THE TRADITIONS LIBRARY
Moving Box Photo
A moving box, a quick photo, and a little record of growing up. Take a picture of each child in a box whenever your family moves, turning part of the packing chaos into a keepsake.
Shared by:
The December Family
0007
CATEGORY
Milestones
FREQUENCY
As Needed
AGES
All Ages
COST
Free
The Story Behind It
Our first moving-box photo happened during our first move with the kids. Our eldest was one year old, and as our things were packed up and carried away, there wasn’t much left for him to play with. I put him in a diaper box to keep him busy and distracted, and took a picture.
That was really all it was - a way to entertain a little boy while everything around him was being packed. But I thought the picture was cute, and at our next move, I wanted another one.
From then on, I took a picture of each child in a box every time we moved. That one-year-old is now almost eighteen. What began with a diaper box in 2009 has become a collection of little moments from our family’s moves, with the kids growing bigger between each one.
What You'll Need
A sturdy, empty box and a phone or camera.
Choose a box that comfortably fits the child, keep it on the floor, and leave it open. For anyone who has outgrown sitting in a box, standing beside one or holding it works just as well.
Make It Your Own
Write the year or the name of your new town on the box, take a sibling photo alongside the individual pictures, or keep the photos together in a moving-day album.
If your family rarely moves, try a box photo at the same time each year. Older kids can hold a small box, sit beside one, or come up with their own way to continue the tradition. Let the picture grow with your family.
How It’s Done
Every time we move, I take a picture of each child in a moving box. It’s a small thing to do in the middle of packing, but repeating it gives us a way to look back at how much they’ve grown between homes.
There’s no special setup or perfect moving-day moment to wait for. The box is already there, the kids are already there, and the photo becomes part of the story of that move.