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Squeaks’ preschool journal has been one of the most consistent and long-running activities we have done since we started playing school.
We started a preschool journal about a year ago now and it has remained a favorite. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept (because no, preschoolers don’t journal there daily activities or record their thoughts and dreams diary-style) a preschool journal is pretty much just a handmade workbook. I’ll draw out two pages at a time (sometimes just making them up on the spot) and Squeaks gets a quick and easy lesson that pertains to that weeks topic/letter/shape etc. She loves how official and important her notebook feels. Plus, after she finishes each page we put a “Good Work” sticker in the corner. It’s a nice little confidence boost.
Most of the time I try and do one page of letter practice and one page of number practice. I mix in shapes and colors here and there. Some pages I try to incorporate a theme we’re doing that week or a holiday coming up. For example, for Thanksgiving we made a turkey with different shapes, practiced gluing them in place, then counted the shapes. With activities like this the possibilities are nearly endless. If you can do it on a sheet of paper then you can do it in a preschool journal. Just use your imagination and have fun with it! It is so much fun to go back to the beginning of her journal and compare pages. She’s made so much progress! Nice little confidence boost for teacher mama too. 😉
With this kind of thing, pictures are the main show. Hope this inspires you and your kiddos!
I think it’s important to write out the questions and instructions. In my mind this is a basic life skill to be able to read and follow written instructions. Squeaks has always had a love of stickers, so if there’s an activity where she has to trace the outline of a shape or letter with stickers, or use stickers to count out a number, she’s all for it.
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Every so often, after we’ve done a few letter pages, I’ll do a review. Just write all the recent letters in highlighter and she traces over them. Activities where she has to cut and glue are favorites as well. For this fall tree I cut out the tree and then gave her fall-colored paper strips to cut into “leaves” to glue on. The hand print was part of an About Me themed week. We traced her hand, used an ink pad to add fingerprints (talked about how everyone has different fingerprints), then counted fingers. See?! Keepin’ it simple. A lot of the time these themed pages lead to conversations about other things too. How trees grow. Why they loose leaves in the Fall. Why her hand is smaller than mine. Life is education!Is a preschool journal something you’d like to try with your kiddos?
UPDATE: I’ve done the work for you! Check out my new printable 123 page Preschool Journal, now available!
This printable journal was made to be a gentle introduction to basic early learning principles. It was designed for ages 3-5. While this is not a full curriculum, you (the teacher) will need to be fully involved. Each page will cover skills that you can take into your day and reinforce through reading together and play.
Topics covered include:
- Alphabet- Letter recognition, letter sounds, and beginner letter formation.
- Numbers 1-10 – Counting, number sense, number recognition, beginner addition concepts.
- Color recognition and beginner color word recognition.
- Basic shape recognition.
- Fine motor and logic skills- cutting and gluing, left to right progression, and sorting.
Get your Preschool Journal Printable here!
Bekah says
I like this idea! How often do you do the journal activity?
Kristen says
Hi Bekah! So glad you liked it. We did journal pages for preschool maybe 3-4 days a week.
Sommer says
Thanks you for the ideas. Our at home public charter school has us do a journal. They want the 4 and 5 year olds to be the author and illustrator, but we write out their stories. I incorporate more simple activities too. My son loves the weather, so I have him draw different pictures of what the weather is like and use a page as our daily calendar. We also do a book page on books we read. I have him write the title and ask him to draw a picture that directly relates to the book. We’re working on some emotional issues with him right now, so I’ve been reading books about feelings and asking questions to help him draw pictures and journal about his frustrations. It’s the only time that he’ll open up and talk,?and he has no idea that we’re working through issues.
Kristen says
I’m glad you found some helpful tips, Sommer! What a great idea to use journals to help your kiddo work through his feelings. Sounds like that’s a huge mom-win! I’ll have to remember that for Squeaks. Thank you for sharing!
Donna Holmes says
I teach toddlers and we do Writing time using journals. The kids love it. It’s great to do with them as they wake up from nap time when I have more one on one time with them. They love having their own book to do writing “just like Miss Donna”!! They’re learning so much from it as well. Their name is written on the front and some are beginning to recognize their own name already!! It also saves on lots of loose papers all over the place. They can show their journals to their family members or even take them home overnight if they’d like to!! People laughed at me at first but yes, journaling is a great skill to teach even to toddlers!! So glad others agree!! Thank you for sharing this with us!! 😊
Kristen says
I 100% agree, Donna! I love that you’re using journals in your classroom. I think it’s an awesome teaching tool. Thanks for sharing!
Tiff says
This is such a great idea! My daughter is in Pre-K right now & I would love to do this at home!
Kristen says
So glad you enjoyed it, Tiff! It’s one of favorite activities.
bp says
I appreciate your ideas, thank you for sharing! I can do this with my boy.
Kristen says
So glad you found it helpful!
Gi Jewett says
I would love it! Could work as portfolio too, who is so hard to find!
Pages who can show progress from the beginning off the year and do the same on the end of year!
Kristen says
Yes! It’s so fun to see their progress!
Beverly says
This is a great way for a young child to journal! Love!
Kristen says
Thank you!
pooj says
Great ideas thanku
Kristen says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Megan says
Great ideas thank you. I find myself making tons of copies and the perfect workbooks but this makes it so tailored to each child. Definitely doing this. And yes anything with stickers is right up my little ones alley as well.
Kristen says
So glad you found it helpful, Megan! Have fun journaling!