How to Make a Summer Journal and What to Put in It - A Children's Craft

School is out, it is the beginning of summer and many families have made plans that include vacation, camp, one-day outings, and other interesting adventures. Your child may not realize it now, but all too soon, summer will be over and as one summer fades into another and another, so do those precious memories. Help your child remember the events from this summer by helping them create and keep a summer journal. Although my children are now adults, I enjoy the quality time I share with my grandson while making and adding to this journal all summer long. It is one of my favorite summer how-to crafts.

Items Need to Make a Summer Journal

-Old fashioned scrapbook (This is the ideal thing to use for a summer journal, but may be hard to find. If I cannot find one, I use a book designed for the Young Authors competition. It has a hard cover, with thick blank pages, size eight and one-half by 11 inches.)
-Pictures from summer activities
-Postcards
-Pencils, markers, crayons
-Travel or event brochures
-Ruler
-Other collectables that will lay flat in the journal

*Except for the scrapbook, pencils and ruler, all other items will be accumulated through the summer months.

Instructions on How to Make a Summer Journal

If the cover of the journal is not already decorated, let your child create their own cover by using the colored markers and crayons. They should also give their journal a name such as "Johnny's Summer Journal - 2010", or "Allison's Summer Fun - 2010".

Inside, on the blank pages, use the ruler to put several straight lines across each page, near either the top or the bottom. These lines will be used by the child (or you), to write down their experiences. You may want to write the word 'Date:' and the word 'Event:' on one of the lines so the child will remember to write these down. The other area of the pages should be used for posting pictures, postcards, brochures, and any other items they may have collected. Perhaps they want to include a colorful leaf or bird feather they found while hiking on a nature trail. They may want to include a personal drawing, maybe of the beach they visited.

Save last couple of pages for signatures and addresses from new friends made over the summer.

Sources: teacherstorehouse.com, shopbecker.com, personal experience