishments (stickers, ribbons, etc)
Gel pens and/or Alphabet stickers and/or sticky photo labels
Hole punch

If you are assembling your own book, cover the squares of cardboard completely with fabric, using glue to secure the cloth to the cardboard. Punch holes on the left hand side of both squares and your papers. Use large brads to hold everything together.

It is best to have a good plan in mind when beginning a scrapbook. Your theme is this past summer's activities, so it might be best to work in chronological order. Sort the souvenirs into piles and stacks by the dates they were obtained and work from the end of the last school year forward to the present. Use as many pages as you like. Kids can scan the pages when they are finished and make flat copies for their friends.

Collage

Materials
Artists' canvas (flat or box, 11" x 14" or larger)
Photos
Paper souvenirs (see above)
Decoupage or white school glue
Gel pens (optional)

It is important not to use your only copy of any pictures for this project. If you don't have copies, either use your scanner and printer and make some, or take them to the local photo printing place and get copies made there. You will be cutting these photos and putting them together in interesting ways, so you want to have another full copy to keep elsewhere.

Cut out important elements from the photographs, such as people, landmarks, pets, or even rainbows. Arrange these on the canvas in whatever way you wish. Be certain where you want a piece to go before you start gluing. Fill in any negative space with the paper souvenirs and gel pen doodles and/or movie quotes, inspirational messages, and inside jokes. Finished pieces can be copied and glued onto their own canvas sheets to give as gifts to friends.

Tips: If someone was unable to attend an event, cut out a single picture of them and put it in with a group photo from that event to let them know you wish they'd been there, too.