This list includes a variety of journals that encourage young writers, from journals where they can explore their creativity to journals with prompts that encourage mindfulness and build emotional intelligence.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

Q & A a Day for Kids: A Three-Year Journal. I first saw this in the New York Public Library's gift store (a dangerous place for my wallet) and fell in love. It might be my favorite of all the journals collected here. Each page features a question with space below designated for a child to write his answer for three consecutive years. It will be so much fun to see the different answers as time passes, and children will get a sense of how their tastes, interests and lives have changed and grown.

TIP: I had one writer and one pre-writer when I first got this book. For the pre-writer I wrote down his answers myself. I love looking back at them!

Wreck This Journal. This one is not specifically for kids, but I they will love it, and is great for active kids who may not want to "sit down and write." Each page has instructions to get journalists to be destructively productive! Creative prompts include things like, "poke holes in this page with a pencil", "figure out a way to attach these two pages together", "draw a line while in motion." This journal would be great fun for kids who are full of restless energy.

Choose Kind Journal: Do One Wonderful Thing Every Day. Drawing on the popularity of the book, Wonder, this journal encourages children to write down their thoughts about showing compassion for others. Each day asks a question about showing kindness, or how the child has being on the receiving end of another's kind deed, and provides quotes from Wonder as inspiration.

642 Things to Write About: Young Writer's Edition. This is a writing journal that will last a long time! It is also a great choice for voracious writers. Creative writing prompts encourage kids to let their imagination run wild and the space allowed for writing varies from full to quarter pages.

Me: A Compendium: A Fill-in Journal for Kids This is an excellent writing journal for children who are daunted by the idea of writing large amounts of text. The journal's bold graphic design invites the young writer to answer simple, but creative questions, giving them the option to expand upon their thoughts or to illustrate their ideas. It is also a good choice for very young writers.

Reading Journal for Kids (Who Love to Read). This stellar reading journal is from Melissa Taylor, the educator and literacy specialist behind the blog, Imagination Soup. What sets this journal apart from other reading journals, and the reason why I've included it on this list of writing journals that encourage self-reflection, is the inventiveness and variety of the writing prompts which encourage kids to think creatively and critically about the books they have read. We know that reading builds emotional intelligence and being able to think critically about books can help kids understand their own emotional reactions to stories.

My Stuffed Animal Journal. Does your child have a huge collection of stuffed animals? The Stuffed Animal Journal is a clever way to keep track of soft friends and for kids to harness their imagination to write stories starring their favorite plushies. Each stuffed animal gets a dedicated two pages with space for kids to draw a portrait, record vitals, favorites and give a little background about the lives of their favorite friends.

This Smash Mini Folio is such a fun idea and a perfect way for kids to keep all those oh-so-important souvenirs and bits of ephemera they seem to be so good at collecting. Kids "smash" objects between the pages for safe keeping with the special glue tipped marker. It doesn't include extensive prompts like many of the other journals on this list, but it is great for kids who may prefer scrapbooking over writing.

My Travel Journal. If your children have trouble writing about their travel adventures without specific writing prompts, this is a good travel journal option.

Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing contains writing prompts and inspiration to get kids writing in unusual and creative ways. I highly recommend it for kids ages 7 and up (the publisher recommends ages 9 and up). The author also  wrote a companion book, Leap Write In!: Adventures in Creative Writing to Stretch and Surprise Your One-of-a-Kind Mind.

Journal Sparks: Fire Up Your Creativity with Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive Thinking. This is not actually a journal but a companion book to encourage journalist to combine writing with art to explore how to express themselves. The book contains extensive how-to instructions for interactive journaling, using poetry, collage, watercolor, free writing and more.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the economy standby composition book. You can buy the traditional black, ruled book for under $5, or you can even get 100% Recycled Paper version. If your kids decorate it with stickers, collage items or cover it with their art, it gives them a sense of ownership and encourages them to crack the spine and start writing.

