How to Start a Summer Adventure Journal.
- WinterKids
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 22
Guest Post by WinterKids.
DIY Summer Adventure Journal
Good to Know:
Suitable for: PreK - Grade 2
Can be modified for children in higher grades.
Includes five printable blank outdoor journal pages:
● Cover Page
● Journal Page (sketches & notes)
● Journal Page (sketches only)
● Journal Page (notes only)
● Transition Word Suggestions
This activity is great for children who are in Grades PreK – Grade 2 and can be modified
for children in higher grades. Start by spending time outside with your child (use this
guide for inspiration) and encourage them to reflect on their experience.
We hope this will help fuel your child’s desire for an active summer outside, and also
become a fun keepsake of summer memories.
Instructions
Materials Needed:
● Gear needed for the outdoor adventure of your choice
● Journal page templates included on pp 20-22 – OR a blank journal/notebook
● Drawing materials of choice
● Pencil
● Transition words & writing prompts (included on p 23)
Print multiple journal pages and encourage your child to continue journaling throughout the
summer!
Suggested accommodations for children with special needs: Supply large grip crayons and pencils for students with fine motor issues.
Step 1: Get outside!
Go for a hike, a walk along a nature trail, go kayaking, spend time at the beach… we
recommend spending at least half an hour outside for this activity. Remember to take it
easy- go at your child’s speed, and always bring healthy snacks, water, and sunscreen!
Talk about what it is like to be outside during summer. And how this location is different
in the winter.
Ask your child to pause every now and then to use one of their senses, ie: “what do you
hear?”, “what do you feel?”, “what do you see?”
Step 2: Get Your Journal Ready
Back at home, help your child start their journal.
*If you’d like to use your own notebook, be sure to designate two sections in each entry:
one spot for their illustration and one spot for writing.
Step 3: Write!
(If your child is not writing yet, ask them to dictate their story to you while you write in
the journal for them.) Ask your child to think about what happened at the beginning,
middle, and end of your outing. Talk with them about using transition words in their
journal entry (see p 23 of this guide). Invite your child to write/ narrate about their
experience outside. Encourage them to include what they did, how they felt, what they
saw, what they heard, etc.
Some helpful sentence starters to get their wheels turning:
● ”I could feel the…”
● ”I could hear…”
● ”I felt (emotion or sense of touch)…”
Step 4: Draw!
Invite your child to draw about their outdoor adventure. Encourage your child to
consider what they heard, what they saw, how they felt, and so on, and to tell the story
of their adventure through their drawing.
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About WinterKids:
WinterKids began 25 years ago with the simple idea: help kids get outside in
winter. What expanded from a small ski passport for 4 th graders has grown
into statewide programs that reach over 50,000 participants annually
through education and fun, outdoor activity. Learn more at WinterKids.org.
