Earlier this week I wrote about the school supplies we’ll need- one of them being a primary journal. A primary journal looks like your average composition notebook until you open it up. Inside you’ll find pages with blank space for drawing and wide, handwriting lines.

There are so many reasons to keep a primary journal with your little no matter what age you’re starting out. The littlest ones can simply draw pictures and you can scribe their ideas while bigger littles can actually begin to write and illustrate their ideas. Here are just six reasons you’ll love keeping a primary journal this year:

It’s a great tool.

Primary journals are a great tool to help your little create a foundation for written communication. The notebook will serve as a consistent place for your little to see their ideas written down/drawn. It won’t be long before they see a connection between their ideas and the notebook. 

It’s a great introduction to writing skills. 

As a toddler our littles discover verbal communication and now we begin to open their world to the written form as well. It’s important to note that, for preschoolers, a picture (whether recognizable or not) is a perfectly acceptable form of written communication. Encourage good pencil grip, praise drawings and attempts to “write” all of this is good and helping build that foundation!

It’s a great “artifact” to show growth.

When I taught in the classroom I would do an activity at the beginning of each year where my students would draw a picture and write a simple message. Then at the end of the year we would do a similar activity and compare just how much they had grown. It was probably one of my favorite things. You’ll be amazed at the growth of your little from the first journal entry this year to the last.

It’s a great way to give ownership to your little.

It’s no secret that littles like to feel BIG! Giving your little his/her own journal comes with an innate sense of maturity. They “own” their notebook. It belongs to them and all the ideas inside are his or hers! They’ll beam with joy and excitement showing off their journal to Daddy or Grandma telling all about what they did in preschool.

It’s a great treasure to a sentimental mama’s heart.

When we sort through piles of crafts, coloring pages, paintings, and projects galore it’s so hard to decide what to keep. (Don’t you just want to keep it all …and toss it all …all at the same time!? The struggle is real, y’all! ) A journal is small, it’s neat, and it’s simple. I don’t like to look too far into the future and imagine my babies as high schoolers or college graduate but I know one day we will be there. How precious to look back and read their first journal entries- to remember what consumed their thoughts and interests as little ones and smile remembering the best days of our lives.

It’s great to use with our Little Learner activity pages.

Most of the activity pages for our units throughout the curriculum are scaled down to fit inside a journal. You can easily glue in the extra pages and have the whole year’s worth of fun collected neatly in one place. This is especially helpful for those of you sweet, kindergarten homeschool mamas who need to present artifacts to your local homeschool group/ co-op.

I know this sounds like an ad, but it isn’t. I looked at Target last night and couldn’t find any primary journals (sad!) but I do know you can find them on amazon for around $5. Here’s a link if you’re interested- there’s no kick back to me or anything so feel free to look up with other supplies you want too. What did we ever do before Prime was invented? 

As we journal this year I’d love to hear from you and see your little’s creative entries! Be sure to share them! Until then, keep savoring and enjoying this sweet summer! School days will be here soon enough! 

with love,

Carla