Journaling with Children

Making a journal with a child is fun for both the adult and child, preserves precious information about what is important to the child, and helps them learn to read and write as well as forming a great journaling habit they will have in the future.  My own love of writing probably began with my kindergarten teacher who took individual time with each student to write little captions under the pictures we drew, and helped and encouraged us in making little story books.

Several years ago, IBM had a program called Writing to Read which fostered the idea that when children experience their own words in writing, it makes reading easier for them. This is because it uses their own vocabulary, and also develops a deep connection between the written and spoken word for them. They really understand that words on the paper come from people, and that putting words on paper is a powerful way to communicate. Seeing their own words on paper can also help children build self-esteem.  Although transcribing what children say onto paper doesn't have to be done in a book, making a book about themselves is a lot of fun for children and creates a more permanent record.

Materials

Art stores and Craft stores often carry art journals, which are bound books which may contain either sketch paper or watercolor paper. They come in both regular hardback bindings or spiral bindings. The covers of these books are often black, and can be decorated with metalic markers or gel pens. Although they are a little more expensive, they make an excellent medium for the child to work with, and wonderful books to keep. Locking diaries can also be fun for children, but be sure to keep a copy of the key in a safe place where it won't get lost.

Less expensive books can be found at bookstores, department stores or even grocery stores. These come in both lined and unlined varieties. I prefer the unlined paper for young children because it is better for artwork. Lined paper for older children can help them write more easily as long as the lines are appropriately wide for their age and abilities, but even older children may appreciate adding visuals to unlined paper. Binders (with or without page protectors) also make a great way to gather children's artwork and writing into memory books.

Have a variety of art materials for the children to work with. This would include pens and pencils, along with your choice of materials such as crayons, watercolors, markers (usually best to only use one side of the paper if you are using watercolors or markers). Old magazines for children to cut pictures out of, photographs of the child, and glue and tape also provide great resources. Journals and age appropriate art supplies make great gifts for children.

Print shops provide ways to copy journals to send to grandparents or other interested friends and family member. They also have equipment to bind loose pages together in comb binds or spiral bindings. There are also companies that can provide hard bindings for books, although they are more expensive, and usually cater to the mass school projects. Creating a family calendar is also a fun project with children. Most print shops have calendars available to plug your own pictures into, but even making the calendar pages can be a fun learning experience with children if you feel comfortable with the technology to create them.

Picture Journals with Dictation

When my girls were small, we spent many happy hours together while they drew pictures in their journals, and I helped them write brief captions underneath these pictures. We called their first books "Heather Book" and "Hannah Book." Later making up a name and decorating the cover became part of the fun. One of the great things about these books was that it preserved a record of their growing abilities. Two of my brothers have taught art (one still teaching), and they explained to me the different stages children go through as they begin to comprehend faces and bodies, and represent these artistically.  This development was very clear in the pictures the kids drew. It was also interesting that one of my daughters gravitated towards written journals as she got older, while the other daughter continued to enjoy art journals. I believe this practice helped to develop confidence in both my girls in expressing themselves both in art and writing.

Collages, Scrapbooks, and Photo Essays

Collages are a fun way to add visual interest to a journal and to prompt writing ideas. Cutting and pasting pictures together out of magazines can help children develop ideas for a story and connect with written words. It is also a great technique for adults or children who are less comfortable with art techniques. Remember that collages don't need to be limited to cutting out pictures from somewhere else, but can be a combination of the child's own art along with found items or memorabilia. There are lots of fun materials available at arts and crafts stores for creating great scrapbook pages. Small, flat items, such as buttons, yarn, or foam cutouts can also be fun to add to pages.

A photograph provides an instant prompt for a child to talk about or write about as well as a great illustration for their story. Photo essays are groups of photos that go together to illustrate a process or an event. Help your child illustrate and write about a special day using photographs, or take a set of pictures specifically to illustrate something you are working on together or a concept you are learning about. Good examples would be a day creating in the kitchen together, or a nature walk with photos of some of the great finds you made. As children get old enough, you could also encourage them to take their own pictures. This is getting ever cheaper and easier with digital cameras and computers.

Collecting the Best Schoolwork

Creating a binder full of the school work that best expresses who child is and what he or she has learned during the year is a great way to create a journal record together of the child's growth and development. With twelve years of school, you can afford to be a bit picky about what you add to the journal or cull them out a bit later as the material accumulates. Many middle schools and high schools assign students to create portfolios of their work, but this is also a great activity for elementary and preschool aged children as well, and encourages them to take pride in their work as they see that adults in their lives value what they are doing.

Final Tips


The words journal and diary both refer to the idea of a daily record. Although it isn't necessary to journal everyday, it is important to develop a regular schedule or habit to keep the journal going. Just as children are encouraged to read for at least twenty minutes a day, taking regular time to write and express themselves artistically will help their abilities to grow.

Young children love to take time to share their journal with others. Going back over the past entries can be very fun. As children get older, they often become more private about their entries, but sharing selected thoughts and feelings from a journal can still be a great way to share together. The best way to model sharing journals is to share things from your own journal. There are also many excellent examples of books written in journal style such as James Herriot's books or The Diary of Ann Frank. Add a few of these to your reading list. Finally, as children do get more private about their journals, it is important to respect these boundaries so that you don't put them off and cause them to stop journaling.

I have found that one of the best ways to avoid writer's block is to keep an idea list going. In the back of the journal, I usually keep a running list of ideas about things to write about, and brainstorm from time to time to add to this list. A few ideas to get you started might be holidays (be specific) and family traditions, things that the child is interested in (animals, transportation, jobs, etc), responses to books you are reading, family outings, friends, or favorite things to do. Above all, be creative and let this become your own journey with your child.