If you ever wanted to keep a road trip travel journal with kids, but thought it might be too hard or dull. There are so many options for fun road trip travel journals for kids. You can use one of the many printables online, make your own using a large sketch pad or notebook, or if you want to get the whole family involved, make it a binder with clear sheet protectors that you can slip in whatever paper your kids draw, write or collage on and by the end, you’ll have a unique collection of memories from the trip. Whatever you do, it should be unique to you and your family, and it should never feel dull or boring. If you’re in need of some unique ideas for road trip travel journal ideas for kids, here are 20 ideas that will keep your family entertained and create lasting memories:
1. Record a road trip scavenger hunt
This is such a fun idea because it combines a game and a travel journal entry at once. Did you ever play spot-the-state-licence-plate game on road trips when you were a kid? This is just like that, but interactive. Before the trip, go online or make your own sheet with different things to find ‘blue car’ ‘barn’ etc. depending on your trip. Then when it’s time, give your kids the sheet and have them draw what they saw once they spot the item. It’s sure to provide a lot of fun family entertainment and a built in activity for your kids on the road.
2. Draw a picture of their favorite part of the day
This is a great activity to do at the end of the day before bed or to keep your kids busy and entertained at a restaurant. In their travel journal ask them to draw their favorite part of the day. Was it something they saw? Ate? A special activity? I love this prompt because it often surprises you as a parent. And so fun to know what is really making an impression on your child.
3. Pack a fun travel journal kit
Depending on how much room you have in the car, you could pack a pretty robust travel journal kit! I like to bring more supplies on road trips since I have the room, but still curate it to my needs. While poaching for you and your family, bring an assortment of pens, colors, etc. for all the activities, like coloring in the car. This lap board with supplies is amazing for the car. It keeps kids entertained for hours. and don’t forget the special items that can really add flavor to your kid’s travel journal like the Instax camera and the HP Sproket. These are so special to have on a road trip. Kids love to use them and you get to see the trip though their eyes and immediately paste it in the travel journal, keeping the special memory saved forever.
4. Draw a picture of their favorite activity of the day.
This is a great prompt for the end of a busy day when you’ve packed in a lot. With so many activities, it’s hard to know what made an impression. Have your kids write or draw about their favorite in their travel journal.
5. Write down: Something funny I saw today was…
This is a quick and fun prompt to do at the end of the day to get your whole family laughing again. This is a great prompt to use to remember those special shared family memories. I bet you’ll be surprised at your child’s answer!
6. Bring a Polaroid camera and take a picture a day
This is one of my favorite ideas on the list because I love adding photos to a travel journal and especially with kids, the instant nature of it and the unique look of the Polaroid that the Instax creates always makes a travel journal more unique and special. And with the camera in the child’s hands, you never know what you’re going to get! Definitely a different perspective that will be captured in their road trip travel journal forever.
7. Write down: Today I feel…
This is a great prompt for the morning. Do they feel excited? Tired? Start the day capturing it in their travel journal.
8. Collect mementos and paste them into the journal.
This is a must in a road trip travel journal. There are so many funny maps at rest stops and tickets to different activities. Collect them and then have your kids create a collage of each stop in their travel journal. Ask them to arrange the mementos in a way they like on the page and once done, help them paste it in. Then have them write memories to go along with it.
9. Write down: A new experience I had today was…
One reason to take your kids on a road trip is for them to have new experiences. I like to keep a record of theses experiences in the kids road trip travel journal and capture their thoughts on it.
10. Record the weather each day and draw a picture
This is a fun prompt to do in the car while looking out the window. You can discuss the weather as a family. Is it sunny? Partly sunny? Is the weather different here than at home? With a quick picture each day of the trip, you’ll create a record of the trip.
11. Draw a picture of each special souvenir you bought
Road trip souvenirs are often so silly and special, but they don;t always stick around. Sometimes, it’s the buying of it and the odd place you bought it that’s the most special. After your child picks out a souvenir, have them draw it and write a bit about why they like it. It’s such a fun memory to keep, even if you don’t keep the souvenir forever.
12. Write down: The stop I’m most excited about on the trip is…
This is a great prompt to do with your kids before the trip or at the very beginning. Sometimes, with all the different stops on a road trip, it can be hard for kids to conceoptualize the whole trip. With this prompt they can zero in on what they’re most excited about from your description, and why. This is a great one to do as a whole family and then look back at the end of the trip and see if your answer is still the same.
13. Write down: My favorite stop of the trip was…
This is a great prompt to do at the last leg of the trip, heading home. It’s great to reflect on all the stops and which made the biggest impression. It creates a fun family discussion of the trip and helps your kids reflect and ready themselves for the end of the trip with good memories fresh in their heads.
14. Write down: One thing I’m really going to miss about road trip life is…
Coming to the end of a road trip is sometimes welcome and sometimes bittersweet, but there is always something that will be missed. Maybe it’s spending so much time with the family or getting to ear out so much. I love this prompt because often you can use that information to bring a bit of the trip home, like making a weekly family night or eating out once and a while and pretending you’re on a mini road trip.
All of these ideas are fun and definitely worth a try, but the main reason I like to keep a road trip travel journal for kids is to create a fun and unique trip. Try some of these with your family and see if they work for you. If not, toss it! If yes, keep it up! And let me know how it went in the comments. Happy trails!