55 Excellent Journal Prompts for Teens

Journal Prompts for Teens— In these 55 creative writing prompts, teens will consider important subjects like influences on their personalities and political positions. They’ll also reflect on issues surrounding family, responsibility, and altruism. Best of all…

Each prompt gets students thinking and offers an opportunity for a creative response. Take a look now and enjoy!

Journal Writing Prompts to Fill Up that Blank Page

The great thing about journaling is that it encourages teens to get to know themselves and to think about issues from multiple perspectives. 

Of course…

As teens (and tweens) prepare to transition into the next stage of their lives, they often feel pressured to conform to what’s “popular”.

Further…

They might feel pressured to fit in with other students and feel uncomfortable expressing their own individual preferences. That’s why it’s so important to emphasize creativity and the power of a well-defined identity with your students.

When students journal regularly (and create a journaling habit!), they become more comfortable in expressing their ideas. Students who tend to follow the crowd will find their individuality on the page, as they have the freedom to write their thoughts without judgment.

Journaling also helps students to think more deeply about subjects they might not have considered before. As new thoughts transition from ideas to beliefs, tweens take another step toward becoming adults.

 55 Journal Prompts for Teens (& Tweens)

Encourage expression and examination of ideas with these creative writing ideas for teens.

1. Do you act differently online than in real life?
2. Do you think the town you’ve grown up in has influenced the person you are?
3. Would you rather stay up late or get up early?
4. What is something that you believe in strongly?
5. What is the most inspiring thing you’ve ever been told?
6. What is the greatest responsibility your parents have given you?
7. Are you good at keeping secrets? Why or why not?
8. Write about a time when you made a sacrifice for someone else.
9. If you could vote, would you be a Republican or a Democrat?
10. Write about a time when you were surprised.
11. Choose five symbols or objects that represent you. Why did you choose these things?
12. How do you tell if someone is telling the truth?
13. What does it mean to be a family?
14. What privilege of getting older are you most looking forward to?
15. How much freedom do you have online?
16. What inspires you?
17. Would you ever consider getting a tattoo?
18. Do you want to have kids when you get older?
19. Would you rather read a book or watch a movie version of a story?
20. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to learn?
21. Have you ever given something important away?
22. If you could visit another decade from the past 100 years, which would you choose?
23. What would it be like if you could control your dreams?
24. Do you pray? Why or why not?
25. Where is your favorite place to go when you feel restless?
26. What accomplishment are you the most proud of?
27. How do you feel when you work with a team on a group project?
    
28. Do you think our country’s political system works well?
29. How have you changed since last school year?
30. When you get older, what memories from your childhood will you want to recall?
31. Write about a favorite saying or quotation.
32. What is the best choice you ever made?
33. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done for someone else?
34. Do you think aliens exist?
35. What is your favorite smell? Why do you like it?
36. What does it mean to stand up for what you believe in?
37. Write a poem about turning 13.
38. Are you still friends with your friends from kindergarten?
39. What values will you teach your children?
40. What do you feel when you look back at yourself five years ago?
41. Where will you be five years from now?
42. Which subject in school is the easiest? Which is the hardest?
43. How do you feel when you give to others?
44. Would you rather spend the weekend with friends or by yourself?
45. Write about a time when you lost something important.
46. Should schools require students to wear uniforms?
47. Do you prefer to read classic books or modern literature?
48. If you could take a dream vacation, where would you go?
49. Write a poem about living in America.
50. How do you contribute to your family?
51. Do you prefer to spend or save money?
52. How can you share your talents with others?
53. If you could do anything, what would you do?
54. Should the phrase “under God” be included in the Pledge of Allegiance?
55. Write about a time when you tried something new.

I hope your writers enjoyed this list of things to journal about, and, perhaps they will even get inspired to keep a daily journal. Now that would be awesome!

Of course, if your writers need even more writing ideas, check out these 35 Humor Prompts for Teens & Tweens.

✍️ More journaling resources for you…

• See our prompts collection for high school students
• 100 random word prompts
• 30 Mental health topics to write about
• 7 Activities to support creative thinking and a positive mindset for teens

The Favorites List of Prompts

Oh… and for those reluctant writers or non-writers, we suggest you use the time-tested favorite writing prompts. They are simple ideas that nearly every writer can answer without much effort. Plus, they are an excellent way to get those creative juices flowing for writers of all skill levels.

• Favorite songs
• Favorite singer
• Favorite foods
• Favorite movies
• Favorite book
• Favorite childhood memory
• Favorite food
• Favorite season
• Favorite movie
• Favorite holiday
• Favorite pet
• Favorite place

Turn this list on its head and write about your least favorite instead.

12 Awesome Bonus Prompts!

And a here are 14 more quick and easy prompts to help get teens writing:

1. What is your biggest strength
2. Your biggest weakness
3. Your dream job
4. The best piece of advice you’ve received (and/or given)
5. Reflections on your younger self
6. Now, imagine your future self
7. What lessons are you thankful for and which do you wish you could erase, and why
8. Who was your childhood hero? Who is your hero now as a tween or teenager?
9. What’s the best advice you could give to your best friend today?
10. What doe a perfect day look lif for you?
11. What is friendship and what makes a good friend?
12. What is your favorite season of the year?

Until next time, keep on writing…

If you enjoyed these Journal Prompts for Teens (and Tweens!), please share them on social media via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator

From the archives—

Teen Journaling (& Pre-Teens too) Insights

Journaling Is Easy and Flexible For Teens 

From a practical perspective, journaling is an easy and flexible way for teens to express themselves in a constructive and productive manner. All that is needed is a recording device, the simplest form being a pad of paper and a pencil, for the teenager to start writing about their thoughts, feelings, and their environment.

Another advantage of the journal is that it can be applied to practically any life situation. Some teens may choose to use a journal for educational purposes, like a science project, while others may choose to use a journal to monitor sports-related growth. And others still may use the journal or diary to record their relationships and personal development in their journal entries. While other writers may prefer to use journal prompts or topic ideas to find inspiration. Indeed, the ways in which a journal can be used are numerous and one journal can be used for a variety of purposes. This is what makes the journal so flexible and popular – it has many applications.

Some kids may think that they must have writing skill in order to maintain a journal. It is true that one should know how to write but this is the extent of the necessary skill involved in making entries in a journal.

It is not necessary that the pre-teen be an expert in language usage. In fact, this kind of thinking not only can prevent the pre-teen from writing in a journal, but it can also make the experience labor-intensive, in turn blocking free-flowing expression of their thoughts and feelings.

The most important thing for the teen to keep in mind is to write in their personal style and processing techniques, without literary analysis and critique. Let the words just flow out of the mind and onto the paper.

Journaling also can playful, fun, and even humorous. Although journaling can have moments of writing about those things that trouble or confuse the teenager the personal journal should be used to write about fun and happy things. This is a key element of journaling for the tween who is seeking wholeness and a more balanced growing experience.

Not all of life is a negative experience and the good should be recorded as much as anything else.

Journaling has another advantage. It’s self-starting, meaning all that is needed, aside from a recording device, is the desire to start making a record of whatever purpose the journal is being used for. In addition, once the pre-teen gets into the practice of maintaining their journal they will develop the motivation, perhaps even an excitement, to spend a little time keeping it up. It will become a time when the teen can invest in themselves.

Investment into oneself and in personal growth is something that develops on its own as long as the teen continually spends time writing in their journal. Over time, the investment bears the fruits of observable growth and development. When the writer can actually see their own progress they will become even more motivated to achieve more.