Making memories - a must do activity with your newborn

As all parents will acknowledge, the transition from newborn to chubby baby to intrepid toddler goes very quickly. In those early weeks and months, it felt like each time Bobble woke up he looked different. It's only when you look back through some of the hundreds thousands of photos taken of your precious little bundle do you realise how much they have grown and changed in such a short space of time.

There are plenty of ways of preserving the memory of how tiny your baby once was. I've come across so many lovely ideas - everything from making a memory blanket of your favourite sleepsuits to casting their hand and footprints in silver and putting them on a piece of jewellery. My must do activity is simple and easy, and I would almost guarantee that you can do this without needing to go further than 10 miles from your house.

Customising a piece of pottery with your baby's hand or footprints

Pottery painting cafes and ceramic studios have popped up everywhere in the UK over the last few years. I must admit that the first time I saw one, I doubted whether it would get enough custom to stay open. Seems I was wrong! If you've never been to one before, you're missing out. Even if you haven't so much as lifted a paintbrush since school, as soon as you've selected your piece of pottery, your inner creativity, and child, will come out.

When Bobble was 13 weeks old I took him to my local studio and I customised a plate with his hand and footprints. I went with a friend and in spite of both babies crying (they were hungry, it wasn't the painting that bothered them) we both surprised ourselves with how much fun it was. The plate hangs on the wall in his nursery and I look at it every day - mainly because it's in my eye line when I sit in the rocking chair. I love how tiny his hand and feet were and I love the fact that it looks just like something I (home) made.

Why I think this is a must do activity

• It doesn't cost much - depending on the prices at your local studio, you'll pay around £20 if you go for a plate as I did.
• The finished piece is something timeless that you can keep forever.
• You can indulge your creative side and produce something completely unique. 
• Getting the foot or hand prints is easy - the studio will have done this hundreds of times before and have a special way of getting those teeny fingers and toes spread out! 

We went back to Crafty Monkey a few months later to customise Christmas decorations, it was just as much fun in spite of the babies being slightly less compliant this time!

Why not look up your local pottery cafe and get together with some Mummy friends?