Your child is growing so quickly. You are amazed at her every move, her adorable smiles and her ever-growing personality. Why not capture these moments so she can enjoy her childhood long into adulthood? Creating a family time capsule is a wonderful way to protect those cherished memories and strengthen your family’s bond.

If you plan on burying your time capsule outdoors, you will need a waterproof container: a plastic tub with a lid or a large jar works well. You may also use an old lunch box, or a cardboard box sealed in a knotted plastic bag.

Now you can add individual lists of “Things I Am Good At,” as well as school papers, drawings and one special toy apiece. Your child can write a letter to himself, outline feet and hands or describe dreams, ideas and favorite pastimes. Height and weight measurements can also be included for comparison when you dig up the capsule.

Seal your treasures in a plastic bag, and place in the container. Bury the capsule in a secret place, or hide it in the house, garage or attic. You and your family can decide when your capsule should be retrieved. Given a child’s rate of development, even a few months may be long enough.

Teach the kids how to make a picture frame for Dad, decorating it with their favorite things, and include a photo of them with Dad!

This project is rated VERY EASY to do.

What You Need

* Eight clean Popsicle sticks
* Paint or magic markers
* Tacky craft glue
* Photograph of yourself that it is okay for you to cut (kids, get permission!)
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Cardboard (you can use an old cereal box)
* Yarn (if you want to hang your frame)
* Magnet (if you want to be able to put your frame on the refrigerator or a filing cabinet)
* Any of the following items to decorate the frame:
sequins, buttons, construction paper, yarn, stickers, nuts and bolts, fishing lures, buttons, ribbons, tiny fake flowers, golf tees, puzzle pieces, lace, stamps, wrapping paper, fabric, or pictures of their favorite hobby cut from magazines, etc.

How To Make It

1. Arrange the Popsicle sticks as follows: put two side-by-side vertically (up and down). Put two more (arranged the same way) next to them.

2. Take the photograph and slide the edges under the four sticks so that neither of the sides (right or left) show.

3. Place two more Popsicle sticks, side-by-side, so that the top edge is covered. Do the same with the bottom edge using the last two sticks. (The top and bottom parts will cross over the side parts of the frame.) Use the pencil to lightly mark where the frame will attach. You may need to trim the picture if it is too big.

4. Use the glue to put the frame together. Let it dry overnight.

5. While you are waiting for the frame to dry, put the picture on a piece of cardboard and trace around it. Trim the cardboard to be just a little larger than the picture (about 1/4″ all the way around).

6. Glue the picture to the center of the cardboard.

7. Decorate the frame using paints or markers. Let that dry (if you used paint) and then further decorate it with the items you’ve collected. You can see some frame decorating ideas with our fridge frame project.

8. Once the frame is dry (paint or glue), glue the picture to the frame.

9. If you want to hang the frame, glue a 4″ piece of yarn to the back of the frame. (Glue one end to each top corner.) If you would rather it be a magnetic frame, glue a magnet to the back. You can also make a stand using a stiff piece of cardboard. (Cut a 4″ by 2″ rectangle. Bend the cardboard at one end about 1/2″ from the top. Glue the bent part to the back so that the frame can stand up (you may need to trim it a little if it’s too long.)

10. Wrap it up, and give Dad a special surprise!

Nothing will make Dad smile more than a homemade gift that the kids have made themselves. Its a great way to keep the little ones busy for an afternoon too!

This card makes up easily, though you may want to experiment with scrap paper first.

This project is rated EASY to do.

What You Need

* Rectangle piece of construction paper, cut to the size you want your card to be.
* Markers, glue, crayons, paper, and anything you want to decorate your card with
* Scissors
* Double stick tape or glue

How To Make It

1. Fold construction paper in half.
2. Cut a half heart shape out of the top left-hand corner. Don’t cut on the fold more than once!
3. Push the heart in on its fold so it is on the inside of the card.
4. Use markers, glue, crayons, etc. to decorate your card.

Tip!

You can glue your card inside of another card so that you won’t have a corner missing.