I shall leave this post with a page from my son's journal from age 4. Its insanity still makes me smile.

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Lots of parents want their kids to get a head start on their literacy and writing skills, but it's a mistake to force formal writing during the early years. However, you can encourage early and pre-writing skills by starting a journal with your preschooler.

All my life I have been a diarist but–surprise, surprise–since having kids, I have been unable to keep up with my journaling as I would like. I thought that introducing the concept of preschool journaling might be just the ticket to get me back in the game and have my son practice those all important fine motor skills necessary for future handwriting success.

I was delighted to discover a very easy way to start a journal with my preschooler! Now we could journal together. Win-win.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. Qualifying purchases may earn commission.)

Preschool Journal Inspiration

The author of The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories suggests using colors as a way to inspire a child to scribble in a journal.

The idea is that you ask your child, "What color was your day?" and then the child chooses a color. Using the writing/scribbling medium of choice, he uses the color to write/scribble on the journal page.

As they write/scribble, ask your child to describe to you why the day was blue (for example). In this manner, the child is learning how to narrate their own story, develop self-reflection, and give voice to their thoughts and emotions.

You can even record your child's thoughts, either by jotting them down in your own journal, or with an audio recording. (A video recording will be too distracting for most children.) If your write your child's thoughts, I suggest doing so on a separate paper so your child's scribbles and drawing stands on their own.

A great children's picture book to help explain this concept is Dr. Seuss' My Many Colored Days. The book compares moods and days to different colors and actions of animals. For example, "Then comes a Yellow Day and I am a busy, buzzy bee." Or, "On Purple Days I'm sad, I groan, I drag my tail."

A preschooler can not only use color to represent mood, they can use action words like "buzzy" or "drag" to inspire how they move their pen or crayon. Fast for "buzzy," or slow for "drag," or hopping around the page for "happy." You get the idea.

The important thing is to let the child choose and be inspired. Don't suggest or force the issue. And if your child doesn't feel like talking one day, let them scribble however they want.

Make the Journal Part of a Routine

The key to success is to journal with your preschooler as part of a predictable routine. Whether you choose to do it in the morning, or after lunch or in the evening is up to you. Pick a convenient time to journal–or to scribble–that you know you can stick with.  If you miss a day or two, don't beat yourself up. Just get back to it. Pretty soon you might find your child is reminding you, "It's journaling time, mommy!"

We tend to have quite moments in the late morning so that is when the two of us get out our journals. So far it has been working!

Use A Variety of Writing Materials

Don't pressure your child to move beyond scribbling. Scribbling is also very important for developing pre-writing and pre-reading skills.

Using different types of writing implements and materials increases the variety of sensory experiences, so I like to mix things up during our journaling sessions. I include:

• Stubby crayons with the paper removed. Using a short crayon requires a stronger pincer grasp than using a long one.
• Colored pencils. They require more pressure than markers.
• Markers. Ink provides a satisfying saturated color, but mix up the size: include both fat and skinny pens.
• Oil and chalk pastels with paper removed. Pastels' textures offer a new sensory experience.
• Stickers. Peeling stickers off the backing takes work and feeling the sticky side adds in a bit of sensory fun. Tape is also a great tool. Check out this tape art journal page my son made.
• Writing tools with triangular barrels. The unusual shape encourages children to use the correct pincer grasp.

Name Your Journals

Have your preschooler pick a name for their journal. Call it a "Thoughts Book," or a "Mood Book," or some other fun title. For now, we call ours the "Writing Book." I explained to my son that I use my journal to record my activities and thoughts about each day but that he can write or draw whatever he wants. I'm always sure to write the date on each page so we can track his progress.

My son, of course, always finishes his journal plage before I do, but I do get a few extra minutes of writing in and it feels good.

