Baby Scrapbooking Ideas
Looking for baby scrapbooking ideas?
The birth of a new baby often sparks an interest in creating baby scrapbook layouts, to look back on when the child is older. And let's face it with a youngster around there are going to be plenty of opportunities for picture taking!
But don't just get the camera out on special events in your baby's life, capture those everyday moments as well.
Bath time, meal time, bedtime can all help to give a picture of what it is like to be a new parent, grandparent or even a sibling. Don't wait until your baby can smile at you, those funny faces he makes when he has wind can make wonderful pictures too. Even when he is "exercising his lungs" make sure you capture it.
In addition to photographs, you can save mementos such as...
- Ultrasound photo of before baby was born
- Baby's hospital name band
- Newspaper announcement of the birth
- "I've arrived!" birth announcement cards
- New baby cards
- New baby gift bags or tags
- A lock of babies hair
These keepsakes can be added to your layouts or as they may not be acid free, scanned or photographed and included that way.
"Firsts" always make great baby scrapbooking ideas. Maybe you will want to document some of the following, jotting down the dates, to add as journaling to your layouts later...
- The first time baby slept through the night
- When baby had that first bath
- The first car ride (home from hospital, maybe?)
- Their first stroller ride (and where they were going)
- The first tooth
- The first solid food (messy!)
- The first time baby sat up by themselves
- Their first words - when and what was said
- Those precious first steps and those cute little shoes
- Baby's first Christmas - what gifts were received?
- The first vacation
- Their first little friend
- The first birthday celebrations
You can create a page with just one beautiful photo and a title or special baby quotes for scrapbooking, or you can tell a baby story in words and pictures. Don't worry if you didn't capture the exact moment of a "first" on film, just use a suitable photo, taken at about the right time, and add journaling that puts the picture in context.
Try not to write down just the facts and figures, but be sure to include the thoughts and emotions that you experienced at the time too. Then, when you and your child come to look back on the baby scrapbook album once they are all grown up, your journaling will provide information that is not apparent from just looking at the pictures.
Baby is part of a family
Your first baby means that you are now a little family unit, but don't forget the extended family. Your parents will love to have photos taken of them cuddling the little one, as will your own grandparents if you are lucky enough to still have them.
When my first grandson was born my mother insisted on a photo being taken off all four generations! So we had baby Rocca, his mum (my daughter), myself and the baby's grandmother in the shot. A fantastic photo to use for a family tree page. Baby scrapbooking ideas like this can really add something to your album.
Aunts and Uncles will also want to get in on the act! Snap away, taking photos of baby with as many different family members as you can.
Pets and toys
Don't forget the family pet, either. But do be extra careful about leaving baby and pet alone together, you wouldn't want anything nasty to happen.
Favorite toys can be photographed with baby, or even by themselves to use as accent pictures. The size of the teddy, or other toy, will help you to remember just how small your little one was.
Handmade gifts can have an extra special meaning as the years go by. "Oh look, Josh, you are wearing the little jacket that your dad knitted for you in that picture" or "Your Nanna made you that toy for your second birthday" can evoke happy memories of a loved one, especially if they are no longer with you.
You could even get really imaginative with your baby scrapbooking ideas and have the toy or pet tell the story on the page!
