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As adults, we have become increasingly aware of the benefits of journaling and the different ways we can partake in this mindfulness activity. After the Covid-19 lockdown, it became even more popular as a way to express our emotions, to track our moods, to write about our days or even to ignite a creative outlet.
We believe that this has not been encouraged within the younger generation, specific children in the way that it should and could be. Journaling can be an incredibly beneficial hobby for children and can assist in teaching them so much; from writing skills to communicating their feelings in a healthy way. If you’re stuck on how to introduce them to journaling, we have some great ways you can get your children started!
1. No rules!
Make sure you keep this activity light and fun. Be careful not to be too overly conscious of their handwriting, spelling and grammar otherwise, this can quickly become an activity that they associate with a lot of pressure to be perfect and restrictions. Remember, this shouldn’t feel like homework, it should feel freeing and that the sky is their limit!
2. Keep things simple:
Although prompts are a great way to encourage them in the right direction, overloading them with information and causing them to over-analyse too early on can make journaling feel quite daunting. Instead, stick with simpler prompts such as talking about themselves e.g. their favourite things, colours, their friends and family, making to-do lists. This way, journaling feels much more approachable and encourages them to stick with it and most importantly, look forward to journaling.
3. Let them choose:
It’s so much easier to ignite pride in their journaling and excitement to get started when they have made the big decisions. Make a day of the start of their journaling journey by taking them out to choose their own diary/book and pick out some fun, new stationery!
4. Pinkie Promise Privacy:
To encourage them to use this as a completely freeing and creative outlet, there needs to be an appropriate level of privacy for your children. Depending on their age and circumstances of course, their journal needs to feel like a safe space for them to express themselves without any fear of judgement. This outlet will help develop communication skills and the ability to be aware of their feelings. This of course, will be invaluable to them in later life.
5. Get involved:
Don’t miss the opportunity for this to be an incredible bonding moment for you and your little ones! There’s no better way for children to learn than from you leading by example, so why not take the opportunity for you to share the journey towards mindfulness with them? This is a great way for you to share in their experience firsthand and implement new skills you have both learnt in your day to day lives.
6. Make the time:
Like anything new, it is more likely you will stick to something by making specific, designated time for your new activity. Children benefit hugely from routine and will look forward to this quiet, creative time each week, which will hopefully, lead to them initiating time to journal themselves.
7. Encouraging emotions:
If possible, center this time around being emotionally expressive and learning helpful and positive ways to channel their feelings. This could be a great theme to incorporate into their journaling. For example, daily feelings charts, drawings to depict their day or creative stories are all great ways to encourage self-expression.
8. Mindfulness memory collector:
One of my favourite uses for a journal is to document special memories or holidays. This is a really lovely and relaxed way to introduce your children to journaling. This could include them writing a few lines about their day, their favourite activities, what they ate, what they saw. It also encourages them to be more mindful and in the moment during their holiday or special occasion and reflect on their time whilst still in the moment. You could also encourage them to collect special memory pieces such as shells, tickets, stamps and photographs!
By referring to some, or even all of these helpful tips to introduce your children to journaling, you will set the way for them towards becoming more mindful, expressive and open individuals. You never know, you could ignite or discover a child’s full creative potential and talent that they themselves didn’t even know they had – they really could change the world with their own hands one day!
