Photo Friday: Journaling

Darya draws the scenery in her journal on one of our bus trips

One thing I am very glad to have done on this trip was to let the kids design their own journals. I'll write more about that soon, but the great thing was that since they "owned" the journals they were much more enthusiastic than usual about writing in them. Here's Darya sketching the scenery on our ride up to Glamis Castle.

Reader Question: Do your kids keep a journal when you travel? Do you?

What is Photo Friday?

• Post a travel photo on your site. It can be about any topic, as long as it is G-rated.
• The focus of the post should be on your photo.
• You don't need to be a professional photographer (I'm not), but do showcase your best work, and make it big enough to see well!
• It's nice to include a few sentences about the photo, but it is not required.
• Link back here so that your readers can see all the other great Photo Friday posts.

  Filed Under: travel-toys

  8 comments | Posted on May 2, 2013 | Save to del.icio.us
  
  

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  Comments

  1. Ann on May 2, 2013 at 11:11 p.m.
     

     Not yet. My son's two, my daughters 8 months. It's in my plans though. I do have my son draw on hotel stationary and keep that! It's not the same thing, though.

     I kept one travel journal for about 7 years that I would write in and read only when we were on vacation. It was great. I gave it up in 2011 when I decided it was to hard to manage that and travel with a baby. Then, after my daughter was born last year, I decided to go back to journal writing because it's the easiest way to remember things. I like travel prompts and plan to ask a series of questions to help remember their favorite things while on trips.

  2. andrea, passports and pushchairs on May 3, 2013 at 4:21 a.m.
     

     I did this growing up, and made photo albums after I got back. I still have them and love looking back on them. I have a personal blog that serves as our journal of trips, I need to get it printed out!

  3. Kate @ Wild Tales of... on May 3, 2013 at 9:40 a.m.
     

     I most definitely keep a journal so that I can keep track of what we've been up to, and not forget some of the more funny or unusual happenings that might get foggy when we return home. It's also a place to jot down possible sights, restaurants, shops, etc. that we see or read about, and want to get to...

     I can't wait until Bergen can keep a journal! Such a great way to get the kids involved in the travel process & a HUGE learning experience for them--great way to reflect on everything they see and get the wheels turning in their head. And then, what a special memory keeper!

  4. Sonja on May 3, 2013 at 10:37 a.m.
     

     Yes, my kids started keeping journals when we traveled when they were little, and I'm so grateful now because they love to look at and read them! My son did a lot of sketching in his journal back when and the pictures are so cute!

  5. Beth from Cloud Surfing Kids on May 3, 2013 at 7:48 p.m.
     

     Great idea! I really hadn't thought of doing this yet since Ella is just learning to write. But I wasn't thinking of her drawing pictures to journal. We are going to start this now also.

  6. Terumi on May 4, 2013 at 3:26 p.m.
     

     Hi Debbie! Curious about how old you started the kids on journals? I was thinking of maybe having them draw pictures on our next trip because they're really into 'making' books....

  7. Debbie on May 7, 2013 at 12:34 p.m.
     

     Terumi,

     We've given the kids notebooks to draw or write in since they were drawing age, but this is the first time I've really enforced a "write every day" journal. I think it helped that both kids were old enough to participate. Darya actually wanted to add to hers after our girl scout camp experience this weekend - such a lovely sign!

  8. Julio Moreno on May 8, 2013 at 5:54 a.m.
     

     I used to write a journal when I went on road trips. Maybe it was poor planning, but I found myself trying TOO hard to write something while my friend was driving and visa-versa.
     To me, taking pictures and video are enough of a distraction from actually enjoying the place, so I don't think I would do it again.