38 Excellent Diary Entry Topics and Writing Ideas

Check out these diary entry topics for kids ranging from elementary to high school age. These diary writing prompts stimulate creative expression and help children think outside the box. All of these topics are kid-friendly and age-appropriate. Oh yeah, take a look and enjoy! Now…

In addition to being creative, these personal diary writing ideas encourage positive thinking. This is ideal for children who are struggling with their self-image and need a confidence booster.

Of course, for some….

Writing every day in a diary can be overwhelming. Young writers especially may feel they don’t have anything important to say. Or your diary keepers might get stuck writing the same thing for every entry.

Yet writing in a diary is highly beneficial for children of all ages. They are able to process their feelings and emotions, record their memories, and strengthen their writing skills.

Table of Contents

38 Diary Entry Topics and Journal Prompts
Good Diary Composing
Related Diary Writing Resources
Diary Writing Format Examples
Diary Writing Examples
Closing Thoughts

So…

If you have been searching for diary writing topics for kids, then welcome, and please use the following list of diary writing topics with your young writers. I think you’ll love what you see!

38 Diary Entry Topics and Journal Prompts

Here are some topics and diary entry topics writing ideas for students who want to make the most of their diary entries:

One thing that always makes me smile is (fill in the blank).
When I feel sad I like to (fill in the blank) to feel better about myself.
Today the most interesting thing happened. Describe what occurred in exactly 200 words.
If you could invent anything without any worry about cost or access to technology, what would it be?
Who is your best friend? Tell me about when you decided they were your best friend.
Give a summary of the last book you read.
Who is your favorite author and what kind of books do they write?
Describe your dream family vacation.
What did you do for your last birthday?
Describe your morning routine when you are getting ready for a school day.
Who is your favorite teacher and why do you like them so much?
Write your family history to include your parents, grandparents, and grandparents.
If you could live in any state, where would you live?
Where would you rather live? In the desert, at the beach, or in the mountains?
Imagine your dream summer camp. Discuss a typical day at this camp.
What is your favorite day of the week and why?
Pretend your pet or your dream pet has stolen your diary and is writing an entry from their perspective.
Write an entire page in your diary without using the letter “a.”
Think of your earliest memory and write it as detailed as you remember.
Pick your favorite fiction book and pretend you are the main character. Write your diary entry from their point of view using their voice.
Write down your Christmas wish list, even if it is January or July. Then when Christmas comes back around, look at your list to see if you want the same things for your gifts.
What scares you the most?
If you could learn any language that you don’t already know, what is it and why?
Talk about your favorite sport whether you like to participate or just watch.
If you could open your own restaurant, what would your menu look like? What food would you serve, what are the prices, etc.?
Go for a walk outside of your house. Then write a diary entry describing what you saw during the walk.
The next time you go to a store, such as a grocery store or clothing shop, write down three things you see at the store for the first time. Describe these three things in detail.
You are on a school bus and the driver forgets you are still there. They park the bus for the night. What do you do next?
You are a giraffe and you live in the African desert. What is your life like?
Draw a picture of your family and then describe each person in writing.
What is your favorite holiday food? This can be any holiday, such as the Fourth of July, Easter, your birthday, etc.
Do you do anything special for your birthday? Do you have an annual ritual, such as getting a birthday cake or having a party?
What is your favorite book series?
Do you read magazines? If so, list them and rank them in order from favorite to least favorite. Then summarize each magazine’s theme and discuss the typical kid who would like to read the magazine.
Write a commercial for your favorite breakfast food.
List three things you are grateful for today.
Brainstorm different types of animals. Write down the first three animals that come to your mind. Then write a story in 100 words about these animals as the main characters.
Imagine you are going to school with Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of “The Little House on the Prairie.” If you don’t know who she is, you’ll need to do some research. Write about a typical day at school with Laura.

I hope you enjoyed this list of diary entry topics and journal prompts. This list of ideas is excellent for a variety of grades and classes. Yes!

Good Diary Composing

Dear diary, have you been feeling stuck when it comes to writing in your journal?

Well, take heart because…

Writing in a diary can be an incredible tool for self-reflection and personal growth that is easy to use for writers of all ages. It’s highly accessible, too!

Now…

Journaling doesn’t just help us remember the good times – it also gives us an opportunity to process our thoughts and personal feelings about experiences that may seem overwhelming, intense, or confusing.

A great place to start journaling is by reflecting on what you’re grateful for each day. Keeping a gratitude journal can help boost your mood and even increase resilience during difficult times. Even if there isn’t much to be thankful for, try choosing one small thing you appreciate from your day – this could be anything from the smell of freshly baked cookies in the kitchen or getting out into nature for a walk.

We have a list of 35 Great Gratitude Journal Prompts if you’d like even more inspiration.

Diary Writing Format Examples

There are no rules when it comes to keeping a diary or journal. Just in case you’d like some guidance on writing your next diary entry, check out these diary writing format suggestions (remember… they are just suggestion to guide you.)

“I started this journal to keep track of my life. I figure if I don’t document it, who will? Maybe it’ll be an interesting read for someone in the future?”

“I think this deserves its own paragraph:It’s been a tough year. Between school and work, and that chain of events that happened with my mom, I haven’t had much time to do anything else.”

For more inspiration, check out these writing examples.

Diary Writing Examples

“This week has been a roller coaster ride. Here’s where it all started…”

“I cannot describe how happy I am to have someone that loves me as much as my mom.”

“For the first time in about a year, my anxiety has gone away. It’s been great having so much time on my hands and being able to focus on myself again instead of always worrying about school and work.”

Closing Thoughts

No matter what diary entry format you choose, it’s important to remember that the purpose of writing is to capture your thoughts, feelings and experiences in an honest way. Writing a diary can be therapeutic and help you gain insight into yourself and how you are feeling about life.

Oh, and remember…

Diary entry topics and writing ideas can come from a variety of sources including your favorite thing, an event or experience that you had, or something that you are feeling or thinking about in the moment. Furthermore, the form of writing can vary from short paragraphs to long essays and everything in between.

Ok, that’s all for today.

Until next time, keep on writing!

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I appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator