Back to School Journals For Kids

Back to School Journals

Heading back in to the classroom after a summer away can be exciting but also a little challenging for kids, parents and teachers. These back to school journals for kids and the ideas of ways to use them are intended to create a way to manage a little bit of stress and turn it into a way to communicate and self express. I love that a simple composition book can be turned into an adorable journal using some of the wonderful products I designed for Therm-O-Web including the acrylic stamps and the toner sheets. Let’s make a few.

Materials Needed for Back to School Journals for Kids

Therm-O-Web Acrylic Stamps (Kindness on Purpose AND/OR Me and My Peeps)
Toner Sheets from Therm-O-Web
Acrylic Stamp Blocks
Markers, Colored Pencils or Crayons
Easy Tear Tape from Therm-O-Web
Ribbon
Scissors

Directions to make Back to School Journals for Kids

The toner sheets are perfect for foiling with a heat laminator BUT they can also be colored with markers (or crayons and colored pencils). Water based markers work great so kids can use inexpensive ones. I actually used Tombow Dual Brush Markers (the brush end) to color mine.

Next, adhere the entire 6×6 sheet to the front of a composition book using easy tear tape. It is super strong and will remain durable as the journal gets used.

Stamping Steps

To create a scattertossed stamp design, load your stamps on to an acrylic block. Press the stamps into a black stamp pad. PRO TIP: Keep the acrylic block flat on the work table and press the stamp pad down on the stamps. Make sure it is archival if you plan to use water based markers for coloring later. Stamp the design on to a white piece of card stock measuring 4×4 inches.

The white stamped piece of cardstock can be adhered (using the Easy Tear Tape) directly to the composition book or first mounted on a piece of decorative card stock and then on to the book.

Once the stamped design is adhered to the book, it can be colored.

Next, add a ribbon through the spine of the journal and you are ready to start writing.

Back to School Ideas – Journals For Kids

Writing is a great form of self expression. For younger kids, read the prompt and allow them to doodle their responses. They make compostion books with unlined pages just for these younger kiddos.

Here is a list of 32 great ideas for back to school journal writing.

How do you feel when you are prepared for school in the morning?
Write about the subject you dislike the most.
Do you like the first day of school?
Write about your teacher?
What do you want to improve in this school year?
Do you like summertime or school time better? Why?
What would you do for the first day if you were the principal?
Write about the subject you like the most.
What fun things did you do over the summer?
How do you spend your time during recess?
Which special is your favorite each week?
What are the qualities of a good partner for a project?
Where would you like to go on a field trip this year?
Why do you think kids should have to go to school?
What is the best grade to be in at school?
How does it feel to see your friends after summertime?
What are your feelings about homework?
If you could get from home to school any way at all, how would you travel?
What things about school make you happy?
How does your family celebrate back to school time?
What are your goals for this school year?
How would you like to go to a new school?
What are you most anxious about this school year?
How can you be a better student?
Is it important to have friends in your classroom?
What are the most important school supplies?
Tell about your biggest success in school last year?
What do you do after school each day?
List the things that make a teacher a good one?
What is the worst thing about school?
List all of the things you love about your school.
Write about what it might be like to be a kid in school in the future.

Everyday Ideas – Journals For Kids

Here are 20 more ideas for journaling.

Write about a time that was really super fun.
Write a story using 5 words that someone else give you. (Like turtle, space, freezing, stamp and motorcycle)
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Make up and write about your own summer camp.
Write about a new invention for traveling.
Make up funny recipes.
Make lists of random things like colors, animals, cities, etc.
Write about someone you admire and explain why.
If there is life on other planets, what is it like?
How would your friends describe you? How do you describe yourself?
Would you rather have a star or an island named after you? Why?
What animals are you most like? What about your friends?
Write about something that you believe in very strongly.
Which character from your favorite TV show are you the most like?
If you were going to a desert island, who would you take and why?
Is it hard to keep old friends and new friends at the same time?
Would you rather visit the ocean or the mountains? Why?
Write a poem.
If you created a video game, what would it be about?
What is your favorite thing about your family?