Learn how to make a family time capsule. Lock in those special memories that you’ll be able to treasure years to come.
Creating a time capsule is one of those activities every child wants to do. We see them in movies, T.V. shows and read about them in books but how many of us actually make one for real? It’s totally fun, inexpensive and not very difficult in the least.
Recently, our family created a sweet little time capsule made out of stainless steel. The actual interior is not much larger than a pop can, but the number of memories stored inside are of great abundance.
What sparked this idea was a Facebook post I noticed. It read,
“First grade teachers: Let your students make time capsules for 2-2-22. Open them on 3-3-33 their Senior year.”
I thought, how awesome! I’d love to be able to credit the original person who figured this out because it blew my mind! My 6-year-old is in 1st grade and in 2033 I’ll have a 17-, 15- and 11-year-old. How crazy is that?
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Choosing A Container For Your Time Capsule
Before burying your precious memories first you’ll need a decent quality container. If you plan on burying outside the old-fashioned way, then be sure and select a material that can withstand the test of time. Stainless steel is likely the best option for long term storage, but I’ve also heard of others creating their own out of PVC pipes or repurposing aluminum cans. Whatever you choose keeping the time capsule waterlogged is important to keep moisture away from inside.
My husband ordered this one off of Amazon and it appears to be great quality! Of course, I cannot say 100% for sure though until we dig it back up. Maybe in 11 years I’ll revisit this post 😉
What if burying is not an option? Creating an indoor time capsule may be best for those who move frequently or do not have access to a property for burial. In this case you are likely fine to select containers such as a cardboard box or plastic bin because it will not be exposed to the outdoor elements. I’d say a downside to this option is that someone is more likely to open the time capsule prematurely.
Determine What To Include Inside Your Time Capsule
Carefully selecting items to fill your time capsule is one of the best parts! I considered photographing and blogging all about what we put inside ours but then it wouldn’t be a surprise 11 years from now would it? Alot of what we selected are very individual to us so may not make sense to anyone else anyhow.
Personally, I would recommend doing just that for your own family time capsule. Put something that your future self would find interesting to open. Lock this moment in time and share items that are relevant to your family or even the world we live in today.
Ideas For Things To Put Inside A Family Time Capsule
- Photographs and/or drawings
- Letters to future self or children
- Newspaper clippings
- Examples of schoolwork
- Small collectable trinkets (special coin, rock, jewelry)
- Business card and/or paycheck stub
- Tickets from family events
- SD card full of photos or videos
- Grocery recipts
- Baby Handprints/footprints
Tips For Preventing Moisture
I’d sure hate to open our time capsule years later to find that everything is ruined from moisture. For this reason, we took extra measures to ensure that ours has the best chance possible.
Use Silica Packets & Ziplock Bags
My husband had a good idea to throw in several silica moisture absorbing packets. We threw one in the bottom of the stainless-steel container and distributed the rest throughout. I organized each family members items into individual Ziplock bags and threw a silica package into each.
For even more added protection I placed the small bags into a one-gallon sized Ziplock bag and added another silica.
Bury Near A Tree
Keep moisture wicking in mind when choosing a burial location. You do not want to bury your time capsule in an area that is prone to flooding. We decided to bury ours near a tree with large roots that will help soak up rainwater.
Burying Your Family Time Capsule
The last step in making a family time capsule is burying it (or storing away if you do not choose to bury).
Like I mentioned previously, it’s best to choose a location that is not prone to flooding. You would not want to bury a time capsule at the bottom of a hill where it floods horribly every time it rains.
Dig a hole about 2-3 feet deep to keep it safe from fluctuating temperatures.
Whatever location you choose make sure it’s marked so your future self doesn’t forget where it’s at. Currently, we have marked ours with a cement block, but I’d like to get a nice large stone and have the kids decorate.
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