How to Get Kids Excited About Journaling

If you have kids who are able to write basic sentences, they are old enough to start 
writing in a journal. But are you concerned that they won’t be interested in it? It can be a 
new medium for kids who might have grown up using tech, but is so worth it. Here are 
some easy ways to get your kids excited for journaling.


Let Them Choose Their Own Materials

You want your kids to WANT to write in their journal? Let them choose what they use! 
This makes such a drastic difference in children’s attitude about journaling. It takes 
journaling from something they feel like they have to do, and makes it something they 
enjoy doing. 

This doesn’t just mean the journal itself, though that is a great place to start. It also 
includes any other supplies you decide to get for them. This might be different colored 
pens, colored pencils and crayons, stencils, stickers, and stamps. Bring your kids to the 
craft store to let them pick out their own supplies.


Use the Rewards System

In the beginning, your kids might not yet be super excited about journaling, but that’s ok! 
/you can give them a little extra encouragement by using some type of rewards system. 
This might be a chart in their room where you put a star for each day they use their 
journal, then give them rewards for a number of stars in a row, or you can increase their 
allowance for writing in their journal. The rewards don’t matter as much as the 
consistency.


Find Fun and Creative Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are optional, but they do help when your kids aren’t really sure what 
they should be writing about. Be sure to select writing prompts appropriate for your 
child’s age, as a prompt for a 12 year old isn’t going to be easy for a 6-year old to make 
sense of. You will find a wide range of them online, or you can create some of your own 
by tweaking the ones you find that others have written.


Set Up Their Writing Space

Try to have a designated area in your home where kids know they can go to for quiet, 
private journaling. This helps in a few different ways. First, it gives your kids a reason to 
use this space, where they start recognizing it as part of their journaling routine. It can 
also be a quiet space for your kids to pay attention to their journaling practice without 
distractions.


