Daily Picture Journal Practice

A blank notebook or sheets of paper stapled together

Crayons or markers for drawing

A pencil for writing words

Get a blank notebook as your child's journal.

At the same time each day, sit together with the journal.

Ask: "What was the best part of your day?" or "What do you want to remember?"

Let your child draw a picture — give them 5-10 minutes.

Ask: "Tell me about your picture."

Write their exact words beneath it. Read them back.

Encourage any writing attempts from your child. All marks count.

Date each entry. You're building a language development record.

Writing down your child's exact words is a technique called "dictation," and it's incredibly powerful. It shows children that their spoken words can become written words — that writing is just talk put on paper. This is a huge conceptual leap.

Keep the routine consistent. Same time, same spot, every day. The habit matters more than the output. Some days will produce a masterpiece; other days will be a scribble and one word. Both are perfect.

Resist the urge to correct their drawing or dictation. If they say "I goed to the park," write "I goed to the park." Accuracy isn't the point — communication is.

As children get older (5-6), start asking them to write some words themselves. Even just their name and one word from the sentence is great progress.

After a month, flip through the journal together. Children are amazed to see their own history.