13 Ways to Get Kids to Journal

Journaling is a great way to help kids make goals, be more mindful and increase creativity. They can focus on nature, school work, goals, arts and reading. The Tip Junkies has 13 awesome ways to get kids interested in journaling.

Click here for more info.

Wondering why you should encourage your child to journal? kids struggle with articulating their emotions and being able to express their thoughts, happy or sad with images and sketches is a great way to tap into their emotions. When you know how your child is feeling you can begin to teach them how to regulate their emotions and to express them with words. Those little kids have a whole lot of thoughts running around in their heads and journaling for kids is a great way to get some of them out.

We have only just started journaling in this house as my daughter has hit “tween” years old. She also styles her school projects in a journaling effect.

We love these journal books from amazon and use the Stabilo point 88 pens.

-Heather

Looking for printable journaling items? Check these out on Etsy.

Halloween scrapbooking is honestly one of my favourite seasonal projects. There’s just something playful about mixing pumpkins, ghosts, stars, bats, spiderwebs, and all the spooky-but-cute shapes that come out this time of year. Even if your Halloween looks more like a quiet night in with chocolate and a movie (mine often does!), the photos we take around October always seem to have a little extra sparkle.

To help you turn those snapshots into magical, memory-filled pages, I’ve designed a brand-new set of 10 Halloween scrapbook layout templates, all based on bold shape elements. These are single-page sketches featuring fun, layered Halloween shapes — pumpkins, moons, stars, webs, ghosts, spooky circles, doodled accents, and chunky graphic outlines.

These layouts work perfectly with:
• trick-or-treat photos
• kids in costume
• pets in costume (we see you, reluctant cats and overexcited pups)
• haunted house visits
• pumpkin carving nights
• classroom dress-up days
• Halloween parties
• October everyday moments
• goth, witchy, or “year-round Halloween” scrapbookers (a real category!)

Each sketch includes space for one or two photos, depending on the design, and lots of room for embellishing — because Halloween invites just the right amount of chaos on a page.

Here’s a closer look at the shape-focused layouts included:

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Layout 1 – Spiderweb Circle + Ghost Accent
A striking centre design with a Halloween glow.

Layout 2 – Pumpkin Stack + Layered Title Banner
Cute, cosy, and perfect for family or kid-friendly photos.

Layout 3 – Witch Hat & Stars Cluster Behind Photo
A magical page that adds instant whimsy.

Layout 4 – Crescent Moon Frame + Bat Swirls
Ideal for moody night shots or black-and-white Halloween photos.

Layout 5 – Haunted House Silhouette + Layered Arches
A fun backdrop for spooky events or costume parades.

Layout 6 – Ghost Arch + Falling Stars
Works beautifully with soft pastels or classic Halloween colours.

Layout 7 – Pumpkin Patch Scene + Journaling Tag
A great “story heavy” layout for documenting your October traditions.

Layout 8 – Starburst Frame + Spooky Swirls
Energetic and modern, perfect for bold coloured papers.

Layout 9 – Candy Corn Cluster + Tilted Photo
Playful, graphic, and great for kids’ photos.

Layout 10 – Full Circle Web + Drippy Banner Title
A dramatic, high-impact layout that makes one photo pop instantly.

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How to Use These Halloween Shape Layout Templates

Use black cardstock behind bright colours for instant contrast
• Try glossy accents, glitter glue, enamel dots, or metallic pens for sparkle
• Ink edges with orange, purple, or lime green for that Halloween pop
• Add real thread for spiderwebs or “witchy” texture
• Layer vellum ghosts or moons for translucent effects
• Use leftover costume fabric scraps as embellishments (yes, really!)

Halloween pages are such a joyful mix of cute and spooky — and these shape-based sketches are designed to help you lean into both. Whether your scrapbook vibe is whimsical, gothic, modern, or kid-friendly, these layouts give you the bones (pun intended!) to create pages that feel full of personality.

If you create with these Halloween sketches, tag CraftGossip on Facebook or Instagram so I can peek at your spooky masterpieces.

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