Time Capsule Worksheet: School Years Memory Keeper
Kids change so much from year to year, yet as parents, we don’t always notice all the changes. Use this printable time capsule worksheet to create a school years memory keeper from Preschool through 12th Grade.
One of the things parents learn very quickly is that time stands still for no one. This applies especially poignantly to your kids as they grow up.
As parents who see them all the time, we don’t always notice the hundreds of small changes that kids go through over the course of a year.
I’ve had the experience where my kids have changed and I didn’t realize some of them for months. MONTHS!
Ugh. Talk about a gut punch for mom.
Well, I have a way to turn back time and celebrate changes with a time capsule! This printable time capsule worksheet is such a cute way to keep those precious memories alive.
Download and print this adorable Time Capsule Printable. It has sheets for Kindergarten through High School AND makes a convenient way to keep (and store) the best memories from your child’s school years.
What is a Time Capsule?
Traditionally, a time capsule is a container that includes information and historical objects in there to represent a time period to historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists in the future.
A time capsule may include anything from trinkets and clothes to notes and photos.
The purpose of a time capsule is to put these items away somewhere (usually buried) so that people can open the container at a later date to educate people about what life was like then.
A Printable Time Capsule For Kids
As I began helping my kids get ready to begin a new school year (my youngest was in 2nd grade), I realized that there were all these memories and achievements that I wanted to preserve for him (and all my kids).
That’s when I thought about a back-to-school time capsule (otherwise known as a school year memory keeper)!
But one sheet for the beginning of the year wasn’t enough. It needed another sheet for the second half of the year so that my kids could record memories, accomplishments, and more for the entire school year.
I love that it’s simple and easy to store – all you need is a binder for each child!
But best of all: I’ve done all the hard work on this. All you need to do is print it out and let your kids fill it out.
How To Use This Printable Time Capsule Worksheet
It’s simple! All you need to do is:
- Download the worksheets
- At the beginning of the school year (first day, week, etc.), print out the worksheets
- Have your kid(s) fill out the sheets that correspond with the first part of the year
- Store the time capsule sheets in a binder
- At the end of the year, print out the time capsule worksheet for the second part of the year and have your kids fill it out
- Pull out the sheets from the beginning of the school year and compare the two!
How To Make Your Time Capsule For Kids A Full Activity
If you want to take the time capsule worksheet and turn it into a full-blown, hands-on activity, you can grab a container to bury and add a few items to it.
There are many ways to make do it, but here is one easy way:
- Choose a time capsule container based on how you plan to store it. If you plan to keep the time capsule box in the house, you may only need a shoebox. If you plan to bury it outside, you may want a sealable plastic container.
- Decorate the container if you want to (we didn’t other than writing the date on it).
- Collect the items you want to include (see ideas below).
- Put the items into the container and seal it based on how you plan to store the container. If you want to bury the time capsule, seal it tightly so no water can get in. If plan to store it inside, just tape the lid onto the box.
- Pick a date to open the time capsule. This might be 5 years from now, 10 years in the future, or even 20 years down the road. I recommend coinciding it with a special event like high school graduation, college graduation, wedding day, or the birth of the first child.
- Label the container as a Time Capsule and include the date.
- Bury or store the capsule somewhere safe.
What should I put in my time capsule?
There’s no right or wrong here. There are no set rules for what you should put in your time capsule. However, here are a few ideas to help you get started:
- Something your student wrote or made (artwork, sculpture, etc.)
- List of favorite songs, movies, books, etc.
- Piece of favorite clothing, jewelry, or hair product
- Movie or show tickets
- Sheet with the price of gas, bread, and a gallon of milk (as well as any other notable items) written on it.
- Pictures of your family, you with friends, your house, dog, cat, or other pets, etc.
Helpful Tips For Making Your Time Capsule
- If I may make a suggestion, make a color copy of the time capsule worksheet BEFORE you bury it inside the container so that you can personally have a copy to look as when you want to take a trip down memory lane.
- Planning to bury your time capsule? Make sure you mark the spot so that you can find it years down the road! If you choose to store your time capsule inside, place it where it will not be damaged by bugs or water.
Use These Time Capsule Worksheets To Make Your Own Time Capsule!
Now that you know all about time capsules and how to make one, why not make one of your own this year? This printable time capsule worksheet is the perfect way to start preserving precious memories.
I designed this colorful printable to start using it when your child enters pre-kindergarten and then open it when they graduate high school. BUT if your kids are older and you’re just finding this, starting to use it NOW is better than not using it at all.
The printable time capsule worksheet PDF set includes pages for each year of school. To use them, print out the time capsule worksheet PDF and fill them out each year on the first and last days of school.
Last Day of School Time Capsule Includes:
- Pre-K Time Capsule Worksheet
- Kindergarten Time Capsule Worksheet
- First Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Second Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Third Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Fourth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Fifth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Sixth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Seventh Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Eighth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Freshman Year Ninth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Sophomore Year Tenth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Junior Year Eleventh Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
- Senior Year Twelfth Grade Time Capsule Worksheet
This printable is designed so that you can get it once and use it again and again (and for multiple children!).
I hope you love making your time capsule!
