Best Journals for Kids of 2023

This set of “Wreck This Journal” volumes is an excellent introduction to journals for kids of all ages.

Each page has an instruction or activity from the basic “Draw a picture of how you feel” to the more unusual “Color this page and take the journal into the shower.”

Specifically designed to be wrecked, volume one was the first of the new style interactive journals that are incredibly popular today.

Once I got past the discomfort of our child destroying the book, I appreciated how it encouraged her to explore her creativity.

The 100-plus pages of this journal each have a space for the date at the top of the page. Some pages then have space to record daily temperature and weather observations, to draw pictures, or to write about the day’s discoveries.

There is also plenty of space to stick samples to the pages. Since each page has lots of room, this is an excellent choice for those under 10.

We loved the unusual writing prompts in this journal. Alongside the “What would you be famous for?” type of questions, there are others such as “How would you introduce a new color to the world?”

With three prompts on each page, your child won’t be overwhelmed by lots of blank space.

Excellent for reluctant writers, for inspiring creativity, and getting past writer’s block, this is a great pick for children of 8 years and up.

Not included in the four-volume pack mentioned above, the latest edition of Wreck This Journal doesn’t disappoint.

Having enjoyed the previous Wreck This Journals, our tween couldn’t wait to get her hands on this 224-page version. There was no prompting required and the only downside was that I was hoping to enjoy this one myself.

Looks like I’ll be buying another copy for myself because my tween isn’t forking this one over to me.

This journal has thicker paper than you might expect from a kids’ drawing journal at an affordable price point.

The pages stand up to pencils, crayons, and markers so there’s no nasty bleed through to ruin your child’s artwork on the other side of the page. Meanwhile, the prompts are simple enough for young children to enjoy while still being challenging enough for older kids.

This journal begins with a short section of basic scientific information, such as the periodic table and simple equations. Then comes the journal itself which is full of prompts for writing, scientific exploration, and self-discovery.

Peppered with inspiring quotes from famous scientists, STEM-centered illustrations, and fabulous scientific graphics, I Love Science is a gift for both reluctant and enthusiastic scientists alike.

A parent and child journal is a relatively easy way to bond with your little one. By writing together you not only share an activity, but you will have the opportunity to discover more about each other.

The Grateful Together journal has the same writing prompt at the top of two facing pages — one for the parent and one for the child. You can write in the journal together, or take it in turns. Either way, it can help to build stronger communication between the two of you which can last a lifetime.

If you want to help your child develop self-confidence, determination, and a strong work ethic, this may be the journal for you.

Beginning with writing prompts designed to promote self-awareness, and reflection, the I Am A Leader journal for kids goes on to encourage an exploration of our place in the world, and how our actions impact it. It will help a child learn how to be a leader and what that means.

A combination of travel journal and keepsake, this Go! journal is available in various jacket colors. This allows you to buy a slightly different one for each child to prevent them from squabbling.

Once they have the journal, there are prompts to help them record their journey and experiences. There are also stickers, postcards to send, adventure badges to earn, and much more to keep your little one interested.

The majority of locked journals have a small padlock and key to keep your child’s secrets safe. The trouble with these is that the key is easily lost. And even if your child doesn’t lose the key, chances are it will break off in the lock.

That’s where the PU journal comes in. With an easy-to-set combination lock set into the cover, you can say goodbye to the frantic key hunt.

This sweet little journal for bookworms is more than just a spot to record what you’ve read. There are book suggestions, reading prompts, and more, as well as pages where your child is guided through their book logging entries.

As your child makes their way through writing entries, they’ll get to tear off a corner on each page. It appears as if the bookworm is going right through the book that way. However, with its cute illustrations, this book journal is best suited for those under 10 years.

This particular journal does not have any writing or other prompts, nor does it have any guided sections. What it does have is over 100 pages, each of which has lines for children learning to write, and a space to draw a picture.

Ideal for new writers, you could also include your own prompts if you are looking for a way to spark your child’s creativity.

This journal has a page for each day. At the top of the page is a question, and below the question are three spaces, one for each year.

This novel approach means that, after the first year, your child will be able to read and marvel at the previous year’s answer. It also allows an unenthusiastic writer to jot down a couple of lines, without being overwhelmed by acres of blank pages.

A gratitude journal is meant to help you focus on the upside to life. The theory being that by recording the positive moments each day, no matter how small, will make us learn to appreciate them more.

Each page has space to record a person who brought joy that day, three things to be grateful for, how you feel, and the best part of the day. This can be a great choice for kids who are a bit more pessimistic.

Similar to the previous gratitude journal, this Christian gratitude journal includes a daily Bible verse on each page. This is alongside the places to record the three things your child thanks the Lord for, blessings of the day, and more.

There are 100 pages providing plenty of space for your child to record their daily thoughts and feelings. And, if you like supporting the U.S. through your purchases, you might like to know the journal is made in the U.S.