Journal Writing for Kids (48 Ideas!)

31 Journal Writing for Kids Prompts, Three Kids Journaling Ideas + 18 MORE Bonus Journaling Ideas— For kids who are growing up and learning to express their thoughts, regular journaling provides a safe and open environment for exploration. Journal keeping offers kids the chance to reflect on their lives closely—something that they might not stop to do otherwise.

When kids journal, they slow down a bit and think about the people, situations, and influences in their lives that impact them the most.

Writing is an outlet for our innermost thoughts and emotions—and through the process of journal writing, we can better understand where our feelings originate. Children who journal grow more comfortable with expressing their ideas and opinions, and they are more confident in their own identities.

Enjoy these brand new journaling prompts especially for young writers!

31 Fabulous Journaling Prompts and Ideas for Kids

1. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

2. Write about a person whom you’d like to be like someday. What is special about this person?

3. Who is someone whom you can always count on? How do you know you can trust this person?

4. If you were in the circus, what role would you have?

5. How would your teachers describe you?

6. Would you rather have a star or an island named after you? Why?

7. What is your favorite commercial? What do you like about it?

8. Write about a time when you helped a friend with something important.

9. What is the best kind of M&M’s? Peanut? Plain? Pretzel? Dark Chocolate? Why?

10. Do you consider yourself to be patient or excitable? Why?

11. Write about something that you believe.

12. Do you have any morning or evening routines? What do you do?

13. What are you most looking forward to about getting older? Why?

14. Do you want to go to college some day? Where do you think you’d like to go?

15. Do you think women today have equal rights to men? Why or why not?
Journal Writing Topics for Students

16. Write about the best smell you have ever experienced. What memories does it remind you of?

17. Do you enjoy journaling? Why or why not?

18. Which character from your favorite TV show are you the most like?

19. Why do think your friends like you?

20. Would you rather have lifetime happiness or meet the love of your life?

21. If you could have an unlimited supply of anything, what would it be?

22. Is it hard to keep old friends and new friends at the same time?

23. If you could give one piece of advice to your best friend, what would you tell them?

24. If you were the eighth dwarf in Snow White, who would you be? Why?

25. Would you rather get a pet dog or a new horse? Why?

26. Write a poem about your city.

27. What is your earliest memory?

28. What do you do when you’re frustrated with someone?

29. If you wrote a book, what would it be about?

30. What is your favorite thing about the summer?

Until next time, write on…

If you enjoyed these Journal Writing Prompts for Kids,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator

Three Kids Journaling Ideas + 18 Prompts—

Getting kids excited about journaling might seem like a daunting task, but with a little creativity, it can actually be an easy sell! Though some students might initially think that sitting and writing quietly sounds boring, they’ll quickly see that journaling has the power to be engaging, inspiring, and exciting.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of journal ideas for kids and a brand new set of writing prompts that will show them just how fun this activity can be!

Three Journaling Ideas for Kids

Journaling Kids Idea #1. Give Students the Chance to Personalize Their Journals

One of the best ways to get kids interested in journaling is to make sure they’re totally involved from the start. Instead of using boring, plain notebooks, ask each student to select his or her own unique journal.

Kids should choose journals that suit their personalities—whether that’s a notebook with a favorite character, a fancy-looking leather journal, or one that’s covered in sparkles and sequins!

It may sound too simple to be true, but an appealing-looking notebook that reflects a child’s personality will always be more inspiring when they sit down to journal than a plain-colored spiral notebook.

A few other ideas to consider:

For younger students, help them choose journals with lines that are wide enough to fit their handwriting. Kids will quickly get frustrated with the process of journaling if they feel like they don’t have enough room to write.
For artistic kids, consider journals with totally blank, unlined pages so that they have room to doodle alongside their writing.
Try not to put too many requirements on the journal in terms of page size or writing requirements. Though you’ll want to make sure kids are writing enough to fully participate in the activity, it’s best to keep things flexible to allow the most room for creativity to shine.

Kids Journaling Idea #2: Make Journaling a Fun, Artistic Activity for the Whole Class

Writing isn’t the only way for kids to express themselves through journaling—it can also be a fun, artistic outlet, too!

In addition to having kids choose their own journals, help them select fun tools to use for writing and decorating as well. Students will love using colorful pens, markers, and pencils to write in their journals—and they can use fun accessories like stickers, paints, and stencils to accompany their words.

You can also make journaling time extra fun by treating it more like an “activity” or “event” than just another assignment. Set aside a few designated journaling times each week where the classroom loosens up a little.

Here are a few fun ideas:

Let students move around the room and sit wherever they like, or take the class outside when the weather is nice!
Turn on some quiet background music and change up the lighting in the classroom to give the feeling of a new environment—and to help students develop an association with this creative block of time.
You could even try serving a fun, healthy snack for extra “brain power.”
Spend time writing in your own journal while the students write in theirs in order to show them that journaling isn’t just homework…it’s even fun for adults, too!

Journaling Kids Idea #3: Use Writing Prompts and Journal Ideas for Kids to Promote Inspiration

For many students, the hardest part of journaling is simply getting started. After all, a blank page can be intimidating even to an experienced writer!

If your students suffer from writer’s block, you can use journal prompts to guide them and focus their creativity. Prompts are an effective tool that give kids a starting point so they don’t spend ages staring listlessly at empty notebooks. Writing prompts can also be interpreted in so many different ways that each student will still come up with his or her own creative answer.

Furthermore, guided journal prompts offer kids a way to explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe, private space where no one will judge them. For young minds that are still learning who they are and where their creativity lies, this opportunity is truly invaluable!

Journaling for Kids Writing Prompts

Use these fun journal prompts for kids to kick off your class’s creative expression!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve ever learned? What makes it so fascinating to you?
Describe your perfect day from start to finish. Use as many details as possible… and then draw a picture to accompany your work!
If you could do one impossible thing, what would you choose? Why?
What is your greatest dream? Do you think you’ll ever achieve it? Why or why not?
What do you like to do when you want to celebrate a special occasion?
Write about one of your favorite memories with a friend. What made that day so special?
Think of several words that describe you. Write about (or illustrate!) each one.
What is something neat about you that not many people know? Do you think people would be surprised to learn this fact?
If you could make one law that everyone else would have to follow, what would it be? Why?
Where is your favorite place in the world? What do you like most about it?
Would you rather spend your weekend hanging out at home or out doing something with a friend? Why?
Write about a time when you met someone new and instantly wanted to know more about him or her.
Who is your greatest hero or role model? What about this person inspires you?
If someone wrote a story about your life, what would it be called? What would happen in the story?
Have you ever wished you were born in a different time period? Why or why not?
If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be? Why?
Which subject in school do you enjoy the most? Why do you like it?
Write about your favorite thing about yourself. Describe why you love having that quality.

Journaling is a powerful tool for kids of all ages—and it’s also a wonderful habit to instill early on, as the ability to reflect and explore one’s own ideas and feelings will serve kids throughout their entire lives.

These fun writing prompts and journal ideas for kids are a great way to help your students get excited about the prospect of journaling. Be sure to check out more great journal tips for kids, journal prompts, and other kids journaling articles available for free here on our site. You’re sure to find more fun journaling ideas for students—and maybe even a few for yourself, too!

Until next time, journal on…