A Time Capsule for Baby's First Birthday is a project where letters are written to a baby as they turn one, and the letters will be opened later on the child's 18th birthday. It is a sentimental way to celebrate a 1st birthday, and prepare for a meaningful 18th birthday as well!
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What is a Time Capsule?
Simply put, a time capsule is a container of items meant to be opened at some point in the future.
It can contain many things including newspapers, clothing, objects, or written mementos.
My Time Capsule with My Friends
The concept of a time capsule is familiar to me.
When my high school friends and I came back to town for Thanksgiving break during our freshman year of college, we gathered together in the basement of my parent’s house and created a Time Capsule of our own.
We filled out questionnaires asking things like: "Where do you think you’ll be in X years" and "What career do you think you’ll have?"
Then, we sealed them in a box with the intention of opening it again someday in the future.
A Time Capsule for Baby's First Birthday
There was a video circulating on social media of a girl's 18th birthday, where she was given a time capsule of letters from family members as part of her birthday present. The letters were written to her on her first birthday, and there she was, reading them 17 years later.
The video was emotional; several of the letters were written by people who had passed away over the last 17 years between her first and 18th birthdays.
I immediately loved the idea, and sent an email to friends and family, asking for help in creating a Time Capsule for my son's first birthday.
At his first birthday party, family and friends gave me letters to put into a time capsule for him.
The letters are to be opened by him on his 18th birthday.
For now, I will keep them safe.
I hope he will appreciate the words of encouragement and love that were written to him by the people who love him most.
I hope when he reads them on his 18th birthday, they will speak life and hope into his heart, and show him that he was loved deeply, right from the start.
A first birthday time capsule, filled with letters from family and friends written on a baby’s first birthday and designated to be opened when they turn 18, is a unique gift that will only become more significant as time goes on.
I look forward to the day my son can read the heartfelt words in those letters written just for him.
Common Questions
A time capsule is a collection of items from the present, to be looked at or read by someone in the future.
It can be as simple as friends putting mementos into a shoe box when they graduate high school (to be opened at their 20-year reunion for example), or as coordinated as a collection of letters to a baby on their first birthday, to be opened when they turn 18.
There is something fun about imagining what the future will be like, and something nostalgic and emotional about reflecting on the past. Time capsules are a fun way to capture a moment in time, and offer a way to preserve and revisit the past when they are looked at in the future.
All you need to do to make a time capsule is to collect items and find something to store them in. Favorite toys, cards, mementos, awards, items from pop culture, newspapers, magazines, product packaging, photographs... they all make great additions to a time capsule.
Questionnaires, handwritten letters, greeting cards - these are wonderful items for a time capsule too. Questionnaires let you capture the present and predict the future. Add fun questions like "What will vehicles be like?" or "How much will a house cost?" to your questionnaires so you can compare your predictions to what the future really ends up being like.
Especially for a sentimental time capsule on a baby's first birthday, handwritten letters are the perfect addition. They will be a literal message from the past.
A simple shoe box is perfect for a time capsule, as long as you store it somewhere safe and dry.
If you plan to bury it in the ground like in the movies, you'll need a waterproof, airtight container to protect the contents.
Make sure you store it somewhere safe so it won't get lost or forgotten about. (And if you bury it, make sure you know exactly where it is.) If you can't find it, you can't open it again.
A Time Capsule is such a fun addition to a child's first birthday celebration.
This same idea could also be adapted as part of a baby shower too; as either a party game, or as a gift for the mama-to-be.
(Add in a stack of the best baby bibs and some super cute pacifier clips and you've got the best baby shower gift ever!)
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Tim S.
Hi, What a neat and heartfelt idea. We have 3 children (2 boys and 1 girl). My wife and I have thought about doing this for some time. Their grandparents are in their 70's and we live miles apart and lately in the back of my mind I say they're not going to be around forever. I know I would appreciate getting something like that. For our kids I would put pictures of all their family in with the letters.
The online sources has many ideas, but sometimes it is helpful to provide some templates or ideas of what to write about (writer's block is a real thing 🙂 ) . Would you have any ideas or links? I hope I didn't miss an embedded link for such a thing. Thank you.
Laura
Hi Tim!
Thanks for reaching out and sharing your thoughts! I love the idea of including photos in with the letters!
Your reasoning for wanting to do time capsules for your kids is exactly why I wanted to too. My grandma (my last living grandparent) was having failing health when my son was an infant so I knew she wouldn't be around for very long. We actually had her write her letter (with the help of my mom transcribing it) months ahead of time and good thing we did, because she passed away 3 months before he turned one. I am SO THANKFUL that there's something from her in that time capsule, and just know it will be significant when he opens it.
It is tough to figure out what to write, I completely understand! In my mind, I think it's best to do a combo of a little bit of reference to the present and then some hopes for them as they read it.
We just did it for my second child's first birthday recently, and I wrote a little about her right now, and what celebrating her first birthday is like etc. Then I talked about my hopes for her as she reads the letter when she's 18 and that I hope she knows how special and loved she is etc.
Basically, I think a good framework could be:
Who are you (in relation to the child), favorite things about the child so far, special memories etc. And then hopes, best wishes, blessings, guiding words, advice etc for the future 18 year old they'll be when they read the letter. Likely on the verge of adulthood and possibly leaving the nest, wanting to know they have an anchor at home that will always be there.
I hope that helps!
Thanks for commenting, and I hope the time capsules are a blessing to your children!
Laura