In a year where they has been so much to worry about it's important we help our kids remember the best of 2020 and everything they have enjoyed about Lockdown. More than ever we should find unique ways to remind them of all the fun times and what they got up to in years to come.
We got our heads together and came up with our Top 5 Top Tips to help parents do just that!
1. Slam it down!
Gather members of the family together all with either a post it pad or scraps of paper and a pen. Place a bowl, jar or even pan (!) in the centre of you all. The idea is to come up with memories of the last 6 months and jot them down and you'll find that once you start, each of you will come up with ideas others had forgotten and that will stimulate more memories from everyone! Once you've written it down and shared it with everyone else you have to slam it in the centre! You can take it in turns or jump in when a memory pops into your head! It's so much fun, great to do it together and gives you a huge number of memories that you can collect up and keep forever.
2. This Was Us Then!
Sounds simple, but have you taken a photograph? A photograph of all those close to you, to look back on and see what you all looked like in 10, 20 or even 50 years time. A simple smiley family shot, as formal or informal as you like. We often shy away from group photos forgetting just how cool it is to look back and see how much you've changed since it was taken.
3. Planting the best of 2020 for your grandkids
It's now Autumn (sadly) which means we have plenty of conkers and acorns falling from the trees. If you are able to step outdoors still, take a family stroll, breathe in the air and go foraging for whatever you can find. If you're successful, why not invest in your future and create a keepsake from nature by planting something you find. Care for it and tend to it over the years and you will all be able to say we planted that in 2020 - a strange but memorable year.
4. Keepsake Box of Trinkets
What is a trinket? It's a thing we can't define, can't place and that doesn't have a home. It's an object we don't know where it came from or where it belongs. We don't want to throw it away but we don't know where to put and probably won't use it. How many of these things have you got lying round the house that you've collected during the summer? Receipts, from the first meal out after lockdown, rainbow paintings, miss you cards from friends, stones from locations you visited when you could, the first homeschooling work.... have a family scavenge around the house and collect up all items you can find that might remind you of this super strange but special summer. Pack them in a box together to stimulate memories in the future.
5. One page that says it all
Simply write down what you remember about Lockdown. Don't plan it, don't try too hard just let your thoughts flow. Try to stick to just one A4 page, no longer so you keep your thoughts sharp and succinct. Ask all members of the family to do the same. What was good, what was bad. What were you worried about, what was most strange, most enjoyable, what was the best day you can remember? You will love to open up your letters!
Enjoy compiling your keepsakes as we are sure you'll enjoy finding them in years to come!