Ever since our last family trip to the beach, I’ve been absolutely bursting with this idea—how about creating a family travel journal? You know, something to capture every silly moment, every breathtaking view, and even those unexpected detours when we get lost (which, let’s be honest, happens way too often!). Don’t you just love the thought of flipping through pages filled with doodles, ticket stubs, and our kids’ hilarious little comments about ‘the really tall guy’ we met in Paris? It’s like a time capsule of laughter and memories, waiting to be opened. Who wouldn’t want to look back and remember the joy, the chaos, and those simple moments that make our hearts swell? I can almost hear my son’s laugh as we try to take a family selfie yet again—him making funny faces while my daughter is trying to pout just right! Let’s make something that truly tells our story, shall we?
Items You’ll Need
- Travel journal notebook
- Pens and markers
- Digital camera or smartphone
- Portable photo printer
- Glue stick or tape for photos
- Scrapbooking supplies (stickers, washi tape)
- Travel map for marking locations
- Memory card for digital camera
- Writing prompts or travel prompts book
- Folder or binder for storing documents
- Trip itinerary planner
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Gather Your Equipment
First things first, I make sure to gather all my travel journal supplies. This includes my travel journal notebook, pens, markers, and digital camera. I’ll also grab the portable photo printer, glue stick, scrapbooking supplies like stickers and washi tape, the travel map, memory card for my camera, writing prompts book, folder for storing documents, and the trip itinerary planner.
Step 2: Plan the Trip
I sit down with my family to discuss and plan our upcoming trip. We decide on the destinations we want to visit, the activities to do, and draft a trip itinerary. I write everything down in the trip itinerary planner to keep us organized.
Step 3: Create a Travel Map
I take the travel map and mark all the locations we plan to visit. Each destination gets a colorful sticker or a doodle to make it visually appealing. This way, we have a clear visual representation of our journey ahead.
Step 4: Inspiration Time!
I flip through my writing prompts book to find fun questions or prompts about travel experiences. I share these with my family to get everyone excited and inspired about capturing our memories.
Step 5: Document Our Journey
As we embark on our trip, I remind everyone to take candid photos and write little notes in the travel journal. I encourage my kids to draw or write stories about what they see and experience each day.
Step 6: Print and Scrapbook
After we’ve spent the day exploring, I use the portable photo printer to print the best photos of the day. We all sit down in the evening and start gluing the photos into our travel journal, mixing them with drawings, stickers, and washi tape.
Step 7: Write Daily Reflections
Each night, I sit down with my travel journal and write a reflection about the day's adventures. I encourage my family to do the same, capturing their thoughts and feelings, which adds depth to our memories.
Step 8: Organize Everything
Once we’re home, I organize all our documents, maps, and printed materials into the folder or binder. I place our travel journal entries and photos in chronological order, creating a comprehensive record of our trip.
Step 9: Share and Reflect
Finally, we have a family night where we go through the travel journal together, reminiscing about the experiences and sharing our favorite memories. It’s a wonderful way to relive our adventures and bond as a family.