Create Your Own Homeschool Memory Book This Year
The Simple and Affordable Printable K-3 Yearbook and Memory Book
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Buy my productHow to Make a Homeschool Memory Book / Yearbook
Creating a memory book for your kids is a great way to remember all of the fun times you and your family have had during your homeschooling years. Preserving memories throughout childhood and being able to reminisce over them as your children get older is priceless.
Why Should I Make a Memory Book for my Homeschooler?
My Reason…
I spent 7 years in the public school classroom. Five of those years were spent in the wonderful grade of Kindergarten. One thing that we did for our kinder students that the parents looked forward to each year was a thoughtful and thorough memory book. We would present these thick books to the parents on the last day of school. Tears and laughter would flow as their children showed off different memories of the year. Trips to the farm, the first day of school, learning how to write their names, and so much more filled their books.
When I left the classroom and began to homeschool my own kiddos, I tried to keep a memory book on the whim. I didn’t prepare for it, I just started putting random things into a folder. I would forget, however, as the busyness of homeschool life and young children occupied me. When the end of the year came, I opened my “memory folder” to a couple of random pieces of paper. It definitely didn’t look like the memory books I had put together for my kindergarten students so many years ago…
I admit, I was sad that years went by and I never had a complete memory book (or even a partial one for that matter) for my own kids. How sad!
SOOOO…. I learned how to make a template that I could simply follow. I chose one day of the week to work on a page or two. And I learned to start printing up photos as I went.
NOW, tada! I have memory books for my kids. AND I must say that the joy we get from looking over them is priceless.
DIY Homeschool Memory Book PDF Printable
I created this Printable Homeschool Memory Book for my children so that we could start creating a beautiful way of remember all the fun that we had each year. Memory Book Time became a regular part of our homeschooling and my children looked forward to creating the pages that filled it.
I know that you are busy. Whether you homeschool, work, or are simply busy with the duties of a household and children. Starting a memory book can be overwhelming. Where do you start?
Or you can buy it at one of the sites below.
When Should We Start Making Our Homeschool Memory Books?
I think that starting a Homeschool Memory Book at the beginning of the year is ideal. However, just because you don’t start it on time, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t start one at all. I suggest that you JUST START!! You may regret not starting a memory book at all. At least if you start the memory book mid year, you will have a starting point.
Starting the Memory book at the end of the year may prove to be overwhelming and it may cause you to give up. At least that is how I would be. 🙂
Tips and Tricks to Create Your Own Homeschool Memory Book
The #1 tip to creating your own homeschool memory book/ yearbook is consistency. I chose one day a week (it is what worked for our family).
Integrating the writing portion of the memory book into your actual writing plans for the week is another way that you can make the memory book a consistent part of your homeschooling. You can use the memory book to practice penmanship, spelling, and so much more. Let your kids take ownership of their memory books. You will end up with a fabulous (and probably hilarious) end product.
Allow your children to be creative. Put on some music or an audio book while they draw their pictures each week. I read aloud to my children when they are working on their memory books.
I give them art supplies, pictures, and stickers.
I am available to help them with the writing. My 3rd grader is capable of writing her own answers to the questions or filling in her memories. My first grade son requires a bit of help. I often write for him, or I allow him to do copywork- I write his answers and then he copies it into his book.
Side note: My daughter always draws her self-portrait with her stuffed animal Toothless. It has become her trademark. I know we will look back on those cute additions with such sweetness!
How do I keep up with a Yearbook? I am so busy!
Don’t overthink your child’s yearbook.
Let your child take control of it (as much as they can).
Purchasing a high quality printer that you can hook up to your phone is a simple way to add pictures to your yearbook easily. While it is an investment up front, it will make printing pictures easy for you.
Finally, choose one day of the week (or every other week) to work on your memory books. The consistency will ensure that you will have a completed yearbook by the end of the year.
Making a Memory Book —Supply List
You have a ton of freedom in how your memory book turns out.
My kids use the following items to create their memory books:
Prismacolored pencils (we don’t use markers because they sometimes bleed through the paper)
A mobile printer that hooks up to my phone so that we can easily print pictures
high quality paper to print the memory book pages on
Laminator and sheets
binder and spiral bindings
optional- 3-ring binder
(see below)
Who is this Printable Memory Book For?
I created this printable memory book for grades K-3. I am currently working on an updated version for the upper Elementary grades and Middle school. Since my own children aren’t that age yet, I do need suggestions for what is appropriate at that stage of life. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments below or drop me an email using the contact me section of my website.
How to capture good memories with these photography tips
I will admit, I am not the best at taking high quality pictures. However, as I started taking more pictures, I wanted to get better at my photography. I found this amazing photographer who has lots of tips on her website. I have learned a lot from her, so I wanted to share with all of you! Her name is Courtney Slazinik and she is the owner of Clickitupanotch.com. Her site is a great resource for those of you who want to create lasting memories with amazing pictures.
What Pages are Included in the K-3 Memory Book Available for Purchase?
Don’t let this extensive list overwhelm you. Choose only the pages that suit your homeschooling. Place the pages in an order that works for your family.
ADD any additional pages such as artwork, stories, or poems that you may want to remember from your child’s year.
You can even print up more copies of pages that you would like, such as the field trip pages, monthly memory pages, birthday pages, etc.
Organizing your Memory Books
I bind my children’s memory books together at the beginning of the year. However, I have a friend that uses a 3-ring binder so that she can continually add to her child’s memory book.
I keep my children’s memory books in their school rolling cart Language Arts drawer. They know that on Thursdays we will spend 10-15 minutes working on them.
What if I Don’t Want a Detailed Memory Book?
I have a great solution for you. I have also created a FREE PDF pre-K through 12th grade homeschool memory book. It is one page per year. You can complete the page at the beginning of the year or at the end. It is really up to you. Simply subscribe to my website and you will receive it in your inbox! Bonus: It now comes with 2 banners, one for the first day of school and one for the last day of school. I hope you enjoy them!
Check out this article on the memory book for k-12. One Page per year.
Do you keep a memory book for your children? What are some ways that you keep up with it?
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This looks amazing! Great job. Keep up the good work.