Journaling
Journaling is a wonderful activity for everyone, including children. It helps to cultivate a love of writing. Journals give children a space to process current situations, to dream about what the future might look like, and to get creative.
A journal is a safe place where children can write freely without having to be worried someone might judge them for how they are thinking or feeling. During our current climate, where life can feel scary and uncertain, journaling also offers children a way to process their feelings, journaling is an opportunity for self-expression.
At the point we’re in right now, every day is making history. Imagine in 20, 50, maybe 100 years’ time, school students having to research what happened during 2020 and using something your child (or even you!) journaled to help them understand what life was like.
Journaling also helps to develop skills essential for their education, their day to day lives and into the future.
Communication skills
Journaling helps children to practice their written communication skills. It helps them to express themselves in a whole new way as they learn to look at things from a different perspective and come up with new ways of thinking. Encourage your children to express their thoughts and the emotions they have from those thoughts when journaling. Spelling will also improve as children journal regularly. They will use new words and reuse words, and we all know that practice makes perfect.
Comprehension skills
It’s no good being able to read something if you can’t understand what it’s actually saying to you. Comprehension is improved the more children read. A great way to help them develop their comprehension skills is to re-read their own writing. Reading over their own written work helps children to find and correct any errors they might have made. As they get older, children can work on identifying and understanding the reasons behind the emotions they express in their journaling.
Cultivating joy
Journaling helps teach children that writing is fun! The ability to be able to choose their own topics or themes to write about helps children to enjoy writing. They can include pictures, doodles, stickers or special treasures like feathers or flowers. Through journaling, children can experience writing in a totally different way to school work. It can even develop into a deep love of writing.
Creative stimulation
Journaling is a great way for kids to practice their creative writing skills and develop their imagination. An imaginative mind helps when it comes to problem-solving, as imagination is what helps us to see solutions to problems.
Week 1
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a story about going on an adventure with your best friend.
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! What does it mean to be a good friend?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Write about two people you are thankful for.
Thursday: Let's get creative! Write a poem about your best friend.
Friday: Let's get personal! Do you like your first name? Does it fit your personality?
Week 2
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a story about someone who tells bad jokes
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! What does it mean to be part of a community?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! How can you give back to your community?
Thursday: Let's get creative! Imagine you designed a video game, what would it be called? What would it be like?
Friday: Let's get personal! Have you ever volunteered to help someone? What did you do? How did it make you feel?
Week 3
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a story about a family of superheroes
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! Would you ever change your name?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Write about something your parents do for you
Thursday: Let's get creative! Write a poem that doesn’t rhyme about your family
Friday: Let's get personal! Describe yourself without any physical descriptions
Week 4
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a story about someone overcoming a fear
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! How does it feel to miss someone or something?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! What is your favourite thing about yourself?
Thursday: Let's get creative! Think about a story you didn’t like much. How could you change it to make it better?
Friday: Let's get personal! What is your biggest fear?
Week 5
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a story about a kid who travels to a land made of ice-cream
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! If you could learn any language, which would you choose and why?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Write a letter thanking someone who has helped you recently.
Thursday: Let's get creative! Imagine that you are stuck inside a TV. What will you do? What shows would you visit?
Friday: Let's get personal! What is your favourite thing about living in your hometown?
Week 6
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a funny story about an alien abduction
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! Will we ever live on other planets? Why/why not?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Write about a memory that makes you happy
Thursday: Let's get creative! Write about what life would be like if you lived on the moon
Friday: Let's get personal! What are four things that other people might not know about you?
Week 7
Monday: Let's get creative! If it rained food, what would you want the forecast to look like?
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! What is the best kind of breakfast food?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished this week. How do you feel?
Thursday: Let's get creative! Design three crazy food combinations
Friday: Let's get personal! What’s your favourite food?
Week 8
Monday: Let's get creative! Write about what school would be like underwater
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! What does it mean to be successful?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Write about one of your strengths
Thursday: Let's get creative! Write a poem about school
Friday: Let's get personal! If you were a crayon what colour would you be? Why?
Week 9
Monday: Let's get creative! Write a story about your future self getting your dream job
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! How is the world different than it was 20yrs ago? What do you think will change in the next 20yrs?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Think about some privileges you have that others don’t How does that make you feel?
Thursday: Let's get creative! Write an alternate ending to your favourite book
Friday: Let's get personal! If you could build a dream house, what rooms would it have?
Week 10
Monday: Let's get creative! Your pet can talk! What do they say?
Tuesday: Let's get thinking! Would you rather be an animal or a toy?
Wednesday: Let's get grateful! Write about a person you respect
Thursday: Let's get creative! Write about what you would do if you had an invisible helper
Friday: Let's get personal! Where do you get your best ideas?