Journaling is a great way to teach your kids how to process emotions, build confidence, encourage creativity, and keep track of important events and feelings. Most of us, at some time, have scribbled a few thoughts in a notebook or journal. Teachers use journals for kids all the time to help kids learn and grow.
You can encourage your child to do the same at home by helping them pick out a fun new journal to use. When it comes to journals for kids, there are a lot of different options to choose from. How do you know which journal is the best for your child? In this article, we will provide tips for choosing the right journal, and we will also share some ideas for how kids can use their journals to help them learn and grow!
Behaviors that happen when you don’t process emotions in a positive way
Helping kids learn to process emotions can be daunting task. So many of us are taught to stuff away our emotions so that we don’t get overwhelmed by them. Unfortunately, when we stuff down our emotions they tend to come out in other ways such as through our behaviors. These types of behaviors and issues include:
- acting out
- lashing out
- shutting down
- numbing out with food or technology
- anxiety
- depression
If you have noticed that your child is engaging in any of these behaviors it might be a sign that they need help processing their emotions. One way to help kids process their emotions is through journaling. When kids journal they can express themselves in a safe place without judgement
Journaling is a tool for processing emotions
When you sit down to write in a journal, you are able to work through different thoughts and feelings you are having. The process of writing things down helps to organize your thoughts and can provide clarity. For kids, journaling can be a tool to help them process emotions they are struggling with.
Benefits of Using Journals for kids
There are so many ways that journaling is beneficial to kids! Here are just a few benefits:
- It can help kids learn to express themselves in a healthy way.
- Journaling can provide a safe outlet for emotions that might be difficult to express out loud.
- Kids who journal often have an easier time regulating their emotions.
- Journaling can help kids to feel more connected to themselves and their emotions.
If you are looking for a journal for your child, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are a few things to consider:
- Look for a journal that is specifically designed for kids. There are many different journals on the market, so it is important to find one that is age-appropriate and meets the needs of your child.
- Choose a journal that has blank pages. This will allow your child to use the journal in any way they see fit.
- Look for a journal with a sturdy cover. This will help to protect the journal and make it last longer.
- Find a journal that is affordable. Journals can be expensive, but there are many affordable options on the market.
Just Between Us journal
Build your mother/daughter relationship with this sweet journal designed for mothers and daughters who would like to write back and forth to one another. This is an easy way talk about tough subjects and share fun memories together.
Need more ideas to strengthen your mother/daughter bond? Read: 100+ Ideas for Mother Daughter Dates
Big Life Journal
Another great journal for kids is the Big Life Journal. This journal is designed to help kids with goal setting and positive thinking. We love that this journal helps kids to see the good in their lives and sets them up for success! It includes wonderful prompts and encourages confidence and positive psychology for kids.
Art Journal
If your child is creative, an art journal might be the perfect fit! Art journals are a great way for kids to express themselves creatively. We love that this type of journal can be used in many different ways. The aim is not perfection, but mindful creativity.
Q&A a day for kids
This guided journal includes one question a day for kids to respond to. They get the chance to write about themselves in a low-pressure but fun way.
Me: A Compendium: A Fill In Journal for Kids
This fill in journal is great for younger kids! It has bright, colorful illustrations, easy to answer questions, and funny prompts. You child might love it enough to do the whole thing over a long school break.
Time capsule journal
Help your kids record the amazing adventures, day-to-day, and everything in between! There are spaces to write and doodle, record important things, and have fun doing it!
Choose kind Journal
Encourage your child to be a little kinder with the sweet prompts and ideas in this journal. Perfect for fans of the book Wonder!
I love science journal
Your child can try new things, explore their dreams and goals, and explore their thoughts feelings, and ideas with this exciting journal! This science themed is perfect for the little scientist in all of us.
Rip the Page! Adventures in Creative Writing
The funny, crazy, and exciting ideas and prompts in this journal will keep your child guessing with every page! Your child can use this journal to brainstorm, explore, doodle, or even rip the page!
Journal Sparks: Fire Up Your Creativity With Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive Thinking
Get your kids thinking outside the box with the fun prompts and ideas in this journal. There are spaces for artwork, collages, and more!
The Blank Comic book for Kids
Do you have a child who love comic books? Let them create their own! With this fun journal your kids can be the author of their own stories!
