Spring - The Perfect Family Photo Storytelling Time!

It’s a busy time of year – lots of graduations and anniversaries, birthdays and wedding planning. Here’s a quick idea for a fun and meaningful family activity when all the relatives are in town:

Gather your multi-generational group and bring out the old pictures – photos, albums, slides. Remember “old” has different connotations for different ages. Your childhood pix are “old” to your kids but not to your parents so bring ‘em all out! Don’t have the family photo archive at your house? Ask family members to bring family photos with them (and recommend they transport them in a zip-top bag).

“Who are these people?” Older family members can fill in not only names, but places and stories around the people and the times. “Did you really dress like that?” You can confidently tell your kids, yes, you did and in fact you were really cool too! Big, bulbous cars, lots of red lipstick and not a cell phone in sight…

And here’s the thing – be sure to record the gathering (audio or video) so you capture the inevitable storytelling. (Don’t have a recorder? You can get a very good and simple-to-use audio recorder under $100 at office supply or electronics stores.) Now you’ll have not only the pictures, but the stories that go with them, told by the voices of the people you love. Easy, meaningful and fun – the trifecta of family activity!

Once the fun is done, follow up by sharing the pictures and stories. Here’s one idea - scan the pictures that were talked about and put them together with the audio recording to make a video that you can share with everyone. It’s a marvelous way to remember the gathering and share the family stories and pictures. (Of course, we’d be pleased to help you with the process if the technology isn’t your thing!)

There you go – here’s to families, family storytelling and sharing those family stories and pictures – Cheers!

Hey, would love to know about your family photo storytelling gathering. Share your story with a comment on our blog or on our FB page.