Instead of screens today, why not… make a visual journal?
The kids will love cutting out pictures from magazines and newspapers to make a beautiful collage and you will love cutting out pictures to make a beautiful dream. You don’t need any fancy supplies – a 28c exercise book, a pair of scissors and a glue stick are all you need (of course, I would have to cover the book in pretty paper, etc, but it’s not mandatory…)
If you’ve got little kids… all the paper cutting is excellent for exercising fine-motor skills. Don’t worry too much about what your little one is cutting out, but help him find and identify things he likes. Depending on how old your little is, you might like to ask him to cut out ‘red things’ or ‘things that go’ or themes like ‘food’ or ‘pets’. Encourage him to ‘finish the picture’ using crayons or pencils – he might like to draw a person sitting on a designer couch or add a tree or two to a streetscape. Let him paste his finds into a notebook himself (you may need to go back later and repaste a few of them!).
If you’ve got middle or older kids… start introducing her to the concept of visualisation and using images to consolidate her thinking and goals. Journalling through collage is an excellent format to help kids work through their values and ideals. You can also supply her with some Sharpies, fine art pens, watercolour pencils or graphite pencils to encourage her to doodle and create inside her journal. Some prompts to get her started might include:
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- A nice place to be
- What did you dream about last night?
- My favourite things right now
- A collage of everything in your favourite colour
- What are you grateful for?
- Things my best friend likes the most
- Everything that is important to me
- Animals I love
- Places I would like to go
- Things I would like to own
- The person I would like to be
- The person I think I am
Don’t forget about you… A visual journal helps bring to life your own ambitions, goals and dreams. Let an idea take form through ‘brain-storming’ by doodling, drawing, collaging or painting. Don’t rush your journal, spend time thinking about what you would like to add to it and how you will bring it to life.
Your older child might like sharing her visual journal with you or they may choose to keep it private. If they would like to share, create your journals side by side and talk about them as you go. It’s a surefire bet that your little child will love showing you his creations and the opportunity to work on your journals together. Such a treat!
Do you keep a journal? Visual or written?
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Gael - The Vinyl Edition says
Thanks Bron. Kinda like a paper pinterest board (lol). My kids are 8 & 9. Might make something pretty during school hols. Need to get past the Easter parade hats first!
Maxabella says
It was what we used to do before Pinterest!! But MUCH MORE satisfying for some strange reason. I spent a lovely afternoon with the kids yesterday sticking stuff in our journals and it was sheer bliss. Pinterest could never measure up!!
Gael - The Vinyl Edition says
For my 9 year old daughter’s birthday in January I put together a little scrapbooking kit with a scrapbook, backing papers, some embellishments and I ordered prints of some of our holiday snaps. I definitely didn’t want to get into ALL of the scrapbooking stuff you can buy for a fortune but I wanted to encourage some more ‘lasting’ art/craft work instead of the bits and pieces of paper that end up floating around the house.
Maxabella says
What a lovely gift, Gael. So creative! I actually just finished writing a post for Kidspot about my ‘smash book’. Have you heard of those? It’s like a lazy and cheap scrapbook. x
Gael - The Vinyl Edition says
Has your Kidspot piece been posted yet? I couldn’t find it.
No, I hadn’t heard of Smashbooks but I googled it, and it looks a great idea. Like a detailed illustrated journal?
Maxabella says
Indeed it is… I use mine as a record for pretty much whatever is happening – whether in life or in my head. It’s such a wonderful place to get it all out. I think the Kidspot post is published this week or next. I’ll drop a link into my Friday round-up list (in the #weekendrewind post). x
Gael - The Vinyl Edition says
OK, great. Thanks Bron. I’ll look forward to it. 🙂
Michelle - jarrahjungle says
Instead of a list of new year resolutions I have been cutting out images for a vision board for 2015. Its not quite finished yet but Ive been feeling like a big kid cutting out pictures from magazines for it 🙂
Maxabella says
Please show it when you’re done! Enjoy the process – I love it too!! x
brenda says
lovely ideas Bron! must put those old mags to good use!
xx
Maxabella says
It all started when I was throwing out a bunch of old house porn and the started ripping out bits I liked (dreaming of a renovation) and the girls followed suit. Now we rip them up all the time!! x
Bec says
A great concept. I am going to take inspiration and read before bed in stead of instagramming! Bec x
Maxabella says
Yay, Bec! Did you do it? x
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
We’re big rippers here too! Bell and I both do outrageous vision boards, because the sky’s the limit when your working on dreams x
Maxabella says
That’s beautiful, Lisa. Rip away! x
Raychael aka Mystery Case says
Love this. My youngest does something similar and I really must sit down with her and try it myself. I have three teen girls (14, 15 & 16) and I’m probably the only one that has issues with screen time in our house. Books on the other hand, they always have their noses in books.
Maxabella says
You are lucky that way, Raych. Sit together with your dreamer and make a board for yourself (or a book, or a notecard!). I think you will really like it. x
Jules says
I am really loving your screen free ideas. I use scrapbooks at school with pages for colours, animals and other categories and the kids love it. We also have some at home with ideas for our house when we build it. X
Maxabella says
Thanks Jules, I am LOVING putting them together. Screen free posts are my new hobby.
I’m also going to republish a ‘smash book’ post I wrote for Kidspot in a month or so (I think it gets published over there in a couple of weeks)… Smash books are awesome and keeping one came out of doing visual journals with the kids. x
Emily says
Love this. I always have a plan to create a vision board and it NEVER turns out how I want it. Might give it another go over Easter when I’m at my parents’ place – my mum always has a stash of magazines.
Maxabella says
You might also like the Smash Book, Em: http://www.kidspot.com.au/how-to-make-a-smash-book-and-why-youd-want-to/