Inside: Celebrating milestones is a great way to honor kids and remind them they are loved. Our celebrations can even help kids grow in their faith. Whether it’s a big birthday, a hard-won accomplishment, Sunday school promotion, or a graduation, books–and the messages we write within them–can be keepsakes and sources of encouragement, both in the moment and for years to come.
I have to admit: I’m not naturally good at over-the-top parties or big events, which can make my kids’ approaching milestones feel a bit intimidating. Say it’s not just me.
That’s why I love this gift idea for milestone moments like graduations (whether high school, elementary, or kindergarten), birthdays, or big accomplishments you want to celebrate for your child.
Celebrate Milestone Moments with Inspiring Children’s Books
The basic idea is this:
1) Choose an inspiring picture book. It can be a faith-based kids’ book or simply have a wholesome, encouraging message. (I share a couple precious children’s book ideas below.)
2) Ask teachers, friends, Sunday school teachers, and/or family members to write short messages on each page. The people you choose will depend on the milestone you’re celebrating.
3) Give it to the child for their milestone or achievement (with or without wrapping paper)!
Milestone Celebration Books
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So many wonderful books will work for this gift. I’ve chosen two joy-filled, heartfelt picture books I love. (Feel free to add your favorites in the comments.) They work well for people to write messages in because each page says so much. And whether it’s the closest family member, a young friend, a Sunday school teacher, or a public school teacher signing the book, everyone will find something that resonates.
I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
Today Is for You by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Kevin Waldron
If you’re looking for more books to tell your kids “I love you,” we have a whole list of sweet books for parents to give their kids right here. The list also includes some wonderful baby shower gifts and a gift book for foster families.
Milestone Celebration Messages
Sometimes when I give gift books like this, I ask important people in my child’s life to sign the pages. I suggest they can choose a page that contains a wish or prayer they have for the child or a page that reminds them of something about their relationship with the child, but really, anywhere is fine.
We used this milestone gift idea for each of our boys when they graduated fifth grade and had it signed by all their elementary teachers. True to form, I didn’t decide I wanted to do this until my oldest was in fourth grade (face palm), so I had to circulate the book around to, not just his two fourth grade teachers, but also his kindergarten, first, second, and (two) third grade teachers. Thankfully, only one teacher had moved to a different school!
Some people do this for a child’s high school graduation, which is incredible to me. So many teachers! Elementary was more doable for me, but if a long-term project is not your thing, try a simplified version. For example, for any milestone year, you could just have a few people sign the book–even the teacher and you is enough. The signatures don’t have to span multiple years to mean so much.
No matter how you implement this bookish gift idea, gathering the heartfelt messages usually requires a little planning. I try to put reminders on my calendar in advance to prompt me so I’m not rushing around at the last minute, though I have been known to do that (see above).
If you want to get started on this and copy my requests to teachers, feel free. Just click here to see a PDF of the notes I sent to school with the inspirational book. And thank you to my friend Karis for letting me steal/borrow/copy this idea!
Making Faith Impressions in Milestone Moments
So how does encouraging kids in their faith fit into celebrating milestones? Part of our mission here at Our Everyday Parables is to help families communicate their faith to their children in natural ways. A milestone accomplishment is a wonderful opportunity for family and other people of influence in your child’s life to speak words of blessing and affirmation over them—helping them to see themselves as God’s precious child and giving them hope and inspiration to keep going on their adventure with God.
This can work for graduation even if your kids don’t go to a Christian school or Christian homeschool co-op. My kids are in public school and have been blessed with wonderful teachers. When I asked their teachers to collaborate on this gift with me, I gave lots of ideas for what they could write, one of which was “an inspiration or prayer for the future.” Some of the teachers took me up on that and wrote the most beautiful biblical encouragement, and they all wrote the kindest things.
But even if no one else writes a faith-filled message in your child’s book, you as their caregiver can craft your own special blessing and write it inside the book. When you give the child the gift, you can also encourage them by saying something like, “We asked many of the special people God placed in your life to write words of encouragement on these pages. We hope this always reminds you how precious you are to them, to us, and to the Lord.” The way we give the gift can be as meaningful as the gift itself.
What are your favorite giftable books for kids? Tell us in the comments!
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- 25 Books to Tell Kids “I Love You”
- 20+ Christian Children’s Books Perfect for Giving (or Keeping)
- 12 Bedtime Prayer Ideas for Wild Kids
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