I love good kid’s travel journals. I’ve made them frequently for this site and other sites. I have printed general travel journals, know the importance of travel journaling, offer travel prompts, and link out to travel journals about specific destinations, too. The love is real. I think it’s time for a NEW travel journal for kids template because you can NEVER have enough. Plus, it’s free.
Like one of the first travel journals I ever made, this is what I refer to as a “one-page travel journal”. It’s a huge difference from the 26-page travel journal I offer on this site.
Travel Journal Supplies
In addition to the pdf (which will be available for download at the bottom of this post). I also suggest:
- A binder: Any that the kids like, keep it simple. I like these really affordable options from Amazon.
- Page protectors: For someone who’s as ambivalent about binders as I am, I have a lot of opinion on page protectors. This is a kid-created journal, a souvenir, and a memory holder. Make the page protectors high quality so they do a great job protecting. They’re also archival quality so they should last a while.
- Acid-free, heavyweight paper: No excuses, the pdf is free. Please use good quality paper for printing so it’ll stand the test of time. Thanks! 🙂
- Fun pens: One of the keys to well-behaved kids in certain situations (restaurants, tours, long travel days) is giving them something they don’t usually get. The fun pens aren’t only good for this journal, but also for them to draw and doodle with during the trip.
- Extra – On the go Photo Printer: Even in this digital age there’s nothing cooler than immediately printed photos. I love the HP Sprocket when I’m traveling with my kids and I think photos should be part of a travel journal.
Using this one-page travel journal for kids template
Now that you have the supplies, how will you use them? That’s the easy part.
- The .pdf at the end of this post includes a cover page and two pages of prompts. Print one cover page. Print the prompts on one page (front and back) or print on just one side and use the other side for additional doodling, trip pictures, or to attach the little things collected during the trip.
- Keep the binder at home.. It’s too cumbersome. Instead, get a nice strong folder and include the printed prompts in the folder. Put in an extra copy (or two) and some plain paper (again for the doodling, or attaching things collected from the trip).
- Don’t forget to pack the fun pens/markers and some kind of adhesive.
- There are 9 prompts on the two pages. Fill out a prompt or two each day or whenever there’s downtime, or wait until the end of the trip to do more. For longer trips, or for more expressive kids, you can print out a page per day, or per week, instead of just one for the trip’s duration.
- When you get home put the pages in the page protectors and into the binder. Add pictures between pages as needed.
- Flip through and look at it frequently.
- Do it again for the next trip.
Download the kids travel journal template now
All you have to do is click this link and it takes you right to the page. Download it or print it directly.
Here’s the link again: Kid’s Travel Journal Template
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