We’ve all been affected by the chaos corona virus has bought to our lives but how are children coping? Using these 20 journal prompts for children during Covid19 could help uncover their feelings. It could help them make sense of it all too.
We’ve all had to adapt to a new way of life, a new world. And pretty quickly! It would be so easy to forget about the impact on our children.
If it’s been hard for you to process, just think how odd it must be to our children.
No time to change
One day they were at school. They might have heard a little bit about this virus spreading it’s way across the world. But their day to day remained the same…
Until their routine was completely removed. With one announcement, schools closed with very little warning. There was no time to process this, to hug their little friends tighter, to say goodbye to their teachers. No time to come to terms with the loss of their normality.
Sent home with an overwhelming amount of work in most cases. With little understanding of what was expected and how long this was going to last.
It’s a huge amount to process for little minds.
How did they handle it in my house?
F was more concerned about my work and if I’d be able to be at home with him. At the time, I wasn’t sure. I had no idea if I was classed as a key worker and if it meant he’d have to go back to school. And if he did, what that would look like for him was an unknown.
They were all curious how long they’d be off school. Even now I can’t decide if they want me to be able to tell them it’ll only be another few weeks or that they’ll be off for another 3 months! I think it varies by the day!
Home schooling has been an eye-opener for us all. I remember nothing of my high school education it would seem and I am not as patient as I thought I was. For the children though, they really seem to be missing the routine of school.
It must be really hard to just work your way through without the learning that would normally come before the work is set. But they’ve adapted so well.
Lockdown announced
It was the first day of home schooling, we’d done Joe Wicks at 9am, successfully worked our way through a full days lessons and survived home working. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard after all.
Until Boris dropped the news we’d been half expecting. Lock down was announced, of course in a way that didn’t actually use those words! But we didn’t need to hear those exact words to know what he meant.
On top of not being allowed to school and see there friends. Suddenly visiting family is banned too. Of course you can go outdoors for an hour but don’t even think about sitting on the swing.
That holiday they were counting down to won’t be happening and even a trip to the shop will become a distant memory.
Now if that doesn’t tip their whole world on its head, I have no idea what will.
How do we find out how they feel?
We could ask them. Sounds simple doesn’t it. I can’t be alone in forgetting to check in with them. Because they have just accepted it, we didn’t seem to need to discuss it. Does that make me a terrible parent? Quite possibly, but I was so busy just trying to keep some form of normality going for us all. I just didn’t think.
When I sat and updated my journal recently using my self isolation prompts, it occurred to me that something similar could work for children too.
Giving them an opportunity to talk about it but also record this time forever.
20 Journal prompts for Children during Covid19
1.What do you understand about what is going on in the world currently?
2.What does it mean for you?
3.How do you feel about not being in school?
4.What do you miss most?
5.How is homeschooling going?
6.What are you looking forward to doing first?
7.What has been your favourite thing about lockdown?
8.How has this made you feel?
9.Thinking about returning to school, how does that make you feel?
10.How do you feel about lockdown ending?
11.Thinking about Lockdown, have you made changes that you’d like to keep in place?
12.What has been your favourite activity?
13.Have you done something you haven’t tried before?
14.What do your lockdown weekends involve?
15.What are you grateful for during this time?
16.What has made you happy today?
17.Do you ever watch the news about whats going on?
18.Who have you missed seeing the most?
19.What has lockdown taught you?
20.How will you celebrate the end?
Uncovering their feelings
Using these journal prompts, I was able to gain a real insight in to how the children were feeling about the world currently.
It was fun working our way through and some of their answers were surprising. Here is a quick look at the highlights.
What they had to say
All the children had a really good understanding of why we were currently in lockdown. They knew all about social distancing and why they couldn’t see their friends and family.
F enjoys being at home, although he’s missing being taught. He said the work seems harder when you have no teaching. Which of course makes complete sense.
