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Holiday and road-trip journal: the trip in their own words
A free printable journal for children aged 4 to 11. There’s a my-trip cover, a diary page for each day, a packing checklist, road-trip I-spy and car bingo, a postcard home, a page for tickets and souvenirs, and a review card for the end. Add a name and where you’re going, pick the younger or older version, and print one page or the whole journal.
How to use it
1Print it before you goPrint the whole journal at home, with one diary page for each day you’re away.
2Keep it in a folderPop the pages in a folder or a plastic wallet with a pencil case: a pencil, a few colours and a glue stick.
3Fill in a page each eveningTen minutes before bed is plenty. Talk about the day first, then draw and write.
What’s in the journal
- My trip coverWho’s coming, how you’re travelling, and a picture of me on holiday.
- Daily diaryWhere we went, the weather to circle, the best bit and something new.
- Packing checklistClothes, wash bag, things to do and things for the journey.
- Road-trip I-spyCows, castles, caravans and more to tick off out of the window.
- Car bingoTwo different cards on each sheet. Roll a new sheet for new cards.
- Postcard homeDraw the picture, write the message and cut it out.
- Tickets and souvenirsSpace to stick in tickets, a leaflet, a leaf and a photo.
- My trip reviewStars or faces for the food, the places, the weather and the fun.
Make a journal
Pick a page or the whole journal, the younger or older version, and a holiday or a road trip. Add a name and where you’re going if you like, then print.
Tips for parents
- Stick in tickets the same day. Tickets, wristbands and leaflets get lost or screwed up by the end of the week. A glue stick in the pencil case makes it a two-minute job.
- Let younger children draw and dictate. They draw the picture and tell you about it, and you write their words on the lines. It’s still their journal, in their own words.
- Keep it short. One page an evening is enough. If a day gets missed, skip it and carry on: a few pages is better than none.
- Play car bingo with prizes that cost nothing. The winner chooses the next song or the next snack stop. Roll a new sheet so that each player has a different card.
- Use the review card to plan the next trip. Read it back together when you get home. What they’d do again, and what they wouldn’t, is useful for next time.
Why keep a holiday journal
A holiday is full of new things, and a journal gives children a reason to stop and put them on paper. A few good reasons to try it:
Writing with a reason
Writing about their own day is very different from a worksheet. There’s always something to say, and someone at home who wants to read it.
Memories to keep
The small things are the first to be forgotten: the name of the campsite, the ice cream flavour, the rainy day indoors. A journal keeps them.
Noticing things
Circling the weather, ticking off cows and spotting something new every day all help children look around and notice more.
A calm end to the day
After a busy day out, a few quiet minutes with a pencil and a chat about the best bit can help everyone wind down.
Questions parents ask
- What ages is the holiday journal for?
- Children aged about 4 to 11, from Reception to Year 6. The younger version (ages 4 to 7) has big boxes, more drawing, and faces and pictures to circle or tick. The older version (ages 7 to 11) has more lines to write on, extra prompts such as the funniest thing that happened, and a review with star ratings and reasons.
- How many pages does the whole journal print?
- One diary page for each day you choose (from 1 to 14), plus the cover, the packing checklist, the postcard, the tickets and souvenirs page and the review card. A road trip also adds the I-spy sheet and a sheet of car bingo. So a seven-day holiday is 12 A4 pages, and a seven-day road trip is 14.
- Is it only for holidays abroad or long drives?
- No. It works for any trip away: a week at the seaside, a few nights camping, a visit to family or a city break. Choose Holiday to leave out the car games, or Road trip to put them in. The weather, the best bit and something new work wherever you go.
- How does car bingo work?
- Each sheet has two bingo cards with pictures of things you might see from the car, such as cows, tractors, lorries and caravans. The two cards are always different. Cross off a picture when you spot it: the first to finish a line wins, or keep going for the whole card. Press Roll a new sheet for a fresh pair of cards.
- My child doesn’t like writing. Will they still enjoy it?
- Probably, because much of it isn’t writing. There are pictures to draw, the weather and faces to circle, things to tick and souvenirs to stick in. Choose the younger version for more drawing and less writing, and offer to write down what they tell you.