Summer memories: DIY kids’ summer passport {includes free printable stamps}

Summer is definitely known as a time to make memories. And what better way to document those memories than stamps in a passport?

As parents, we’ll be snapping photos all along the way, but letting our kids document their own summer memories will let them continue to enjoy the fun even after it’s done.

Today I have a simple craft and some cute printables for making an easy summer passport for your kids. Next week, I’ll show you how I also made a cardboard memory suitcase for collecting tangible little souvenirs to go along with the passport.

Materials

Colors can vary of course. I made mine to mimic a real passport.

Paper, all cut to 5″ x 7″:

• Navy blue cardstock
• Travel-themed liner paper
• about 15 sheets of plain butcher paper or white paper

Glue

Scissors, corner rounder (optional)

Stapler

Stickers (for decorating cover)

Full-sheet label paper (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut all paper to size. Fold all papers in half, “hamburger-style.” If you want, round the corners with a corner rounder or scissors.

2. Glue liner paper to one side of blue paper.

3. Insert pages and staple along fold. Staple so flat part of staple is on the outside of your passport.

4. Number pages and label inside of passport. I wrote This Passport Belongs To, Date of Issue and Signature (“Not Valid Until Signed”) inside the front cover.

5. Decorate front. If your pages curve a bit like mine did, just sit the passport under a couple of heavy books for a couple of hours.

Add passport stamps!

While I have seen ideas like this around the blogosphere, my inspiration came from my dear real-life friend, Annie. She used these last year with her boys and they were a big hit.

Annie was gracious enough to share the passport stamps she designed with us here at Simple Homemade, and we are happy to offer them as a free download! Simply click below to open and save the PDFs. Each row includes four of the same stamp.

passport stamps: sheet 1 - includes by air, hiking, VBS, swimming, zoo day, super star helper

passport stamps: sheet 2 - includes camping, beach day, road trip, bike ride, blueberry picking, fishing

passport stamps: sheet 3 (blank)

Gigi had a great time putting her first stamps in. I pre-cut the stamps into rows so it would be quick and easy for Gigi to cut off a stamp and glue it in. She loved writing in her own stamps on the blank ones for “county fair” and “spend the night” (at her grandparents’ house).

If you print your stamps out on label paper you can skip the glue and we all know how much kids love stickers. I didn’t have any on-hand, so I just used regular computer paper. Gigi liked getting to use the glue, so it worked out well.

We’re going to try to work on the passport every week, adding in new stamps as we go through our summer. Since Gigi is not old enough to keep a journal, this is a great way for her to work on recording her own memories.

What types of activities would go on your blank passport stamps? Do your kids like to document their summer memories in their own way?