Home Survival pack: recording personal history

Lots of people use writing, photographs, and drawings to record important things that are going on in their lives.  Many years from now, people could look at those records and learn a little about what our life is like right now. 

Last week we invited older kids on our At Home Historians blog to begin keeping a pandemic journal.  If this is an age appropriate option for your little one, go for it!  Otherwise, I want to introduce a few ideas on how to capture and record the current historical moment for (and with) our children.  Life has certainly changed in some ways for most kids, and letting them share their views can be empowering for them.

For this activity, have children think about roughly 10 items that are most important to them right now while staying at home.  If they fit, they can gather them all in "at home survival pack".  Have your child show and tell you what they collected.  You could record or write some notes to accompany the photo.  Then have your child arrange the items on the floor and lay down among them for a photo.  (In the style of Gregg Segal's series Daily Bread).  If they are more aware of what is going on, and more sensitive to the changes, talking about things they like doing right now can be calming.

Some other ways to create a personal record with little ones:

• Take a few photos of some of the activities your child does during the day.  Record some captions to the photos in your child's words.
• Take a family portrait like many photographers are doing around the world 
• Interview your child about what is going on in the world and how they are spending their days at home.  Record as a voice memo or video.
• Allow your child to use a device to make their own news report of life during the Stay Home order.

Be sure to save your record somewhere safe for the future, and be sure to share with us too!  #athomewithBCHS