5 Mindfulness Journaling Techniques for Kids

When your child is always focused on their next task or piece of homework, they need to give their mind some downtime. You can encourage your children to relax more with mindfulness journaling techniques for kids. Mindfulness journaling is all about calming the mind, focusing on the present moment, and appreciating the happy moments. Here are 5 mindfulness journaling techniques for kids to boost their mental health and wellbeing. 

Mindful Gratitude Journaling for Kids 

If you're looking for mindfulness journaling techniques for kids, gratitude journaling is one of the best. Gratitude journaling involves expressing thanks for the things that make you happy, especially those we often take for granted. It helps young people to focus on the positives, grounding them in the present and helping them to appreciate the world around them. At the end of each day, children can give thanks in their journal to three things that made them smile throughout the day.

Affirmations and Mindfulness Journaling for Kids

Another mindfulness journaling technique that can support children's wellbeing is affirmations. Affirmations are self-affirming statements that give young people a positive perspective on themselves and their lives. Affirmations can inspire them through specific life challenges, and can also be used to support mindfulness practice. For example, if your child is suffering from anxiety, they could use the affirmation 'I am safe and at peace' to help them feel grounded and secure. 

Freewriting and Mindfulness Journaling 

No list of mindfulness journaling techniques for kids would be complete without freewriting. Freewriting is a creative writing technique that involves writing from the unconscious mind without stopping to adjust any 'mistakes'. Mindfulness journaling techniques should always encourage young people to explore their thoughts, and no technique is better for this than freewriting. Through writing about their thoughts and feelings without constraints, children are able to let out their concerns and understand themselves more clearly. 

Guided Imagery Walks for Kids 

Especially when you live in the city, being out in nature and seeing new sights is important to young people. The outside world gives children a whole new perspective, helping them to feel more relaxed and 'in the moment'. But what about when you're at home on a rainy day and anxiety strikes?

Why not prepare a guided imagery walk for your children during a mindfulness journaling session? Write together about a walk, either through woodland or on the beach, including as many details of the sights, sounds and smells as possible. Having a comforting 'space' they can return to in their minds helps young people to feel relaxed. 

Scripting and Mindfulness Journaling for Kids

Whilst mindfulness journaling is often used to help young people focus on the present moment, it can also be beneficial to journal about the future. Children sometimes find it challenging to understand that their lives will change drastically as they grow up. They might believe that worries about school or fitting in with peers will never go away. 

One of the best mindfulness journaling techniques for kids helps them to envisage a positive future for themselves through journaling. Scripting involves writing a thank you note in the present tense for achieving a dream or a skill that you want. Perhaps your child is hoping to develop confidence - with scripting, they can give thanks for their confidence in advance! This shows that confidence is never out of reach.

Whichever way you decide to practice mindfulness journaling techniques for kids, they can make a huge difference to a young person's wellbeing. With the pressures of school, social media and keeping up with their peers, mindfulness journaling takes children's minds away from anxieties to focus on the physical world around them, promoting resilience and positive self-perception. If your child is struggling with ill mental health, it's important to seek professional support. Mindfulness journaling techniques for kids can support them through recovery and for developing positive mental wellbeing.