Vacation Ideas for Kids: Make a Vacation Memory Box

For most people, their children are the most important aspect of their lives. The memories that we make with our children are cherished for a lifetime. Of these memories, some of the most unforgettable are the many trips and family vacations with your kids. There are different ways that families capture the memories that they make with their kids on vacation. Some people keep albums full of pictures, write memory journals, or collect items such as coffee cups or personalized trinkets. While there are many ways to preserve these memories, a vacation memory box can be a creative and fun idea. Growing up, my brothers and I each had our own box full of various souvenirs that we had collected from our many trips to museums, historical sites, state parks, and other fun locales. A vacation box is a fantastic way to safeguard family vacation memories while keeping the kids involved.

The Perfect Box

First, you need to choose a box. You have a bunch of options when selecting a box. Try to pick one that is large enough to hold lots of small items but small enough to fit neatly on a shelf or bookcase. A medium size shoebox is the perfect size. You could also purchase an oversized recipe card box at your local department store. I've found that the ideal box is one of the plastic shoeboxes with the snap-on lid. The lid stays secure to keep the contents from spilling out, and the container is practically water proof.

Let your kids get Creative

Once you have selected just the right box, it's time to get creative. Let your kids personalize and decorate their box however they want. Cover a table with some newspaper for an easy-to-clean-up work area and dig out some of your old art supplies. You can use anything from paint to stickers. Encourage your kids to be imaginative.

What to Put in Them

Now that your kids' vacation memory boxes are finished, it is time to fill them. During your vacation, encourage them to be on the lookout for a souvenir to take home to put in their box. Tell your kids to keep the size of the box in mind. You don't want their boxes to be completely full after just one vacation. There are many places to look for memory items. The gift shop is a good place to start. The great thing is that the small gift shop items like post cards and lapel pins are usually fairly inexpensive. Remember, there are also many items that don't cost a dime. A sea shell from the beach, plane ticket stubs, admission tickets, or brochures should give you an idea of excellent free items.

When the Kids have Grown Up

Let's face it; your kids won't be kids forever. Before you know it, they will be graduating from high school, heading off to college, and starting families of their own. So, what do you do with all of the items that your kids collected over the years from your family trips and vacations? You certainly don't want your kids memory boxes tucked away in a closet or attic collecting dust. One idea is to use the items from the box to create a vacation memory scrapbook or shadowbox to display. This can be a creative way share the memories with your family and friends.

The way that we remember our memories can sometimes be just as important as the memories themselves. It is important that we have something that will help to recapture the moments down to the last detail. A vacation memory box can help you relive the cherished moments, and give you the opportunity to pass your memories down to your children and grandchildren.