Keeping a diary can help your kids manage their feelings, develop their writing skills and remember all their adventures.
Many schools tell parents to keep a travel diary if they plan to take the children on a holiday during school time.
Often the children will present news about their holidays with the diary when they return. A diary can help them put their thoughts together.
Writing a travel diary can help kids process what they have seen on their holiday. Picture: Shutterstock
Here are a few tips on how to incorporate a travel diary into your holiday.
- Pick a regular time for the kids to write. One of the best times is when you return to the hotel room at the end of the day. That way the adventures are fresh in their minds. It’s a nice way to wind down before bed.If you have early risers, you could get them to write when they wake up – so you can get a few more minutes snooze time. Or take the diary to the hotel breakfast buffet – then you can linger over coffee while they write.
- It helps if the kids have a set of questions to answer. A worksheet can prompt discussion. Otherwise, the travel diary can turn into a written version of the bland dinner table conversation: “What did you do today? Answer: Nothing”. Be specific. Try questions such as: What was something red you saw today?
- Bring a pencil case with coloured pencils. Kids love to draw. For little ones, who are just starting to write, this may be easier than writing a story. Primary school children often write a story then illustrate it in class. They will be used to this routine.
- Bring sticky tape or glue. Kids love to collect entrance tickets. They can stick them onto the pages.
- Give the kids an Instax or Polaroid Camera. They can take photos as you travel and stick them into the diary to show at school.
The kid’ photos from our trip to China. Picture: Alison Godfrey
- Bring the travel diary out when the kids are 18 or 21. They will love the memories of their adventures in their own words.
- You don’t have to go on holidays to keep a holiday diary. The school holidays are almost upon us. Even if you are having a staycation – get the kids to keep a diary to remember what they did each day and practice their writing. We know that the first writing task in the new term will be “What did you do on holiday?”
Family Travel has created two FREE travel diaries for you to download. One is for kids travelling to a holiday destination. The other is for kids staying at home these holidays.
Included in both are worksheets for the kids to fill out with specific questions they can answer such as “What was the best meal you ate on this trip?” and “What was noisy today?”. The diary also has plenty of space to draw and stick daily treasures. It will keep your budding travel writers entertained and it’s a great way to show teachers what they have learned overseas.
Family Travel’s free Travel Diary has been tested by kids. Picture: Family Travel
DOWNLOAD MY FREE HOLIDAY DIARY NOW
Inside the staycation travel diary, kids can complete scavenger hunts, draw their home and answer questions about where they would want to go for their next holiday.
The Family Travel staycation travel diary. Picture: Family Travel
Parents can use these answers to get the kids involved in planning travel.
Both these diaries are free to download. Just click the link, fill in your details and we will email the diary directly to you. Then all you need to do is print it out and let the kids get creative.
DOWNLOAD MY FREE STAYCATION DIARY NOW
READ MORE:
The best school holiday books for kids
A great multi-family cabin beach holiday
How to do a staycation these school holidays
Activities to the keep kids entertained at home
Travel allows you to get outside your bubble. It makes you realise there are other ways to do things, and that’s OK. Plus, I am a huge fan of skiing and for the best powder – you need to head overseas.