I HIGHLY recommend this fantastic book for playful ideas to get your kids to love writing:

The post Easy Way to Start a Journal with Your Preschooler appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

• Writing reinforces memory. When obtaining information is effortless, our brains do not work as hard.
• The journal page is a record of his interests over time. As a parent you will treasure these pages for years to come!
• Journaling creates a purposeful application for kids to practice their handwriting. Who wants to fill out handwriting worksheets all the time?
• Not going straight for a screen means they can't get distracted by other things online. This is especially important if you are trying to reduce your child's overall screen time.
• A journal offers opportunity for reflection and conversation in a way that search engines do not.

The post I Wonder Why? : Journal Page Idea for Kids appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, it may earn commission for this blog.

Kids can also make their own journal. Recycling kids' old artwork is a great way to make a personalized nature journal. You can get the instructions to make your own journal here.

Printable journal pages are a perfectly respectable way to go, especially if you want to use a nature journal as part of a class project or to complement a particular line of nature study. Here are some fun, free printable journal page ideas:

• This is a tree - writing and drawing page
• Seeds to flowers - a time lapse project
• Charlotte Mason homeschooling inspired printable nature journal
• A butterfly observation journal
• Montessori inspired journal pages

Nature Journal Prompts

A single leaf or a noisy woodpecker can inspire kids to write in their journal.

Although you don't necessarily need specific prompts, they can come in handy! Here are some nature journal prompts for kids:

• Find animal tracks. Draw them and record your observations about who they belong to and where they are leading. Write a short paragraph from the animal's point of view.
• Collect some seed pods. Identify, open, and draw them. Tape some to your pages.
• Write a poem about the nature that surrounds you.
• Press flowers, leaves, stems, or feathers between journal pages.
• Find five different leaves and describe them using your 5 senses.
• Take rubbings of bark or craggy rocks.
• Go birdwatching and record your sightings. Here are some great tips for birding with kids and here's how my bird-loving son recorded his bird observations in a hobby journal.
• Observe and record the behavior of butterflies or another insect of choice.
• Go for a color walk and take notice of all the hues and shades of foliage. As Crafty Moms Share demonstrates, this can be done even if all you have time for is a walk around the neighborhood. It's also an excellent idea for toddlers and preschoolers who still have developing drawing skills as you can see in her kids' journal pages.
• This mom demonstrates how she uses nature prompts when she goes nature journaling with kids.

Out-of-the-box nature journal ideas

Natural journaling doesn't even need an actual journal! Let that idea blow your mind. Now go check out this super cool nature journey stick from Growing Family.

Can you journal with homemade slime? You may not think so, but this family will convince you otherwise.

Books for Nature Journal Inspiration

Your kids will love hearing you read aloud some of our book recommendations for picture books to inspire a love of nature! In addition, the following titles will give them some more ideas about observing the great outdoors.

It's a Jungle Out There!: 52 Nature Adventures for City Kids by Jennifer Ward. This book is divine inspiration if you think you can't go on nature walks when you live in an urban environment!

National Geographic Kids Get Outside Guide: All Things Adventure, Exploration, and Fun! by Nancy Honovich and Julie Beer. Although this book has way more to it than just

The Kid's Guide to Exploring Nature. This book is put out by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Education Team and teaches kids how to observe nature that helps them see the complexity of the ecosystem.

Now get outdoors!

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As many of you know, we like to use journals for learning activities, like keeping track of the latest obsession, or recording curious questions. Last summer I started art journals with the kids and one of the projects I had in mind was Zentangle. Our summer art journaling was not as successful as I had hoped but we finally got around to a little Zentangle art for kids.

What is Zentangle?

Perhaps you are scratching your head and wondering, "What is Zentangle? The Zentangle Method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Zentangle is a way of drawing structured and repetitive patterns. It is touted as being meditative and low-key. This is all very true, but what I told my son was,

In Zentangle there are no rules except that each shape needs to be filled up.

