Summer Journal Ideas for Kids That Make Writing Fun

Summer is full of big feelings, messy adventures, and unexpected quiet moments — and journaling is a great way for kids to hold onto all of it. Whether they’re writing, doodling, or glueing in bits from their day, it’s a space that’s entirely theirs. And the best part? It doesn’t need to feel like homework. With the right setup, journaling can become one of the most fun and personal parts of their summer.

This post shares a mix of fun and simple summer journal ideas for kids that make it easy to get started. Whether your child loves drawing, storytelling, or just collecting bits of their day, there’s something here for every kind of journaler.

Why Journaling Is Great for Kids in Summer

Journaling allows kids to pause and reflect — even if just for a few minutes. It encourages them to pay attention to their surroundings, express their feelings, and document their experiences in ways that feel natural to them.

It can also:

• Build confidence in their writing and imagination
• Provide a quiet activity during travel or downtime
• Offer a creative outlet that doesn’t involve screens
• Help process big emotions or changes in routine
• Give them something to look back on once summer is over

Unlike structured schoolwork, summer journaling is completely their own, giving kids a sense of ownership and freedom they don’t always get during term time.

Easy Ways to Set Up a Summer Journal

You don’t need anything fancy to get started. Part of the fun is letting kids make it their own from the start.

Try these simple setup ideas:

• Use a plain notebook, sketchbook, or fold-up paper and staple it into a booklet
• Let kids decorate the cover with stickers, drawings, or things they love
• Keep a pencil case or basket nearby with markers, coloured pencils, scissors, glue, and maybe even a few magazine scraps
• Add a few printed prompts or idea pages to help them get started on days when inspiration is low
• Reassure them that they don’t have to journal every day — it’s just there when they want it

You might even create a “journaling corner” with cushions or a little box of supplies to make it feel like a treat, not a task.

15 Summer Journal Ideas for Kids to Try

This list is designed to include a mix of drawing, writing, creativity, and memory-keeping — so there’s something for every kind of learner and mood:

1. Draw your dream summer day. What would you do? Who would you be with? Where would you go?
2. Make a weather tracker. Use stickers, symbols, or colours to show the weather each day for a week.
3. Create a summer snack review. Taste something new and give it a rating!
4. Write a letter to your future self. Imagine what you’ll want to remember from this summer.
5. Start a found objects page. Glue in leaves, wrappers, ticket stubs, or anything interesting you find.
6. Design your own ice cream flavour. Draw it, name it, and describe what it tastes like.
7. Make a memory map. Draw a place you visited and label your favourite parts.
8. Collect favourite words. Write down new or silly words you hear this summer.
9. Create a summer playlist page. List your favourite songs and what they remind you of.
10. Invent a holiday character. Like the Summer Fairy or Sandcastle Wizard. What do they do?
11. Keep a kindness log. Write or draw something kind you did or saw each day for a week.
12. Start a joke or riddle collection. Ask friends or family to add theirs, too!
13. Draw your summer outfits. From beachwear to pyjamas, get creative with the designs.
14. Make a gratitude page. Fill it with drawings or words for things that make you happy.
15. Document a day using only drawings. No words are needed — just pictures of what you did.

These summer journal ideas for kids are designed to be open-ended so they can take the lead or dip in when they need something to do.

Tips to Keep It Fun (and Not a Battle)

• Let kids choose which ideas to try or skip — this gives them a sense of control
• Mix writing with drawing, stickers, washi tape, or collage to keep it fresh
• Avoid correcting spelling or grammar unless they ask for help — the focus is on expression, not perfection
• Join in! Sometimes, journaling alongside your child helps it feel more like shared fun than a solo task
• Celebrate whatever they create — even if it’s one scribbled page in a week

Keep the energy low-pressure. Some kids will write for an hour; others will stick in a receipt and call it done. Both are wins.

Wrapping Up Summer Journal Ideas for Kids

Summer journaling doesn’t need a plan or a checklist — just a willingness to notice things and make a bit of space for them on the page. Give kids the freedom to follow their curiosity, and journaling becomes something they actually want to do — not something they feel they have to.

Whether they use words, drawings, collections, or all three, these summer journal ideas for kids help them slow down, notice what’s happening around them, and make sense of their own experiences.