A time capsule is one of the simplest ways to give your child a gift they won't fully appreciate until years later. Start with a sturdy, sealable container, a wooden keepsake box works well since it can be reopened without damage. Include a handwritten letter from you, a photo from that year, a small drawing or writing sample from your child, and a list of their current favorite things, favorite food, favorite song, best friend's name.
Set a clear reopening date, a specific birthday like their 13th or 18th works well, and write it directly on the box so it isn't forgotten in a closet. Consider adding a small item that captures the era, a ticket stub, a newspaper clipping, or a printed photo of the neighborhood as it looks today.
Years from now, this small collection of ordinary details will feel anything but ordinary, it becomes a genuine snapshot of who your child was at this exact moment in time.