He loved that idea. There are books and kits that teach you how to do Zentangle drawings.  With my kids how-to lessons only encourage them to copy and I don't want that at all! In my opinion, Zentangle drawing is all about being free to do what you want, not someone else's idea. Anyone, any age, any skill level can get creative.

Note: This post contains affiliate links to the materials we used, but you can use whatever you already have at home. Affiliate links may earn this blog a commission.

Materials

Paper. We used our favorite journal, the mixed media Visual Journal from Strathmore. I cannot say enough could things about this art journal. We use it for everything.

Pens, markers, crayons, etc. For this project we used Sharpies. If you want a less toxic option, I highly recommend Flair Pens, which is what we will use from now on.

Zentangle Art Process

At first -- as with all art projects -- he protested and claimed he didn't want to participate. However, I sat down and got started myself. He has a really hard time resisting Sharpies, and came over to see what I was doing.

We started out with a blank page in the journal. I LOVE these journals because the paper is thick enough for watercolor or collage and even though the Sharpies do bleed onto the backside of the paper, they don't go all the way through to the next sheet.

How to Start:

I drew random black lines on a blank paper to create distinct areas for the Zentangle art. This game him some structure so he didn't have to feel overwhelmed by figuring out how to begin.

Zentangle drawing traditionally uses only black pens, but I knew the colored Sharpies would be much more enticing and I really wanted to emphasis the "no rules" part.

Observations:

I think he felt free because he wasn't being expected to draw "something." Both my kids express frustration over their drawings "not being good" even though I've never emphasized the representational aspect of art, and heaven knows I am no model of stellar artistic talent!

At one point he decided that he wanted to use two pens at the same time. Remember, no rules!

When I said, "do you want to know how to make a spiral?" he answered no but then I just started doing them anyway and he was drawn (pun) into them.

He loved spirals and declared he was making "Zen Spirals."

Conclusion:

Eventually he filled 4 journal pages.  He even said, "thanks for doing this with me, mom." I'm pretty sure he has never thanked me for doing art with him before! Victory!

Have you ever tried Zentangle art with your kids?  There are lots of resources out there which will tell you "how to make Zentangle," but I say, throw all that out the window and let the imagination roam.

** Incidentally, when my 9 year old got home he joined us in making his own Zentangle journal page! Double fist pump! (I know, I'm not being very Zen about it.)

MORE ART TO DO WITH A 5 YEAR OLD:

• Giant comic strips
• Tape art journal pages
• Handprint tracing
• Spinner art
• Active indoor art projects

The post Zentangle Art for Kids appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

That's what happened with a parent-child art activity I call, "Tandem Drawing."

It's perfect for kids who like lots of attention. (In other words: all kids.)

It's an idea that fosters family creativity and togetherness, even if your child, like mine, is reluctant to engage in art projects. You will definitely want to try it!

Note: this post contains affiliate links that may earn commission.

The inspiration for tandem drawing was born out of my need for quiet time and my son's need for attention!

I adore these mixed media vellum art journals and work in my art journal regularly as a quiet time activity. My son isn't really into to quiet time activities! He rarely gets out his own journal, but he sometimes picks up a marker and tries to draw on my journal page in order to get my attention.

One evening, instead of saying, "you may draw in your own journal, this is mine," I decided to go with it and allowed him to start scribbling. I took my own pen and started following him around on the paper. This caught his interest and he went for it.

Watch the video below to see how tandem drawing works, then scroll down for more information on how to get started with your child!

To keep your child interested, try switching up the art supplies on each page. Here are some we tried:

• Flair pens. I like flair pens as a less-stinky alternative to Sharpies.
• I also let my son use my new favorite watercolor brush pens but these brush pens are a much cheaper alternative.
• Oil pastels or crayons
• Paint brushes with watercolor or acrylic paint

We went on like this for several pages in my journal, and I must say it was quite a bit of fun. We chased each other with the pens, sometimes we mirrored each other's movements. Sometimes we tried to interfere (in a friendly way) with each other's drawings, and sometimes we just did our own thing.

