Keep a Summer Journal for Kids

Summer vacation has officially begun.
The last day of school was Friday, and it’s already almost 100 degrees outside.
While I am totally okay letting them watch a few movies, and playing video games, I don’t want their cute little minds going totally mush over the summer break. Which is why each of my older four kiddos will be keeping a summer journal.

We went to the store and bought four spiral notebooks as their journals. The cashier asked me why I was buying notebooks on the day school was out. I ignored her comment, but did realize how funny it must have looked.

Here’s how our Summer Journals work.
At the beginning of each week, I will give them each four assignments. They have all week to complete them, and at the end of the week, there will be an incentive award. A trip to get ice cream, an outing to the dollar store, etc.

Each journal assignment is age appropriate. To keep them interested, I keep the assignments focused on each child’s particular interests. If we have an event or trip coming, I may focus the assignments around that. They are not all writing assignments. Sometimes I will have them draw, paint, sing, or act, and then record it into their journals.
I try to switch it up to keep it fun and interesting, or else the kids will not want to do them at all.

Each Monday, I’m going to share on my blog the questions I assigned them in each of their journals. If you’d like your kids to follow along, you can just use my assignments if you’d like. You may have to tweak them a little to fit your own childs needs.

Week One:

High School
 (she will be turning 14 this week, so I’m focusing a little on that)

1. Write a story about a 14 year old living in 1812, who is about to celebrate their birthday. 
2. Draw or find pictures of the attire teenagers would have worn in 1812.
3. Pick a country and list some facts about life in 1812. For example, was the country in a time of peace or war? Was there a royal family? 
4. Write a letter from the 14 year old character in your original story to you today. 

 Middle School

1. Imagine you live on another planet, and school just got out for the summer. Wriet a story about how you’ll enjoy it. 
2. Draw a comic strip to go with your story.
3. Research another planet. What interesting facts have we learned about it already? What would be the coolest thing that could still be discovered about it?
4. Write a funny play about aliens and perform it. Include any of your family members if you’d like.

Upper Elementary

1. Imagine you live under the sea. Write a story about a normal day for a kid who lives under the sea. 
2. Draw a picture to go with your story. 
3. Pick a real type of fish and research it. Where are they found? What do they eat? Do people eat them? What are their natural predators? Include a picture.
4. Write a song about the ocean that you can teach your little brothers. 

Kindergarten

1. Draw a picture of yourself doing something fun this summer, and color it
2. Find a book to read and practice writing a few words from the story
3. Find pictures in a magazine of fun summer activities, and glue them on a page
4. Make up a game to play inside when it’s too hot outside