Journaling with your children

Begin keeping a journal when your children are very young, perhaps in kindergarten. Choose a journal that allows the both of you to record several years of their life. In helping your child to write about their life, you will promote a love of both reading and writing. Ask them to record how old they are, who their teacher is, who their friends are and what they are learning. Let them share all of their favorite things: food, animals, colors, etc. Make sure they write down what they want to be when they grow up as they will surely get a kick out of that when they are older. Let them trace their hand. Paste a class photo in the journal. Try to find a journal that includes pocket dividers so you can save special projects that they bring home. Keeping a journal with your child not only brings the two of you closer but it allows you to explore the world together.