It's great fun and will soon become your favorite family art activity!

Other successful attempts at sparking creativity in my reluctant artist:

• Giant comic strip
• Tape art
• Zentangle
• Melting crayon art
• Tracing and coloring handprints

MORE: Tips for starting a creative journal with kids. Or find, all our EASY art activities here.

The post Tandem Drawing Activity: A Family Art Idea appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Dinosaurs? LEGO? Trucks?

What activity do they love to do?

Baking? Chess? Pottery?

Most kids have at least one interest that truly captivates them.  No doubt you have started a sentence with "My kid is so obsessed with [fill in the blank]!" It is absolutely delightful to watch your children develop their own special interests and hobbies. Sure, they may talk obsessively about dinosaur facts that you will never remember. Or, they may make a big ol' mess in the kitchen with an experimental cookie recipe. But you love how they are discovering their passions.

A great way to encourage your children's development is to help them keep a hobby book. A hobby book is slightly different from a traditional writing journal or art journal. It doesn't have to be complicated; it's a way for them to document what they've learned, and projects they've made.

How to Make a Hobby Book

What you need: 

• A blank notebook. Any kind will do, but this one is our favorite.
• Glue stick or tape
• Markers, pencils, etc.
• Enthusiastic children

How to get started:

Explain to your child that the journal is for recording their passion and hobbies. They will no doubt have their own ideas for how to fill the journal but offer up a few ideas for pages such as:

• photographs your child has taken of their hobby
• drawings of ideas
• notes and thoughts on their experiences
• traditional diary pages
• cut out and paste articles from magazines about their interest

Other ways to personalize a hobby book:

• attach envelopes to a few pages to keep souvenirs
• ask family members to contribute comments on certain pages
• decorate the outside of the notebook

Benefits of a Hobby Journal

Children will love to take ownership of making a record of their hobbies. It increases self-expression and self-esteem, giving them a secure knowledge that their interests are important.

In addition, the process is an excellent outlet for creativity, especially if your child isn't naturally drawn to traditional art projects. Not to mention, there are obvious literacy benefits of writing, labeling and storytelling.

Need a hobby idea? Try origami:

Our experience: 

So instead, he has started his own bird hobby book by taking photos of the birds he sees. We print them out and he pastes them into a journal. He labels each photo and I encourage him to write a few facts and suggest he write down where he saw each bird.

He even took his book (which is always a work in progress) to Show and Tell at school. He was so thrilled when he came home that day and told me all about how his friends had asked him about the birds, and he even found out one of his classmates was a fellow birder.

More creative literacy ideas: 

• Best writing journals for kids
• How to make a handmade journal

The post Making and Keeping a Hobby Book appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

The following ideas are for writing journals and art journals, but kids will naturally mix the two forms. In fact, I would encourage them to draw in their diaries and write in their art journals. One of the most important things to remember, in my opinion, is to make the activity low pressure! Allow your kids to find their own way of doing things. (Note: affiliate links included below)

Writing Journal Ideas

Starting a preschool journal - a simple idea to encourage pre-writers

Using a journal to build fine motor skills

We love using our these question-a-day journals at dinner time. The daily prompts also provide good dinner time conversation.

Happy thoughts journal for young kids (Homegrown Friends)

Write back and forth with your kids with a mommy and me journal (East Coast Mommy)

Science journals and notebooks (KC Edventures)

Poetry journals (Buggy and Buddy)

Helping young writers find journal topics (The Measured Mom)

Tips for journaling with young kids (Mama Smiles)

Need journal prompts? Write Shop the best place to go. She has tons of free journal prompt ideas for kids.

Art Journal Ideas

Zentangle art journal - one of the easiest ways to create journal pages

We have gone through several of these mixed media art journals. They are our absolute favorites!

