Useful Tools and Techniques: Thanks For The Memories

At Tender Beginnings Child Care Centre in Nanaimo, British Columbia, each child gets a memory book full of photographs.

"It's a very simple idea," says Sharon Larkins. "We take photos of various activities the children take part in and collect them in a book. And the book is nothing fancy; it is like a scrap book."

As with many simple ideas, part of the challenge is to keep it simple. "This is a book for the children of things they want to be able to keep. It isn't a book for achievements or to do artwork in."

The book also has to be simple and functional so children can get it out when they want. It has to be utilitarian, too; the books can come in for some hard use.

At the end of their time with Tender Beginnings, the children take their book with them.

"As adults, we tend to be very aware of how fast children develop; we want to keep and cherish each moment. Why not let them do that, too?"