No matter how old you are, having a journal practice can be a really wonderful part of self-care. Journalling allows us to reflect on our day, process our feelings, work through emotions, and practice gratitude—all of which contribute to emotional well-being and self-awareness.
And children can experience all of these benefits from journalling too! This journal template takes the pressure off that a blank page can have and allows kids to reflect within a framework. It’s simple, straightforward, and only takes 5 or 10 minutes to do, which can be really helpful when beginning a journalling practice. Plus, it doesn’t have to be expensive when you make your own! Here’s how to make your own daily reflection journal for your child.
Journal supplies:
- Several copies of my printable journal template, printed double-sided
- A piece of cardstock slightly larger than the journal pages, to serve as a cover
- A sturdy sewing needle
- Some embroidery thread
Put it together:
- Fold your cardstock cover in half.
- Do the same with your stack of printable pages.
- Place the pages inside the card stock cover and line up the folds.
- Use the sewing needle and embroidery thread to bind the journal. Adding just a couple pages at a time makes getting the needle through the paper easier.
- Secure your embroidery thread with a tight double knot.
And that’s it… Your kiddos are ready to journal! How you do it is up to you, but it’s often nice to sit down for just a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect, while the day’s happenings are still fresh in mind. Older children will most likely be able to complete their daily reflection on their own, while younger ones will probably need support, if not a scribe to jot down their ideas for them.
Journalling can help kids with their:
- Self-awareness
- Confidence
- Resilience
- Gratitude
- Empathy
- Self-love
Tips for journalling with kids:
- It may be helpful to begin a journalling session by chatting about the day together first.
- Make the process a practice in self-care rather than an additional homework task. You want them to enjoy the process and want to journal again next time!
- Focus on ideas rather than perfect spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Those things can be taught and corrected another time.
- Accept your child’s reflections and ideas as they are. These are their feelings and thoughts after all.
Download printable Daily Reflection Journal template
Jen Kossowan is a kindergarten and grade one teacher and mama of two gorgeous kiddos. She’s passionate about play, loves a good DIY project, and can most often be found in her kitchen whipping up recipes that taste delicious while meeting her crunchy mama criteria. She started Mama.Papa.Bubba. on a whim in 2010 while living in the Middle East and has been sharing her recipes and activities there ever since.
