Scrapbooking with Kids and Teens

By Audrey Okaneko: As adults, when we think of scrapbooks, we immediately think of photographs. When we look online, we find albums filled with photographs. Of course many of the layouts we see are filled with embellishment but the central focus is the photographs.

Kids and teens also enjoy scrapbooking. Scrapbooks do not have to be photographs. Here are several ideas for both kids and teens:

• Lyrics to songs

• Photos from magazines

• Postcards

• Greeting cards

• Collector cards

• Classmate photos from school

• School reports

• Photos off the web of a favorite television star or musician

• CD covers

Kids and teens enjoy collecting all types of things that can be put into scrapbooks. Older kids of course can use all of your scrapbooking supplies. You might be amazed at the creativity teens show through scrapbooking.

Young children often do better with very small scrapbooks, and your scrap paper. They can glue it, cut it and add it to their treasures.

For the older kids, you may want to consider copying whatever they wish to scrapbook onto acid free and lignin free paper so that it does not turn yellow and crack.

Kids and teens both love stickers. We have always watched for sales on stickers. Over the years we have bought more than our fair share of stickers. For very young children, I don’t think it’s necessary to worry about the stickers being acid free. I have from time to time found stickers that come 1000 to a box. I’ve bought those and had the younger kids use them in their scrapbooks.

One of my daughters actually created a wonderful album of all of her stickers. It came out beautiful. The pages were nothing but stickers.

Another idea for kids making scrapbooks is to use homemade albums versus the store bought albums. Start with a piece of colored cardstock for the cover. Punch three holes in the side of the cardstock and then add pages. You can either use white cardstock as your base, or full sheets of scrapbook paper. Punch holes in each page. Use ribbon through the holes to tie it all together. Not only do the kids love these scrapbooks but they can make wonderful handmade gifts to give to others.

It really is possible to scrapbook at almost any age, and with almost anything as your focal point. Next time the kids say “I’m bored” suggest they create a scrapbook.

Audrey Okaneko has been scrapbooking for several years. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

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