Laugh art journal prompts (Creative with Kids)

Tips for writing and drawing in journals with kids, including prompts and types of materials. (Picklebums)

Art sketch books (Buggy and Buddy)

Beginning art journaling with kids (The Artful Parent)

Making the journal special

Cool journals for kids - these include blank page journals, as well as those with built in prompts.

Journal made from recycled kid art

Family adventure journals (Go Explore Eature)

Modge podge book cover craft (Crafts by Amanda)

Decorating a composition journal (Crafts by Amanda)

Do you keep a journal? Do your kids? What are your favorite ways to keep the creative juices flowing?

The post Creative Journal Ideas for Kids appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Ana has created a very simple bookbinding project for kids that will also help you upcycle all those gorgeous pieces of art they have been creating on a daily basis since they were old enough to wield a brush. The other thing I like about it is that I could use up pages from all those half empty composition notebooks I have lying around!

One crafty note: I used brads to bind the books, but Ana used a different method. I won't give away Ana's secrets, so you'll have to head on over to her post to get the full instructions (super easy, I promise) after you take a look at what we created.

Although this project is intended to be a kid-made journal, I actually did it by myself. There are two reasons. The first is that if I had attempted to upcycle art my kids in front of them, they would have thrown a fit. No matter that the artwork has been collecting dust in the back of the closet for 3 years! It becomes precious when mom decides to mutilate it. You all know what I am talking about. However, if I do this all behind the scenes, no one cares in the least. Second,  I plan to give these journals to my kids as gifts. A handmade journal makes a great gift, don't you think?

Of course, I would never leave you with a book art project without including some inspiring books to read! Check out the selections below. You can also take a look at my favorite writing journals for children.

Books about Writing to Inspire your Kids:

These are all chapter books, for 5 picture book selections, visit Babble Dabble Do.

(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes>. Plucky Moxy has to write 12 thank you notes in order to get permission to attend a star-studded Hollywood bash. Instead of simply sitting down and writing them, she concocts a clever, but sort of complicated plan that goes awry, but it is for a different reason entirely that she must miss the anticipated party. There is some good humor in this book and I like how the non-traditional chapters can give kids an example of how writing stories can be creative. Hilarious.

A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writingis the sequel to another book, The End of the Beginning, and even though it is a short chapter book I think the concepts are sophisticated enough that I would recommend it for ages 8 and up. The word play and puns also keep the target audience firmly in the upper elementary age group. The story follows Avon the Snail as he attempts to write a story. He struggles a bit but gets some help from his friend Edward the Ant. Together they tackle big questions about writing, such as, "what makes a good story?" Charming.

Katie Woo: Star Writer. Katie Woo is spunky Chinese-American girl who is the heroine of about a gazillion early chapter book series. In the "Star Writer" series, Katie tackles a different kind of writing in each book, from writing fiction, to journal writing and poetry. These book are a sort of hybrid between storytelling and non-fiction, with tips and tricks about writing in the sidebar. Fun.

Harriet the Spy. Don't forget about this classic book about a girl who keeps a spy journal. When her journal is stolen and her peers learn about the unflattering things she wrote about them she finds herself an outcast. What makes Harriet so wonderful is that she is a real person. She is not always (maybe not even often) pleasant to everyone, she makes mistakes, but she is smart and resourceful. Awesome.

The School Story. Andrew Clements excels in the "chapter books about school" category and so it was no surprise when I discovered his book about writing. 12 year old Natalie has written a manuscript and since her mother is a publishing agent it seems natural she would ask for her mom's help in getting published. Natalie doesn't want to ask her mom for special treatment so her friend Zoe convinces her to submit it under a pen name. This is a really wonderful book, with a plot that will keep kids turning pages as Zoe and Natalie navigate a grown up world while trying to maintain their secret identities from people they know. Delightful.

I'd love to hear from you. Are your kids writers? What do they like to write? How do you encourage them?

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