The general feeling is that the experience has been a positive one. They’ve all enjoyed the extra time at home and spending time together as a family. F commented on the slower pace of life which he is enjoying. Can’t help but agree there Kid!
They are all desperate to get back to McDonalds! I think in 3 years I can’t count on one hand the times we’ve been. So why after being told they can’t do they suddenly feel the need to go?
Coming to an end
Now as we face the prospect of some sort of normality resuming. It seems almost as important as ever to have these conversations with our children.
If for no other reason than documenting it for them. I feel life will move on fairly quickly from this. Once they return to school, it’ll feel like a distant memory for us all.
Have you spoken to your children about Covid19? Would you consider using prompts like this to have that conversation?
How are your children coping with all the change they’ve faced?
I don’t live in a household with any young children so I haven’t had to think about home schooling or the impact in that personal way so reading about your experience was so interesting! I also think these prompts would be so useful to get them to share their thoughts and feelings about what is going on right now.
Thank you so much Millie x x
I’ve shared this to my sister! It will be interesting to see what her children say about lockdown! I also really want a maccies, it’s been too long x
I actually can’t remember the last time they had one. It had better taste as good as I remember. Thank you so much for sharing x
Interesting prompts as it can help adults understand what kids know about the situation in the world at the moment. It will also be interesting to look back on in the future.
I think it will be really interesting to look back on. Especially as it will become a huge part of history x
These are great journal prompts! I think it is important for children to understand the situation despite it being hard for them to get at first. My younger brother didn’t understand why he couldn’t go out with friends and it was difficult to tell him. These prompts are great for easing them into it and probably would spark a lot of conversation if you sat down and spoke with them about it!
Em x
Thank you Em. I hope it does help people and their children x
Thanks for sharing your prompts, this would be useful for all age children to get some understanding of their thoughts and feelings. I do hope that it proves useful to them 🙂
Nic | Nic’s Adventures & Bakes
Thank you x
These are very interesting journal prompts. My 6-year old daughter loves writing and has been keeping a journal, but often runs out of ideas 🙂 This would be a great list for her to run through!
Aww thats lovely, I hope she enjoys them x
These are great prompts to get our children talking about the current times and how they are feeling and coping
Thank you x
These are brilliant, Claire. In many ways I think this pandemic is hardest on children. As you say, their whole world and routine has been tipped over completely. Flora’s doing OK now but she wasn’t at first, we had a lot of tears and disturbed nights. I think I’m going to ask her if she’d like to do some of these prompts, it might help all of us. Thank you so much for sharing this – and yes, who knew school work was so hard! Lisa x
Thank you Lisa. Our little people need so much from us right now, its hard for them to tell us exactly what they want. I hope Flora wants to have a go x x
I don’t know how my little boy is feeling because he doesn’t really talk yet, but I would love to know! He seems to be taking everything is his stride for now which is good.
It was interesting reading about how your children feel about lockdown and not going to school. I assumed all children would love a break from school, but from what I’ve seen, it seems like they want to be back. It must be a very weird time for them.
Its certainly been stressful for us, and I think we sometimes forget about the impact it could be having on our kids.
It is so easy to forget about their feelings when you’re concentrating on keeping the safe, Happy and educated as well as stay sane yourself x
I don’t live in a household with children so I haven’t had to consider homeschooling. However it’s interesting to read about your own children’s experiences and I think these prompts would be very helpful. I don’t even know how I’m feeling, so I dread to think what it’s like for children during all this.
Much like you, I know I am loving it but other days I can’t get my head around it all at all. Children must be really struggling x
These are some great prompts! I think a lot of people overlook how much this is affecting children and it’s important for them to work through their feelings on the page
Thank you Zoriana, I agree. Its easy to overlook their feelings when you’re concentrating on caring for them and teaching them x
I love this exercise! I feel like it is important to communicate with kids, and understand their feelings as well as your own about the current situation. I love that you have all been enjoying spending time together and the slower pace of life. 🙂
Thank you so much x
Really like these! As Reception Teacher I’ve still been working in school during lockdown and I know these prompts would be great for sharing in a discussion at school too! Ox
Thank you Olivia. I hope you can find them useful. Are you back to work next week for year group?
