Creative Journals To Inspire Growing Readers
by Melissa Taylor
Grab your pencils and pens! These enticing journals spark creativity and develop self-awareness in children. While a few are blank, most include prompts for writing and drawing, including those with beloved book characters. Which will motivate your child to capture their dreams, secrets, memories, and personality on paper?
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Me: A Compendium
Available from:Designed with bold colors and graphics, these drawing and fill-in writing prompts work for even the youngest of writers to record their favorite things, dreams, and personal details. What makes this journal so special is that it becomes a precious keepsake, revealing a snapshot of your child’s likes and dislikes, interests and passions, from a specific moment in time.
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I Am . . .
Available from:Based on Brad Meltzer’s popular Ordinary People Change the World book series, this journal lets your child be the starring character. First, they’ll draw a self-portrait on the cover. Then, they’ll read and follow the writing prompts interspersed within the iconic cartoon illustrations by Chris Eliopoulos. The questions guide kids to discover and reflect upon their own hero qualities. Kids will ponder things like, “Who are your heroes? What are their traits? How about your own heroic traits and dreams? What are kind things that you do?”
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My Magic Tree House Journal
Budding scientists read, learn, and write in this colorful science journal from the creator of The Magic Tree House book series. First up are Jack and Annie’s observations about their environment, including photographs and interesting facts. Following that, children are asked to document their world, town, and backyard, too. What new treasures might they discover? Including nature hike observations and seasonal scavenger hunts, it’s a truly unique journal.
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Top-Secret, Personal Beeswax: A Journal
Available from:Here’s a great reading, writing, and drawing journal for fans of Junie B. Jones. Junie fills in some pages, then asks the reader to do the same. Kids get to know Junie and themselves as they read Junie’s entries and write their own. Prompts ask writers to share all about who they are right now — what they look like, who’s in their family, and things they would change if they were the boss in their family.
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Bookworm Journal
Available from:This clever book log is a great way to encourage kids to read more. Every time you and your child finish a story, fill out a journal entry with the book's title, author, and rating. Then, tear off the perforated corner of each page to see the bookworm “eat” his way through the journal. It also has activity pages, complete with mazes, coloring sheets, and even places to list new vocabulary words. A must-have for any book-loving kid!
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My First Gratitude Journal
Available from:Just as you teach your kids to read and write, so can you teach them to have gratitude. Through the use of simple writing and drawing prompts, My First Gratitude Journal can help kids give thanks for everything good in their lives. Developing this habit can help increase happiness, improve self-esteem, and lower stress levels while the journal provides a sweet keepsake for kids and parents to look back on in the years to come.
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Q&A a Day for Kids
Available from:This fun little journal is packed with 365 questions for you and your child to answer. Ranging from "What game do you like to play?" to "What makes you feel brave?" these questions are simple, easy to answer, and really just a great way to start engaging and meaningful conversations with your kids. Our favorite part? Once you finish all the questions, you go right back to the beginning and start again for another year.
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Keep out! A Nostalgic 90s Diary with Smiley Face Charm and Stickers
Available from:Young writers will love this cheerfully designed hardbound notebook filled with blank pages with colorful borders of daisies, rainbows, pizza, lava lamps, and Magic 8 Balls reminiscent of the 90s. Use the pages to ponder life, share secrets, plan ahead, and write the big events of the day. This journal includes a smiley face charm-ribbon bookmark and two pages of stickers.
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Oh, the Places I’ve Been! Journal
This hardcover journal is bursting with inspirational quotes. Most pages have a muted Dr. Seuss illustration as a background image along with playful silhouettes of Seussian characters. Both blank and lined pages give writers a space for their musings about life. What places have they been and where are they going? It’s time for some fun self-reflection.
