| Vacations and trips are great family events, but how | | | | hopefully be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let |
| do you keep kids interested and busy during the down | | | | you and your children reflect on past family vacations, |
| times? Have them keep journals of the trips and their | | | | particularly as the years pass. Nothing beats reading |
| impressions. | | | | old journals at a family gathering and reliving the |
| Writing Journals | | | | memories. |
| Take a minute to give some consideration to your | | | | A good journal for kids will combine a number of |
| most recent family vacation. Where there periods of | | | | characteristics. First, it should be compact. Second, it |
| time when you wished you kids would pay more | | | | should have a case to protect it from rain, spills and |
| attention to what was going on? Its natural for kids | | | | just because kids will be kids. Third, the journal should |
| attention to wonder. In these days of the Internet and | | | | contain blank areas for notes, doodles and so on. |
| video games, the average child seems to have an | | | | Finally, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind |
| attention span of about 30 seconds. | | | | children to pay attention to certain things and write |
| For many kids, the only way to truly get their attention | | | | them down. Cues should include: |
| on a family trip is to get them involved. The best | | | | 1. Who went on the trip, |
| method for doing this is to give them a journal and ask | | | | 2. Places visited and why they are important, |
| them to make daily entries. Keeping a journal will | | | | 3. The most memorable experience each day, |
| encourage kids to pay attention to the things around | | | | 4. New friends made and contact information for them, |
| them. It also gives them something to during long rides | | | | 5. Events occurring on each day, and |
| in cars, on planes and so on as well as promotes good | | | | 6. Impressions of things seen. |
| writing habits. | | | | As time passes, the family vacations journals will |
| There are famous instances of people keeping | | | | remind your kids of past trips. Memories fade with |
| journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank's Diary | | | | time, even for kids. By keeping a journal, kids will open |
| is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running | | | | their eyes to things around them, enhancing your family |
| commentary of the two years her family spent hiding | | | | vacation. |
| from the Nazis. While your family vacations will | | | | |