Keepsakes for Baby
What to put in a Baby Keepsake Box
As new parents you may already be feeling overwhelmed learning and trying to cope with all the things which need to be done looking after a newborn, the sheer thought of trying to be organised and gather items for a baby keepsake box may well just seem like a step to far. However, it doesn't have to be. For the moment all you need to have is an idea of the things you'd like to put in your babies keepsake box and a place to put them.
It's not necessary to have a pretty, decorative box as these can often be impractical. What you will need is something which is durable as this box may spend much of it's time in attics, garages, basements or the back of a closet. Having something that is water and weather proof is a good idea to prevent precious items being damaged. Also, make sure the box is big enough to store all the items you're going to want to keep over the coming years.
The list of keepsakes for a baby is endless but to help provide you with an idea we've listed the Top 10 items in your baby's first year to consider as a keepsake to get you started. It may seem like a lot of work initially and just another thing to add to your never ending 'to do' list but I guarantee you'll be so glad you saved these baby items.
We recently moved house and our children's keepsake boxes had been stored in the attic since they were toddlers. They are now 11 and 9 and when we were unpacking the boxes after our move they were so delighted looking through their baby books, examining their hospital ID tags and seeing how tiny their first pair of shoes and first outfit were. It kept them amused for hours and they talked about it for days afterwards and still mention things now.
I was so glad we had decided to keep all these baby items as seeing their faces light up looking at everything was priceless.
Top 10 Baby Keepsake Items
As I mentioned before the list is endless and the box is always a 'work in progress' as your child will experience many 'firsts' and you may like to keep momentos of these activities as and when they happen.
Our Top 10 list concentrates on keepsake items from your baby's first year.
BABY SCAN PICTURES
Baby scan pictures are extra special as it's the first time you 'see your baby'. Technology has already advanced significantly in this area since I was pregnant with the introduction of 3 and 4 D scans which now show in-depth imagery of your baby's features. Who knows in the future how much further technology will advance in this area so it's great to be able to have a picture showing how it was done when your baby was born.
HOSPITAL ID TAGS
These are so tiny and one of the first places which feature your babies name. Your children will be fascinated by these tags and measure them up against their wrist so they can see for themselves how small they once were. Try and also keep a photo of your baby wearing their tag. For other ideas on what photo's to take on your baby's first day refer to our article Baby's First Day 'Have To' Photo List.
BABY JOURNAL
A baby journal can hold a collection of precious memories, all in the one place. You don't have to create your own, there are many different designs and styles you can buy which already contain the important questions relating to your baby's birth and other big moments such as date of their first smile, first tooth, first sat up, first crawled, first haircut, first holiday etc
Just record and write the information in the book and include a photo if the book allocates space for this. Baby journals are easy to keep and prove to be a great read for your little one (and parents!) as they grow older.
FIRST BABY OUTFIT
You've spent ages deciding what you will dress your new baby in when they finally make an appearance. There are so many cute outfits to choose from it's a hard decision to make. It's got to be practical and suitable for the time of year but it's also got to be oh so cute as this is the outfit your baby will be wearing when they are introduced to family and close friends for the first time. Your baby's first outfit is a great item to keep as often children can't believe how small they once were and this will show them.
DAILY NEWSPAPER
Keeping a newspaper from the day your baby was born is perhaps more interesting to reflect on for the parents than the child but it's great for them to see something with their date of birth and read some of the news which was making headlines the day they were born.
COINS
A baby gift set containing an uncirculated coin collection featuring the year your baby was born is an excellent keepsake. If the year in which your baby was born happens to turn out to be a special one, you never know the coins may also have some value.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT OR THANK YOU CARD
Friends and family usually prove to be very generous when a new baby is born and shower new parents with numerous gifts. Parents generally choose to send either a birth announcement or thank you card to gift givers and well wishes thanking them. Keeping your baby's announcement or thank you card is a great way to reminisce on all the kindness received at the time of your baby's birth and show your child how cute they were.
FIRST LOCK OF HAIR/HAIRCUT
Some babies are born with an abundance of hair whilst others look like Kojak. Therefore, some babies may not need a haircut during their first year but keeping their first lock of hair from their first haircut is special. Some children's hair may change colour as they grow older and they might not believe they once had a different hair colour.
SECURITY BLANKET/TEDDY
You may not be able to put this into your baby's keepsake box for a little while as no doubt your child may want to hang onto it for a good few years. Children are very different regarding their comforters. My daughter used to love her 'blankie' and even though this item is long gone now she's aged 11 she still sleeps with 'Bunny', a teddy she received when she was just one year old. However, my son was never really attached to anything in particular.
FIRST MOTHERS/FATHERS DAY CARD
Once you become a parent for the first time, this day holds even greater significance as you often now view your own Mum and Dad in a new light as you have a better understanding of what being a parent actually entails. It's great to be able to celebrate your first mothers and fathers day as a family and keeping a card will help trigger memories of this special day.
