Creative Journaling for Girls

Your child starts a journal with great newscalibre, has all the

intentions in the world of keeping at it, and, months later,

you find the journal laying on her bookshelf covered in dust.

Sound familiar? Creative Journaling makes the journal

writing process more enjoyable, fun and creative and can

help you overcome some of the barriers that may be

keeping your child from consistent--maybe even

daily--journaling.

I believe that the number one barrier to regular journaling by

kids is their preconceived notion of how to journal. When

presenting workshops on Creative Journaling for Girls, I

often begin by asking the participants to describe to me

what comes to mind when they envision themselves writing

in a journal. The typical and common response I receive to

my question goes something like this, "I sit and write about

what happened to me that day." Although this is an apt

description of journal writing, it does not sound particularly

fun or enjoyable. Which is why, I believe, so many diaries

and journals languish on bookshelves and what, in my

opinion, stops a child from choosing journal writing as a

regular and consistent activity.

Integrating creativity with journal writing can transform

journaling from a mundane activity to a wildly enjoyable and

fun one. The preconceived notion of journaling held by most

girls is strong, however, and initially they hesitate when

encouraged to get creative with their journals. But once it

clicks with them that they can freely express their thoughts

using both words and creativity their eyes light up! I have

really hooked girls' interest in creative journaling when I

offer them spangles, foam cut-outs, colorful feathers and

glue to further embellish their journals. It's not long before

they are laughing, giggling, creating, and journal writing, and

what a glorious site it is. Huge smiles emerge on their

faces and their eyes sparkle and shine with joy as they

enjoy their creative journaling experience.

To help guide you and your child down the path of creative

journaling I've listed some tips below. Try them out, add

your own, or make up new ones and remember that there

are infinite ways for you and your child to dress up a journal

and integrate creative expression into your journals.

Creative Journaling Tips:

1. Journal Share - Make the journal experience interactive

rather than secretive and solitary. Take a new approach to

journal writing and declare that dairies are for secrets and

journals are now for celebrating and sharing. This will allow

you to play an active part in helping your child to complete

her journal.

2. Brighten Journals with Color - Toss those pens and

pencils aside and use markers, crayons and colored

pencils instead. You will be amazed at how beautiful and

joyful a journal becomes simply by adding color!

3. Summarize. Summarize. Summarize - There is no need

to write page after page in a journal. A few words that

summarize a day, or how you feel, or a few bulleted points

that highlight the day's events is sufficient. Keep it short and

simple and to the point by writing less than 10, 20 or 30

words, depending on your time constraints.

4. Write One Word - If you and your child have had a long

day and do not have much time or energy left over for journal

writing, simply choose one word that encapsulates the day

and write that word across the entire page in big bold

letters. Upon review at a later date you will be surprised

how much can be recalled from this single word!

5. Make It Sparkle and Shine - Use stickers, spangles, glue,

magazine cutouts, craft supplies (or craft leftovers from

Mom's craft drawers). Get creative but keep it simple; this

need not be a major production.

6. No Such Thing as Right or Wrong - Lastly, and most

importantly, emphasize that there are no right or wrong

answers while journaling. Journal writing should be

freeing, not limiting, so give your child permission to break

the rules she is required to follow in school (spelling,

grammar...) so that she may fully and creatively express

herself.

When journal writing becomes a creative adventure full of

choices and options journals cease to languish on

bookshelves and girls discover a positive and powerful tool

of self-expression. Moreover, the completed creative

journals become cherished keepsakes that can be used as

tools of growth and reflection or as records of achievement

and change. Keep it simple, get creative, but most of all

remember to make the journal writing process enjoyable

and fun for you and your child!