Create a gratitude journal
Make a personalized gratitude journal by decorating pages, writing daily thankful notes, adding drawings and stickers to reflect positive feelings and habits.
About this activity
Make a personalized gratitude journal by decorating pages, writing daily thankful notes, adding drawings and stickers to reflect positive feelings and habits.
What you need
Step by step
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Step 1
Gather all the materials listed and bring them to a clear workspace.
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Step 2
Pick one notebook or stack of papers to be your gratitude journal.
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Step 3
Decorate the cover with a big title like My Gratitude Journal and fun drawings or stickers.
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Step 4
On the first page draw a simple layout with a spot for the date three short lines for thankful notes and a small box for a picture.
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Step 5
Write today’s date at the top of the page.
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Step 6
Write three short things you are thankful for on the lines you made.
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Step 7
Draw a small picture in the box that matches one of the things you wrote.
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Step 8
Add stickers or colourful tape to the page to make it cheerful and special.
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Step 9
Make a weekly tracker on a spare page by drawing seven boxes and plan to color or sticker a box each day you write.
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Step 10
Write five gratitude prompt ideas on sticky notes and stick them inside the back cover to use when you need inspiration.
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Step 11
Share a photo or story of your finished gratitude journal on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do I create a personalized gratitude journal with my child?
Start with a small notebook or stapled stack of pages and let your child decorate the cover using markers, stickers, or collage. Each day pick a short time—after dinner or before bed—to write one or two things they’re thankful for. Encourage a drawing or sticker if they can’t write. Keep entries short, celebrate their choices, and make it a predictable, positive routine to build the habit.
What materials do I need to make a gratitude journal for a child?
You’ll need a notebook or loose pages, pens or pencils, crayons or markers, and stickers. Optional items: colored paper, glue or tape for collages, photos, washi tape, stamps, and a small pouch to store keepsakes. Use recycled cereal boxes for covers or printable prompts for variety. Keep materials simple and child-safe—no sharp tools for very young children.
What ages is a gratitude journal suitable for?
Gratitude journals can work for preschoolers with adult help and for older kids independently. Ages 3–5: use drawings and stickers with a parent writing captions. Ages 6–9: short sentences or single words plus drawings. Ages 10+: encourage full sentences, reflections, and regular review. Adjust expectations and supervision to the child’s writing and attention skills.
What are the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal for kids?
Keeping a gratitude journal helps children notice positive moments, boosts mood, and promotes emotional resilience. Regular practice can improve sleep, increase empathy, and reduce stress by training focus on good things. It also strengthens writing and self-expression skills and builds a family habit of appreciation when shared. Keep entries brief and encouraging to make the habit enjoyable and sustainable.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use instead of stickers or colourful tape if those are hard to find?
Use magazine cut-outs, coloured paper scraps, crayons or markers glued or taped onto the notebook cover or page in place of stickers or colourful tape.
My child is stuck and won't draw the small picture or fill the three lines—what helps?
Have them glue a photo or a magazine image into the small box and say the three thankful things aloud while a parent writes them on the three short lines to finish the first page layout and date step.
How can I adapt the gratitude journal for different ages?
For preschoolers, pre-draw the date spot, three wide lines and an oversized picture box and let them decorate with stickers while a parent writes, and for older kids, ask for a sentence per line, add five longer sticky-note prompts, and use the weekly tracker as a habit-builder.
How can we extend or personalize the journal beyond the basic steps?
Add a clear pocket on the inside cover for photos and keepsakes, turn the seven-box weekly tracker into a monthly chart, glue the five sticky-note prompts into a fixed prompt page, and share a photo or story of the finished gratitude journal on DIY.org.