We, at Namaste Switzerland wish you a very happy 2020! To welcome the new year for the kids and to capture their events through the year, we have created a journal template that is totally customisable and your child can use it the way he or she wants. All you need to do is print it out and let them get as creative as they would like! Here’s a quick guide to the journal and how to use it.
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” Anne Frank
The 2020 kids journal by Namaste Switzerland aims to help kids reflect on their day’s happenings and use it as a daily journal and a gratitude book. Ideally, the perfect time to use it would be after dinner for 20 minutes. A longer journal time can be during weekends and holidays.
This journal comprises of 20 pages. The first five pages include:
- The cover
- All about me, including a space for photo! yay!
- A 2020 birthday calendar
- Books read in 2020 – write the name of the book you have read and rate it with stars or smileys
- A 2020 memories page
How to use this journal
Annual pages – Print out pages 1-3 once and use these for the entire year. Pages 4 and 5 can be printed and added later depending on the child’s age and his/her books or memories list. The memories page can be filled with photos, drawings, illustrations or just words – writing out noteworthy events or simply events that your child wants to remember for this year. This could be a football match, a ballet dance on stage or simply a wonderful day trip that they have enjoyed with their friends or family.
Monthly pages – Pages 9 -20 are to be printed out for each month. Print it out, a day or so before the month begins and let them get creative on it decorating it with washi tapes, highlighters, stickers, stencils, mandala art, quotes. You can also use stickers from old sticker books, anything and everything that brings you joy!
Daily pages – Pages 6 and 7 can be printed out daily or depending on how often your child wants to journal. These pages include the date and day and a few writing prompts such as how was your day?” or “ What did you share today?”, as well as three things your child is thankful for.
There is also a blank cloud in the daily page where the child can write, stick or draw or parents can write a new prompt, an inspiring quote or a value-added thought every day for your child, so they will look forward to writing in it each day. Kids over 6 years of age, who can read short sentences, could fill these pages on their own. Younger kids who are still learning to write can use the journal simply by drawing smileys and the parents can guide them by helping them pen their thoughts. With time, their interest will develop and they’ll be ready to use it on their own.
Blank page – Optionally, instead of filling the pages with prompts, children can use the blank page (page 8) with just the date and day. This page can also be used by older kids who are interested in making longer records of the day’s happenings without any prompts.
Simply start by filling in the day and date. For example, children could write: ‘Dear diary, Today, I had a wonderful day at school” or a not-so -great day’ and fill it up with their thoughts. . It could also be used during the holiday time, to write in more detail about a day trip or a hobby that they have learnt, draw or create something fun and add it with a date into the respective month.
Printing tip – While printing out the journal, in the print settings make sure, you set the scaling type to “FIT TO PRINTER MARGINS”. This will ensure that each page of the pdf file fits into the A4 size paper.
Binding – Use a paper clip and file your child’s journal pages every day. You could also pre – prepare by sticking these sheets into IKEA colour paper. At the end of the year, you could bind it all together, into a book.
Now show us how creative you can get with your journal books. We will be picking the best three entries by the end of this year! And all three will receive a prize each!
We hope you like and enjoy our 2020 journal and we look forward to your feedback. Now click on the link below to get started! Happy journalling!
Namaste Switzerland Kids Journal 2020
Disclaimer: Opinions and methods expressed are solely of the writer. Namaste Switzerland does not undertake any obligation or liability which may arise from the content.
