Journaling can be a very effective way to help your child learn how to sort out all of their big feelings. It can also be a safe place for kids to process their thoughts, ideas, fears, and dreams.
Does your child struggle to express their emotions? It can be tough for a young child to know what words to use to describe how they feel. Children of all ages can get so overwhelmed by their emotions they fall apart, act out, cry, throw tantrums, or just close down because they don't know how to explain their feelings.
As a parent, you want to be there for your child and help them communicate how they feel but knowing how to help them can be challenging.
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How To Help Your Child Grow During Challenging Times
Whether your child shows their emotions on the outside or keeps them hidden internally all children experience big emotions regularly that they might not know how to talk about or process on their own.
Their outward behavior tells you as the parent something is bugging them but they may be hesitant to open up and share their problems with you. And we know that nagging them to tell you what is wrong will get you nowhere!
For example:
- Your child failed a test or got a bad grade at school
- Someone at school might have said something mean to your child and it has been bugging them all-day
- Your child didn't get invited to a classmate's party and feels left out
- Their daily schedule changed without warning and the sudden change has overwhelmed them
- They didn't have enough time to
Journaling can be a very helpful tool for your child to help them deal with the tough stuff of life. The best part is that journaling is completely customizable and can be used for so many other reasons too.
Top 5 Best Types of Journals For Kids
I'm excited to share with you a variety of journals your child might like to try. Introducing journaling to your child might become a lifechanging activity they can do for the rest of their lives too.
#1 Emotions Journal
Sometimes a little prompting can help unlock those difficult-to-explain emotions your child is feeling. An emotions journal provides plenty of simple prompts to get your child thinking through how they feel so they can really focus on their communication. A private journal also allows your child to have a safe place to explore their feelings without feeling judged or ashamed.
How To Use A Kid's Emotions Journal
I recommend you give your child an emotions journal as a gift rather than requiring them to complete it like homework. Let their curiosity about an emotions journal lead the way. Encouraging them to set aside time every day to write in their emotions journal to establish a routine. An emotions journal with simple prompts, some space to doodle, a mood monitor, and blank areas to just write anything they want is what I would recommend.
I am excited to share with you this How Do I Feel - Emotions Journal for Kids, which I recently published on Amazon.
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This kid-friendly journal uses fun emojis to help your child identify how they are feeling. Additionally, your child will be asked to think about good things that happened each day, and what worries they have and to draw their own emoji to express their feelings.
Sometimes a child who is struggling to communicate just can find the right words to tell you how they feel. This journal provides a big list of "feelings & emotions" words that can help them pair words and feelings together.
This journal is geared towards children ages 6 - 13 but depending on your child's maturity level this age range is flexible.
Journaling is not just for adults! Kids can benefit from journaling too. Journaling provides an outlet and a safe place to express feelings, work through problems, and record memorable moments. I highly encourage you to get your child started with their first emotions journal today so they can reap the benefits from journaling.
#2 Gratitude Journal
Teaching your child gratitude is important. One way you can start teaching them about gratitude is to start a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal provides your child with a specific space to express thankfulness for what they have in life.
Kids seem to learn and enjoy things better when they are given creative prompts and writing ideas. A gratitude journal with prompts and space to express themselves is not only fun but really an intentional practice in thinking about others rather than focusing only on themselves.
Studies show that those who practice thinking about and writing what they are thankful for are more optimistic, have higher life satisfaction, and feel happier.
For younger children, using the journal to draw what/who they are grateful for works just as well as writing it out.
#3 Nature Journal
A nature journal encourages children of all ages to explore their outside environment which will foster a deeper appreciation of the world around them. Children are naturally curious which makes this type of journaling so much fun!
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Nature journals will:
- Sharpen your child's observation skills
- Encourage children to ask questions, seek answers, and dive deeper to explore the world around them.
- Provide a place to work on writing and art skills as they express themselves and what they observe in their journal.
- Appreciate the world around them as they connect with nature through their journal and being present at the moment.
#4 Prayer Journal
Teaching your child how to pray is so important. We all know how easy it is for them to get distracted which is why a prayer journal can be a helpful tool to keep them focused and grow in their prayer life.
Cultivating consistency, especially in your child's prayer life is essential. A prayer journal is a great tool to help you teach them what consistency is and how to be consistent in their prayer life.
Kids can also use their personal prayer journal to record prayer requests, praises, and answered prayers. It is just amazing to see in black and white the way God has worked in their lives that is why writing down prayer requests is so important.
A kid's prayer journal is also a great place for your child to write down Scripture verses that they are either memorizing or studying. We all know that writing something down, like a Bible verse, can help us memorize it much faster too.
#5 Travel Journal
Does your family love to travel? Whether you are trekking across the planet or just exploring a neighboring town, travel journals are a great way for your child to jot down their experiences and memories.
A travel journal adds an extra layer of fun to each trip your family takes because it allows your child to write down or draw the trip from their perspective. Most travel journals also let your child rate their overall experience so they can track where they liked to go and what places they didn't like as much.
Here is a great camping journal I know your kids will love!
Journals Aren't Just For Kids!
Of course, these types of journals are not limited to just kids! Adults of any age can benefit from journaling too. Here are a few types of journals you might be interested in starting:
- Medical journal
- Bullet Journal
- Budget / Finance journal
- Holiday journal
- Vacation & Travel Journal
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