8 ways to preserve your child’s memories and keepsakes

Childhood speeds by in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, your one-year-old is a ten-year-old and all you remember from those early days are the moments you captured on film — or audio, or video.

Today, parents have plenty of options when it comes to how they choose to document their child’s development ranging from social media to memory boxes, but it wasn’t always that way. There was a period when cameras were the primary tool for documenting milestones. They made things easy: snap a photo, get it developed or print it out, and stick it in an album. Now parents can use an array of mediums, including taking photos, shooting video, recording audio notes, or going old-school and crafting a handmade artifact.

The seemingly endless options are underscored by a boom in digital capabilities. In today’s world, where everyone is a content creator and cloud storage is unlimited, keeping a record of your child’s every move is almost too easy.

“There’s a lot less pressure on people to self-curate the kind of content that they’re saving for themselves,” says Veronica Belmont, a senior product manager for Adobe Spark. “Instead, it’s more an act of getting as much content as possible at all times.” As a new mother, Belmont says the challenge is no longer deciding which moments are worthy of documentation; rather, it’s a matter of figuring out how to best organize the content you already have. “Helping people parse and make sense of all this content is something that companies have to have to think about,” she says.

For some people, the solution is technological — think artificial intelligence-powered software that uses facial recognition to identify and organize photos. For others, a more analog solution makes sense. For many parents, striking a balance between digital and physical keepsakes is a way to ensure they can document their childrens’ lives in whatever medium feels most natural at that exact moment. “We’re at an interesting inflection point where we’re still working in both of those worlds,” Belmont says. “We’re not 100 percent digital, and we’re not 100 percent analog, so making it as simple as possible to move between those spaces is important.”

Toggling between formats can feel overwhelming — how do you know what medium to choose for any given moment? Fortunately, we have a guide that can help you navigate your options and ensure you’re using the right tools for documenting the moments that matter most.

Photography

Whether you use a smartphone, film camera, or a DSLR, a camera is the backbone of your toolbelt. Each style of camera comes with its own perks and tradeoffs: portability vs image quality; versatility vs editability. But regardless of the type of camera you choose, it’s one of the best tools for easily capturing candid moments like your baby’s first smile or your toddler’s first time at the beach.

For professional photographers, the right camera setup helps them craft memorable images that families will cherish for generations. Many families think of family photos as a special occasion. They expect their photographer to understand the creative landscape and have ideas about what makes for a unique family photo. Even if you decide to take family photos yourself, a little planning and some simple editing software can ensure your photo shoot looks as professional as possible.

Videos and video compilations

Today, we carry around pocket-sized camcorders that can record footage of our families with the tap of a button. With so much video footage at our fingertips, it’s important to find a reliable place for storing and sharing videos. A YouTube account can serve as a digital keepsake box where family and friends can watch videos on repeat. Upload raw, unedited footage to create a behind-the-scenes feel, or use intuitive video editing software to create a compilation of moments that has a professional look. Both approaches are equally at home on a locked YouTube channel where family and friends can upload and watch videos without privacy worries.

Audio recordings

Hearing someone’s voice has a special kind of intimacy. Luckily, it’s never been easier to record audio thanks to the prevalence of smartphones and affordable tools like portable microphones and cloud-based audio editing software. Audio has the power to become an aural scrapbook, bringing together family members’ voices or capturing impromptu moments that are easy to share. With audio storytelling hitting new heights, there’s no shortage of ideas for how to create impactful keepsakes using voice alone:

• Record a weekly audio note that your child can return to like a journal.
• Ask your children to tell you a story and record it for posterity.
• Weave together a narrative story that incorporates multiple voices.

Baby books

Baby books are a place to document the minutiae of your child’s life. From the first babble to first steps, no detail is too small to include. There are plenty of pre-made baby books you can purchase online, but if you have a creative itch to scratch, try your hand at designing your own baby book with the help of templates that can be customized to fit your style and the information you want to include. Most books leave space for parents to add printed artifacts like photos, objects, and documents, so make sure you have a simple way to turn your digital snapshots into physical photos. A little editing goes a long way to ensure your photos look as good as possible on a printed canvas.

School yearbooks

Documenting your child’s accomplishments throughout the school year is a fun way to see how much they’ve grown. While schools often handle the design and printing of the books, there’s an easy way to make your own with templates that offer ideas and guidance on what to include and how to arrange all of the big moments that happen throughout the year.

Photo books

Think of the photobook as a modern update to the photo album. Instead of printing out each individual photo, a photo book combines images into a single bound book that can tell the unique story of your family. While there are plenty of off-the-rack digital options for designing and printing a book, there’s something special about customizing design templates with colors, stickers, and your favorite fonts to ensure it’s a reflection of your family’s interests and personalities.

Journaling

For those who are better with words, a journal is a great place to document memories. Grab a pen and a hardcover book or create your own journal template that’s designed exactly for your needs. In both instances, jotting down notes is a thoughtful way to slow down and reflect on the moments that you want to recall down the line.

Artwork portfolios

Capture the work of your budding artist with a portfolio that’s designed to last. You can scan the artwork and upload it into a digital keepsake box that you can share with family and friends. Or purchase an acid free box to keep the physical artwork in a safe place.

Regardless of whether you prefer digital or physical keepsakes, with a little planning and the right tools, preserving childhood memories can feel less like a task and more like a creative outlet. For more ideas on how to capture and create lasting memories, be sure to check out the Adobe Spark page.