Seven Ways to Enjoy Your Photos (Off the Screen!)

With hundreds–even thousands–of photos accumulating on our devices, it takes a lot more effort to bring these prints to life. Yet with just a bit of effort, you and your family can really enjoy your photos.

Stop scrolling through them on your phone and let them finally come to life!

1.    Go Back to Basics and Fill Those Photo Albums:

Depending on what generation you’re from, you likely used to do this regularly. I try maintaining an ongoing collection of matching family albums. Once a year, I print photos and put them in photo albums like this one. I have a collection that the kids love looking at. You can’t compare the experience to scrolling through a phone!

For added fun: Stick in sentimental objects such as: the collapsed box from the upsherin pekalah, a few curls from the upsherin in a Ziploc, or the boarding pass from a memorable trip. 

2.    Let the Kids Get Crafting and Have Fun.

When printing pictures, I try to print extra copies for the kids to play around with. The kids had a great time making a scrapbook with this Hello Kitty Scrapbooking Set, or see this post on scrapbooking for more options. Or, even simpler, let them paint and decorate their own frames for an easy at-home activity. Once the school supply shopping starts, kids also enjoy arranging photos on the cover of their loose leafs- so it’s nice to have extra prints around.  

3.    Picture tiles

for the playroom: a collection of the Mpix tiles will add so much to your playroom. It’s quick and easy to do. You can start with a small collection and add to it over the years.

4.    Photo canvas:

This takes literally minutes to do on a site like canvasdiscount.com. I love hanging newborn portraits in the children’s bedroom. When blowing up photos try to stick to high-res shots such as the ones taken by a photographer. If you’re not the “family photo shoot” type of family, you can try to get your family picture from a sibling’s simcha.  

5.    Corkboard:

A large corkboard is a great place to easily display your favorite photos. This lets you switch off easily and give prominence to the kids’ school pictures or any other important shots. Corkboard Panels are even easier to hang if you have the right spot. Or, make a Wall Magnet Board.

6.    Photo Colleges

are great for monumental birthdays and occasions. It also makes for a great gift for grandparents. You can do it the old fashioned way–or on sites like Snapfish.

7.    Photo Books:

When it comes to any photo project, perfection is the enemy of the good. If you obsess over the details, the projects will never happen. You can always use autofill. It’s definitely nicer than nothing! To jumpstart that photobook project, see this post on How to Get 10K Photos into Photobooks in 10 Days.