First Birthday Time Capsule Ideas

Planning to make a time capsule for your baby’s first birthday? Wondering what items should you include? Here are some first birthday time capsule ideas.

Birth announcement and ultrasound photos

Put a copy of a birth announcement in the time capsule. If you want it to be more durable, laminate it. Make sure to include photos from pregnancy ultrasounds.

Photos from baby shower

Include photos of friends and family members who were there, baby bump and delicious cake. Make a list of presents that you received. Don’t forget to write who were they from.

Story about baby’s name

Was your baby named after a historical figure, celebrity or a family member? Were you looking at baby books to find the most perfect name? Did you wait until you saw your baby’s face? Write how did you choose your baby’s name.

Story about mom and dad

How did you two meet? When did you fall in love with each other? Where and when did you marry? When did you decide to have a baby? Write all those things down.

Hospital items

Include both mom’s and baby’s identification bracelets and hospital going home outfit. Make sure to add photos of the hospital room, hospital building, delivery doctor and nurses.

Handprints and footprints

Use non-toxic clay or ink to preserve a little handprint/footprint to commemorate how small the baby once was.

Baby stats and birth certificate

Write birth time, eye color, hair color, baby’s weight (at the birth time and when you left the hospital) and any other important info. Include another memory from that day – a birth certificate.

Newspaper and magazines

Include a newspaper, so your kid can see the most important events from their birth date. You can also include a sport or a fashion magazine.

Weather forecast

Write the temperature and also write whether it was rainy, snowy, sunny, etc. Include a print of an official weather forecast.

First birthday party items

Baby outfit worn to the first birthday party, cake topper, small decorations. Also include photos of your baby, friends and family members, cake and decorations.

Letters from friends and family members

At baby’s first birthday party, have the guests fill out birthday time capsule cards. They can write messages for your baby, birthday wishes, hopes and dreams, predictions for their future… Include those cards in the time capsule.

Personal items

Lock of hair, first pair of baby shoes, mittens, socks, favorite toy, favorite book, pacifier, blanket, bib, burp cloth…

Map

Buy a map of the area you live in (you can also print it from Google Earth). It will be fun to look back on how much the area has changed.

Top 10 songs

Make a list of the top 10 songs from the day your child was born. You can also burn them on a CD or a thumb drive. Make sure to include your baby’s favorite nursery rhyme, song and a lullaby.

Top 10 bestselling books

Make a list of the top 10 bestselling books on the day of your child’s birth. Include a copy of the book that was number one.

Money and coins

Include banknotes and coins that were printed the year your child was born. You can also include trading cards.

Holiday mementos

Christmas ornaments, t-shirts (Baby’s first Christmas, 4th of July, Easter), holiday photos…

Lots and lots of photos

The car you brought the baby home in, mom and dad when they were babies, house, nursery room, milestones, first holiday, photos with friends and family members…

Index

Don’t forget to make a list of all the pieces included in the time capsule. Write an explanation of why those items were chosen. 

What are your thoughts on first birthday time capsule ideas?

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