Journaling is a creative activity that invites children to use their imagination, express their thoughts on paper, and practice important foundational literacy skills. There are many ways to incorporate journaling into an early learning curriculum, from writing and process art to drawing and scribbling. In this article, we explore journaling in early learning programs, including its learning benefits, ideas for getting started, and some tips for success.
Journaling with young learners can take a variety of forms. It might be a nature journal in which children regularly document their observations of wildlife in outdoor spaces, or a story journal where children write or draw fun memories from their day at school. Each child is given a journal notebook, in which that child’s thoughts and observations can be recorded, either in writing, or as drawings or other forms of artistic expression. Children are able to go to their personal journal on a regular basis, to add ideas or record new observations.
For young children, a journal entry might include scribbles and symbols to represent words, or a combination of drawings and letters or letter-like pencil marks. Children might ask their adult caregivers to help them “write” a word or the first letter of a word in their journal.
An article from Edutopia provides examples: “Our students’ level of readiness for journaling, particularly at the preschool level, may include simple scribbles and drawings or just a drawing. Some children may add a nondirectional wavy line or symbols for writing. Writings might appear as separate marks or letters. Other students may use inventive spelling, with a few pairings of letters, words, or even sentences. Regardless of its appearance, it’s important to understand that each child is sharing their own message.”
In early childhood, journaling supports social-emotional development, foundational fine-motor and writing skills, and familiarity with the use of words and pictures to tell a story.
Working with pen and paper, along with other art supplies, builds fine motor skills in the hands and fingers that help to prepare little ones for more precise pencil-holding and letter-writing. These skills will be important as children prepare for kindergarten.
Creative activities such as drawing and writing offer unique outlets for self-expression. These kinds of creative activities, by offering children a tool for processing feelings and reducing anxiety, can promote a calm classroom environment.
Journaling encourages children to reflect on past events and experiences. Each journal entry gives children practice translating their thoughts and interests into words and pictures.
The kind of journaling that you introduce to your classroom will depend on the age(s) of the children in your care, as well as their interests. Younger children, such as toddlers and young preschoolers, will do better with open-ended journals that focus on drawing, scribbling, and other expressive arts, while older children, such as preschoolers and children in pre-k, will benefit from incorporating more written expression.
An art journal provides young children with their own dedicated space for artistic expression. In these journals, children can draw pictures or use art materials to represent things that are important or meaningful to them.
Educators can offer inspiration with prompts, such as “let’s all draw pictures of our families today,” or they can simply provide art materials and invite children to make whatever comes to mind. A fun way to create variety with art journals is by regularly offering new materials for children to work with. For example, one day you might offer scraps of cut-up paper for children to glue and make a collage, or another day you might provide a variety of stickers and tape.
Reflection journals are a great way to strengthen children’s social-emotional skills by taking time to process things they have experienced and considering how they felt. These kinds of journals can also be easily tailored to the age of the children in your care by focusing more on drawing for emergent writers, or more written words for older children. Educators can provide simple prompts such as “draw a time you felt happy today,” or “let’s draw a picture of someone in our lives who makes us feel loved.”
Another way to expand on this activity is to print photos of an activity that the whole class participated in together and invite children to include the photos in their journal along with their reflection of what they liked or disliked about the activity.
Nature journals are a fun opportunity for children to connect with the world around them. In these journals, little ones can record observations (drawings of plants, weather, insects, etc.) of things they see outdoors that spark their interests. This kind of journaling is not only engaging for young children, it can help to create a sense of connection to nature and our planet. An article from Greater Good Science Center adds, “Nature journaling is a mindful practice that invites us to record what we see, feel, and wonder about the natural world…[It] offers kids the freedom to explore their relationship with the land in a way that reveals both who they are and where they are.”
To get started with nature journaling, invite the children in your care to go outside and spend some time documenting some of the special things they see in your outdoor space. When they come inside, talk about the different things that each child found!
While getting started with journaling doesn’t require too much set-up, it is helpful to plan ahead in order to set yourself and the children in your care up for success.
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