Summer Memory Jars

Instead of keeping a journal or starting a scrap book a child may be interested in making 
their own memory jar from the summer.  If all the memories will not fit into one jar they 
may want to make several for special days or outings that happened during the summer 
break.

What you will need is a large clear glass jar with a lid.  This can be used from an empty 
pickle jar or other food container that is empty and has been cleaned out.  If you are 
having trouble getting the entire label off, you can use nail polish remover to dissolve the 
glue and paper that is still stuck.

Have the child collect small mementos or other meaningful objects that will fit inside a 
jar.  They can be photographs, a special rock found, something they made, a friendship 
bracelet, the options are really only limited to their imagination.  A good example for a 
day trip memory jar is one from the beach.  Fill the bottom part of the jar with sand or 
pebbles that were collected from the beach, add in some shells and other interesting finds.  
Take a picture of your child at the beach and they can use it as a backdrop for the items.

As time goes on the children may want to open their jars, and rearrange them and as long 
as they are careful with the glass that is fine.  Put up a shelf in their room and they can 
have a collection of memory jars.  Put a label on the top of the jar with the date or date 
range and the location of where the items were collected.  These can be kept for years as 
a lasting reminder of the fun they had growing up and going to special places with mom 
and dad.