The Two-Minute Daily Diary Journal Record Book

Two minutes a day and you'll have a budding writer on your hands!

ADDED July 22, 2009

Length:  2 minutes a day.  Every day!

Parental Involvement:  Explain the concept and let your child do the rest.  Maybe gently remind and encourage during the week.

Kids Should Be Able to: Write down their thoughts.

 

During the months of summer, kids have some extra time, and their beleaguered parents scramble to keep the activities coming.

Well, here's a great way to fill some time -- and it's vaguely productive, too:  the Two-Minute Daily Diary Journal Record Book.

(You're certainly welcome to choose another name for this thing, other than the Two-Minute Daily Diary Journal Record Book.  We chose that name because we never really know what to call them and would welcome any suggestions.  A diary sounds like something Jan Brady would write and hide from the rest of the Bunch.  A journal sounds so advanced, like something a journalist would write.)

What's great about today's idea -- if you'll pardon some tooting of our own horns -- is that there are very few requirements.  Basically, your kid takes a piece of paper and writes whatever he or she wants for a total of two minutes.

The writing could be about their day or about something on their mind.  It could also be a story, a list of things your kid likes -- anything.

There are some rules, though, that we'd like to propose:

(1)  No writing in the journal for hours on end.  Two minutes.  Those words mean business.

(2)  Doodling and other forms of drawing are allowed, even encouraged.

(3)  Grammar and spelling should not be a consideration.  Self-expression is what matters here.  (This one was very difficult for me to type.  We are  very much pro-proper spelling and grammar, especially for kids.  But this activity -- just this one -- can sacrifice "correct" for just writing words on paper.)

(4)  No special "journal" or pad of paper is required.  Trying to find the perfect book or journal is a reason to delay writing.  We want your kids to jump right in and get going.  Your kids can write on the back of envelopes, as far as we're concerned, and keep these collected in a large manila envelope.  Truly, any blank paper will work for this daily activity.

(5)  It should be done every single day -- but as a fun activity, not as a chore.

(6)  None of these rules are written in the stone.  You guys may break any one of them, if you think that would be better.

This activity is meant to teach kids that the act of writing should never be extremely difficult or anxiety-inducing.  It's just a way of getting thoughts down on paper -- and should be almost as carefree as thinking.  With this exercise, we hope that writing anything -- in school or out of it -- will be easier for your kids.

This activity is also meant to help kids express themselves and record their thoughts.  At the end of the summer, your child will have a collection of two minute writings.  Your kid can review everything they've written with you then, if they're so inclined.

Get your kids writing -- and having fun while they do it.  It'll only take two minutes!

We'd like to acknowledge that large parts of this idea were inspired by Julia Cameron from her book The Artist's Way.  It's a very good book with tips on being creative; it and could benefit kids and parents alike.  Thank you, Julia!

Thanks also to barnaby for the diary photo up top, and to lecates for the darling girl writing down her thoughts in a Daily Diary Journal Record Book!

art supplies needed,

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