I think it’s so important to find out how the kids actually feel so you know how to support them best. It must be tough for kids especially when they don’t quite understand everything going on x
I have two young kids and it does worry me how the whole Covid scenario has affected their little minds and what I can do to assure them that things will get back to normal. Your posts is very helpful in that aspect.
Thank you so much x
This is such a helpful post. My friends little girl has seemed so anxious throughout, so I’m going to send her this post to read, in the hope that it might uncover how she is feeling. Its easy to forget what little ones think of a situation when you yourself are worried.
That is so true. I really hope they can help her x x
The kids have been excellent at home doing there home schooling etc, the boy likes to write and would find this very useful, some great tips and prompts list.
I hope he can use and enjoy them x
Desperate to get back to McDonalds! xD I miss being a kid when that was the most important thing! This is a great post. I admire ALL parents who have been thrown into home schooling during this difficult time. Like, as if you don’t have enough to worry about as it is? So please know that you’re a superhero in my eyes! These are great prompts xxxx
Oh bless you! Thank you so much! Just doing what I can to get through the working days so we can really make the best of our down time x
Great ideas. I have been talking to my kids about their feelings a lot in the last few weeks, but we have not tried journaling.
It is such a good way to document it for all time x
I don’t have children, but I have several nieces and nephews and my work serves children. Someone made the great point that maybe not everyone pays attention to—for kids, it can feel like absolutely everything was taken away. Their friends, routine, teachers, playtime, socialization, everything. These are excellent prompts to empower kids to have a voice that matters! Well done!
Thank you so much x x
I am definitely going to get Jack to answer some of these. He doesn’t like talking about his feelings but he may be more open to writing them down.
Aww I hope he enjoys doing this x
This is such a great idea. A brilliant way to keep the kids busy and also have them use their imagination too xx
Thank you x
I agree- it will soon be a distant memory once things start getting back to another new normal. I like this idea- makes children more aware and knowledgeable
Thank you x
My son definitely misses school, not just friends but also the staff. The hardest part of adjusting for him has been the sudden stop on ll of the contact he had with others, in school and through 4 sports.
It is so hard for them, especially if they are very active and social. I hope he is back to school soon x x
This is on my to-do list to do with mine as I would love to see their answers
I hope they get something from it x x
This is excellent and will help kids communicate how they are feeling about the current situation. It’s something I don’t think a lot of people are thinking about. They think that kids will be fine. They’re off school, they’re loving it. But I know for a fact that if I were a kid through this I would be so scared of what’s happening in the world.
Great post.
Thank you. I agree, I think I’d of really struggled with it. I can see my step daughters are now really missing a routine x
This is awesome! My 5 year old has a bit of anxiety, so I would love to try this with her. Thanks for the idea!
I hope they help her x x
I think these prompts are so useful for adults to reflect on as well during covid-19!
Tash – http://www.agirlwithview.co.uk
Thank you, I hope they can be used for all ages x
This is such a wonderful idea and a great way for the kids to express themselves through journalling. My eldest already does this and my son loves writing as well.
I love when children choose to write rather than just keeping it for school work x
These are some great prompts to educate children about what’s happening in the world around them. My mom loves this post as it will help her with my little sister. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much x
Such a great idea to get the kids involved and to express themselves! I don’t live with any children but many of my friends do so I can only imagine the struggle with home schooling as well as keeping them entertained!
These are some great prompts to help start conversations and to help children understand what is happening! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this, it’s been a really tough time for everyone it’s good to focus on their mental health!
Thanks for sharing!
I am surely gonna share this with my younger brother , cause he is a kid and really needs something like this . Thanks for sharing such an awesome post ..
Thank you so much
I wish I saw this earlier. I am not a child anymore. I am grown but I have younger siblings and this would have been super helpful! Nice post!