End of the Year Photo Collage

With the end of the year comes that sudden rush of things to do like print pictures, make scrapbooks, and put every single memory into a neat little package so we won't forget any of it.  Sound familiar? 

I've taught Kinder for a long time.  I have spent my May evenings at the dining room table making ADORABLE (yes, they were adorable) scrap books for every single one of my children.  They loved them, their families loved them, I loved them. 

Loved. 
There comes a time when we have to make a choice and this year I made a choice, and that was not to do scrapbooks. 

I had 46 Kinders this year.  The task was just too large.  However, I did not lose my love for memories.  I just had to change it up a bit! 

This came by design (and a little by accident too!).  I created this chalk painted "K" for the first day of kinder and took pictures the first day of school.  

During the last week of school I took pictures again with the "K".  The differences in my students made my heart leap! 

(the glasses were added to keep us anonymous!) 

Parents loved them too so next year I plan on making them, printing them, and maybe putting them in a little frame.  I think it will be a nice keepsake from Kindergarten or any grade level for that matter! 

Here is how I made them: 

• Get your grade level letter or number (or just print out a sign!)  Paint with chalkboard paint.

• Take pictures the first day and the last week.  

•   I used the app A Beautiful Mess to create the picture collage. 

 

It's super simple to use and the app is only 99 cents.  All I had to do was tap the picture from my gallery and add it to the frame.  I sent each collage to myself so I would have them on my computer at school.  

So that's that!  Even with printing and frames I think I will spend less on these keepsakes that I used to on scrapbooks.  It only took me part of an evening to make 46 collages too.  

Time Saver = Sanity Saver

Still want to record the memories?  I put together a mini memory book to use during Writer's Workshop the last week of school. (I had already sent their journals home!) You can get a free copy of it HERE or by clicking on the picture. 

 Thanks for visiting!  I hope your end of the year is filled with sweet reflection of happy memories!