Travel Journal Writing Prompts for kids – Free Download!
This is my 49th post!
In celebration, I want to share 49 travel journal prompts for kids to use on your vacations.
Before leaving:
- What do you think the place will be like?
- What do you think the people will be like?
- What are you looking forward to the most?
- What do you know about where we’ll be visiting? (It’s history, climate, language)
- What’s your itinerary?
- How do you say:
- Hello
- Good-bye
- Thank you
- Please
- Excuse me
- Do you speak English?
First Impressions:
- What are the popular sites that you keep hearing about?
- What is the landscape like?
- How is this different from home?
- How is it the same as home?
- What is the history of this place? Is it older or younger? How does the architecture give you the feeling of that history?
- Is it crowded?
Thoughts about a specific attractions/events/sites:
- Were there a lot of lines, what were they like?
- What do you think makes this place special?
- If your best friend was going to visit this city, would you recommend this attraction, event, site… why?
- Do you have something similar to this where you live? If not, what do you think is the closest thing to this site?
- What did you learn about this site?
- Draw it.
Everyday things:
- What was the weather like? What did you have to do to prepare for the weather?
- Have you tried speaking the local language? What have you said? How do people respond?
- What kind of money is used here? What’s the exchange rate?
- Have you watched any television? What types of things have you seen on the commercials?
- What songs do you hear a lot (whether out and about or on your own mix that you brought with you)?
- Did you go to a playground? What equipment was different from back home?
- What did you wear today?
- Did you get any blisters?
Food:
- What did you eat for breakfast?
- What did you eat for lunch? How much did it cost?
- What is something on the menu that you’ve never seen before?
- What is something on the menu that is similar to back home?
- Have you visited a grocery store or farmer’s market? What did you think about the food selections? What was in season?
Public Transportation
- How do you use the public transportation here? (Where do you buy the tickets, where do you validate the tickets, do you like to look up timetables?)
- Do you like the public transportation here?
Things to do while out and about:
- Draw what’s in front of you right now.
- Draw something you saw earlier today.
- Write down street signs.
- Keep a list of words you think are funny.
- Count the number of people who walk past you while you are sitting at this spot for exactly one minute and write it down.
- Borrow a camera for a few minutes, take a picture of: what’s above you, what’s below you, what’s in front of you, what’s behind you, what’s to the left, what’s to the right, and a self-portrait. Write down what you saw.
- Circle all the places on the map that you have visited.
- Send yourself a postcard.
- Write a haiku about something you’re doing right – now!
- Find a sticker or a small brochure and put it in your journal.
Last Impressions:
- How was this place like what you expected it to be?
- What things surprised you here?
- What do you want to do if you return?
Questions for the whole family: (I like to do these after a trip to get everyone’s feelings and keep a record of it in my travel journal.)
- What was your favorite meal and drink?
- What was one of the funniest moments on the trip?
- What was your favorite thing to do?
Download the list of prompts here.
These are great prompts for every day journal writing as well! Thank you for posting these and congratulations on your 49 posts!
Thank you! I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m often better at coming up with prompts than responding to them.
Great topics! I have never been one to journal person I just like to blog about my experiences
Blogging is definitely the popular way to remember things.
Such a great comprehensive list! I can’t wait til my daughter is a little older and can use more of these. She already draws pictures for similar topics.
They can be conversation pieces as well as journal prompts. And drawing pictures is a great start!
I love the travel journal for kids! I think that memories written in their own voice will be the most powerful trigger for them as they get older. I am printing out this page as a guide as to what to write about. Thanks!
I agree. Let me know how it goes.
There are so many small details that we wish to recollect but we forget from vacations! These are really good points to note down so we can keep it in journal form!
For me it’s about the small details and the feelings a place gives you. I hate to forget them and I know young kids are definitely going to. It’s ok that they do, but it’s cool to see what little minds are thinking on their travels.
There are great ideas. I’ve been trying to get my oldest to do more writing by keeping a summer journal. I think these prompts will work for that too.
Thanks Colleen! I think they can be used for different things and I hope it helps your oldest write more.
We’re traveling to Canada for the winter so these will come in handy. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I hope you get a chance to use them!
Very, very good! I might morph this though. Since I STINK at keeping things written down together- I might do a video journal and upload it to Youtube. Use these questions and go from there. I need something that all 3 can do and share together, you know?
I LOVE your idea! Especially since they’re younger kids. I have to remember to get my kids’ reactions to sites on video, then set it to music.
These are fantastic prompts! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for visiting!
These are fantastic prompts!
I found your log through Peas.
Have a great day!
Thanks, Jen!
Love the prompts. I try to get my kids to journal. My son has one, but Im not sure if he writes in it. : )