Journal for Kids

Free printable journal for kids to encourage kids to reflect, practice their writing skills and start journaling

All About Me

We offer a free All About Me poster and journal (36 pages).

101 Journal Prompts for Kids

Here you will find 101 journal questions for kids to help them get started.

Printable Journal Pages

We offer free printable journal pages that are blank with lines or dot-grid background for those looking for a blank journal paper printable. We also offer pre-made printable journals (see below).

• Dot grid paper
• Lined paper

Daily Journal for Kids

Here is a printable template for a daily journal for kids. You can also find a daily journal template in the gratitude journal and the bullet journal section below.

Each of these journal templates is editable so your children can either type their entries or print and write by hand.

Gratitude Journal for Kids

Open Editable PDFAll 25 Pages

Bullet Journal for Kids

We offer many free printable bullet journal templates on this site. If you are not familiar with the Bullet Journal system, then I suggest you read about the Bullet Journal method and how it can help your kids. We do explain the setup step by step on this site, however, I would suggest that children start with a few printables before they set up the entire journal as per the BuJo method.

It should be noted that many of the bullet journal printables on the web (particularly those for kids) do not adhere to the method at all. Sometimes, it seems like anyone who makes a planner with some doodles or images calls it a bullet journal.

According to the official method, the entire journal should be handwritten and made from scratch. While this will work for many it will probably not work for kids. In my opinion, kids need a ready-made layout to which they can add their content. If they start from scratch, they might find it overwhelming and give up too soon. I do believe that there are benefits to journaling in your own handwriting, however, I think that this can still be obtained if you use a ready-made layout and fill in the content. We offer a wide selection of pre-made bullet journals. You can also find a free printable gratitude journal for kids above. The habit tracker journal can also be useful to get kids to develop good habits like limiting screen time, exercising, and eating healthy foods. Our free printable calendars can help kids schedule their weekly activities and plan their week. One of the important tools you can give your children is to teach them how to use their time effectively and how to organize themselves. For example, when they have an exam, you can teach them how to write it in their calendar and then schedule a few days to learn before the exam. If they have homework assignments, then they can schedule those too. They will learn how to utilize their time and ensure that they don’t make plans on the days that they were supposed to study because they forgot about the exam. This is a tool that will help them throughout life. One of the best tools we offer on this site is a free bullet journal app to create bullet journal printables customized for your children or students. This is the perfect tool to create a bullet journal for kids since you can select any template and customize it to your kid’s needs. For kids, you might want to simplify the layouts and add more doodles. They can color the doodles to make their journal more colorful and fun. You add each element with a click of your mouse. It couldn’t be easier!

If you are ready to get started, you might want to buy some supplies. You don’t really need to buy anything and you can print every page from this site for free and put them in an old binder. If you do want to buy some pens and notebooks then check out the best supplies. I bought and tried everything I recommend so that you don’t have to!

Benefits of Journaling for Kids

Here are the top reasons you should encourage your child to learn to write in a journal.

Children who begin reading and writing proficiently at an early age are much more likely to succeed in school. These skills aren’t always easy for every child, but thankfully, you can encourage your child to read and write more often by teaching them to write in their journal.

Don’t force your child to write or they won’t enjoy it. Some people write every day while others only do it once or twice a week. They may want to sketch or doodle one day instead of writing. And, that’s ok too.

Improving reading and writing skills

Being able to read and write well will help your child improve their communication skills. This is important in school but it’s also a skill that they will need as they get their first job and try to advance.

Communication skills aren’t something that you pick up by using them once or twice. Your child will need to practice. And, journaling is a wonderful way to encourage your child to use this skill.

The more they practice, the fewer mistakes they will make. And, over time, this will help them read and write more easily.

Making reading and writing enjoyable

Unlike schoolwork, journaling is something your child can do just for themselves. This is one of the most important benefits of journaling for kids. If your child sees these skills as work, they won’t want to do them. 

But, journaling can teach them that it’s fun to write and to express themselves. This in turn makes it more likely they will use these skills often in the future.

You never know, they may even become a future author or poet when they’re older.

Creative journaling for kids

A journal can include doodling, drawing, poetry, and writing. Your child may want to draw pictures, practice creative lettering, or respond to daily prompts.

This is a wonderful way to encourage your child to be creative. And, creativity leads to developing problem-solving skills.

Learning to express their thoughts

There are many different types of writing your child may enjoy. They might want to tell a story, write a poem, chronicle the day’s events, or express their thoughts and feelings.

Being able to express how you’re feeling can help children deal with emotional problems and frustrations rather than keeping them inside.

As they get older, they will learn to identify what caused these feelings and what the best way is to deal with them. 

Many therapists use journaling for kids as a way to express themselves.

Journals are keepsakes

Much like a diary,  this can become a treasure as they get older. They might want to read back to remind themselves of how far they’ve come.

This can also be a wonderful way for your child to understand how well they dealt with problems when they were younger. This may give them the self-confidence to deal with problems today.

Starting a journal for your child

When choosing a journal, be sure that you choose one that’s age-appropriate. You don’t want your child to be frustrated by looking at a blank page.

There are many journals that offer daily prompts. This can give kids a place to start if they’re not sure what to say. And, as they get older, they’ll be able to brainstorm topics on their own.

Or, they may want to try a nature journal to keep track of what they see outside. Your child may get started writing by jotting down thoughts about your latest vacation or what they do over the summer. 

All of these options are a wonderful way to see the benefits of journaling for kids.

Creative journaling for kids and parents

Why not write with your child? Children are more likely to do things that they see their parents doing. And, showing your child how enjoyable writing is can be a wonderful way to motivate them to try it on their own.

Make sure that your child understands that their writing is their own. It’s important that they be able to keep their diary secret if they want to. But, let them know that if they do want to share, you’d be glad to take the time to read what they’ve written.