Learn Grow Succeed
Help your kids develop the habit of gratitude with this daily gratitude journal. Using this journal every day will help your child develop the practice of daily gratitude.
Big Life Journal For Teens and Tweens
Help your teens and tweens develop a growth mindset as they dream of the future! This journal can help them discover interests, and set positive goals for themselves!
Five Minute Gratitude Journals for Kids
Your child can work on anger management, attitude, and their emotional intelligence with this 5 Minute Gratitude Journal for kids! Includes a morning and even section for every day. Daily prompts even include fun emoji’s to help you child track their mood. Kindness and gratitude prompts included as well!
Wreck this Journal
This journal is great for kids who like to make a mess and color outside the lines! Poke holes in the pages, and pictures, and more! These prompts will get your child journaling in a whole new way!
Go! A Kids Interactive Travel Journal and Diary
The best interactive souvenir for your child’s next trip, this journal encourages kids to memorialize their adventures!
Creative Gratitude Journal for Kids
Give your child space to draw, write, and express gratitude for the wonderful things in their lives! This journal gives them plenty of space to do just that!
3 Minute Gratitude Journal for Kids
Your child can learn gratitude with these simple journal prompts and ideas. Gratitude and journal writing doesn’t need to take a long time to be effective! It can be as simple as a 3 minute prompt in a cute journal!
Types of Journals
There are many different types of journals. The type you get depends a lot on your kid and what you feel they will like bet. Different journal types include:
- Blank journals– These journals have no prompts or lines. They are simply a blank book for kids to write, draw, or doodle in.
- Question journals– These journals include prompts that encourage kids to think about their day, their thoughts, and their feelings.
- Guided journals– These journals include prompts and lines to help kids with their writing.
- Art journals– These journals include spaces for kids to draw, paint, or collage in addition to writing.
- Log books– These journals are for kids to document their daily activities, thoughts, and feelings.
- Locked journals– These journals include a lock and key so that kids can keep their thoughts and feelings private.
- Memory journals. These journals include prompts that encourage kids to write about their memories. Memory journals are a great way for kids to connect with their past and present selves.
- Keepsake journals– These journals are meant to be saved and shared with future generations.
Journaling Tips for Kids
If you are looking for ways to help your child get started with journaling, here are some tips:
- Find a journal that your child likes. There are so many different journals to choose from! You can find journals with blank pages, lined pages, or even journals with prompts. Let your child pick out a journal that they will be excited to write in.
- Encourage your child to write about anything and everything. A journal is a sacred space where kids can write about whatever they want. As a teenager I felt that if I didn’t have anything ultra-positive to write, that I shouldn’t write in my journal. Looking back, I wonder about all the real-life experiences I missed because I didn’t write about everything that was important to me!
- Encourage your child to be creative with their journal. They can draw pictures, glue in things that are special to them, or even write poems.
- Help your child to understand that there is no “right” way to journal. There is no correct way to do it. The most important thing is that they are expressing themselves in a way that feels good to them.
- Do it with them! Journaling can be a great way for you to connect with your child. Write in your own journal while they write in theirs. You can even start a family journal where everyone writes something each day. Have patience and don’t force it. If your child doesn’t want to journal every day, that’s OK.
- Use journal prompts. A journal prompt is simply a topic or question to write about. If your child is struggling to think of something to write about, try giving them a journal prompt to get started. You can find journal prompts online or make up your own. Here are some journal prompt ideas:
- What was the best part of today?
- What are you feeling grateful for?
- What are you looking forward to?
- What was the hardest part of today?
- Write about your favorite memory.
- Journal at a scheduled time. One the best ways to help your child build a habit of regularly journaling is by setting a specific time every day. For example, you can journal right after breakfast or before bed. Having a set time will help to make journaling feel like less of a chore.
- Use fun pens. Writing in a journal can be more fun if you use fun pens or markers. Let your child pick out some of their favorite pens to use in their journal.
- Make it a ritual. Help your child to establish journaling as a calming ritual by setting up a special place for them to write. This could be a corner of their room or a spot at the kitchen table. Add some special touches like a cozy blanket, a plant, or a candle to make it feel even more special. Encourage them to keep their journal private. It’s important that your child knows that their journal is a safe place for them to express themselves freely.
Journaling is a great way for kids to express themselves. It can also be a great way for you to connect with your child. There are so many different journals to choose from! You can find journals with blank pages, lined pages, or even journals with prompts.
