Are you looking for ways to keep your child engaged in learning during the summer months? A summer journal is a great way for students of all ages to keep up with many areas of their education:

Handwriting – We suggest having your child actually write in a notebook rather than typing on a computer. This helps them improve their handwriting skills and for younger writers, helps them increase their writing stamina.

Grammar and Spelling – Be sure to read over your child’s journal after they have completed their daily writing. Gently correct any grammar or spelling mistakes that they might have made to reinforce good habits.

Creative Writing – When you take the time to read over the journal, you can reply to your child’s writing by asking them questions about what they wrote. Write your questions and comments directly into their journal so that they know you are reading along and can communicate with you there. This will extend their thought process and increase their creative potential.

For those children who may need a bit of prompting about what to write about in their journal, we offer the following ideas:

• Where is your favorite place to go during the summer?
• Write about your ideal summer day. What does it include?
• What is your favorite family summer tradition?
• Choose five words to describe your summer. Why does each word fit your experience?
• Plan a “stay-cation” for the last week of summer. What will you do?
• Do you get to stay up late during the summer? What do you do with the extra time?
• How do you prepare to go back to school?
• What are you most excited to do when school starts?
• How did you spend the Fourth of July?
• How do you feel when summer ends?
• What would you do if summer lasted all year long?
• What is your favorite thing to do outside during the summer?
• What are the key ingredients of a memorable summer?
• How are the beginning and the end of summer different from one another?
• How would school vacations be different if they took place during the winter instead of the summer?
• If you could spend a summer anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
• What is your favorite summer holiday?
• Does your family have any special rules during the summer?
• What is your favorite summer treat?
• Is it better to be inside or outside during the summer?
• Write about summer using all five senses to describe the way you feel during the season.
• Think of a word to describe summer and describe how the word makes you feel.
• If you could take a three-day summer adventure anywhere in the world, where would you go?
• What are your top five favorite things about summer?