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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Review of Spiritual Circle Journal

Spiritual Circle Journal
I have four kids who love to journal and keep diaries, so when I saw Spiritual Circle Journal come up for review, I knew that it would be a blessing to one of my children. The Spiritual Circle Journal for Kids & Teens is recommended for ages 8+, but can be used by younger kids. It is wire bound and contains 66 journal pages and 66 white pages. This journal facilitates what I think of as directed journaling, as the pages have graphics designed to elicit specific entries. Having said that, you can, of course, make of this journal anything you wish. For my 11 year-old daughter, though, the pages were just perfect!
Spiritual Circle Journal
Each of the outlined shapes in the journal symbolizes something the journaler is supposed to write in the space:

Moving from left to right, the shapes signify the following: a journal entry, a lyric or verse, a message, a confession, an example of God moving in your life, a lesson learned, a prayer, a thank you or adoration, and actions (something God wants you to do). For kids who want to journal but may not know how to start, or for kids who especially want to keep a spiritual or Bible-based journal, this is an *ideal* option. Even for kids who may have been wanting to learn how to art-journal but are unsure how to begin, this journal is a great beginning step. 

The number of ways you can customize the journal is endless. For girls, it is a chance to use their undoubtedly large collection of colored pens. Adding stickers is a great touch. For kids who don't necessarily want to journal these prompts, you can work with them to substitute different prompts for the shapes, while keeping the essential spirit of the journal intact (i.e., for Catholics, journaling about a saint studied during the week and/or a virtue exemplified by that saint would be one excellent option). For kids who really resist journaling, only asking them to fill in half of the shapes one day and half of the shapes the next day (in the course of the once-a-week journaling) is a way to show them the joy of journaling. Really, it becomes addictive quickly!

Mary-Catherine and Spiritual Circle Journal

I had originally thought of Therese when I saw this product online, but when it came to the house, it was Mary-Catherine with whom it resonated the most. She loved the design of the journal and wanted to start using it right away.


She had no trouble remembering what was supposed to go in each shape, nor did she have trouble deciding what to write. She did decide fairly early on that it made sense for her to make a couple of entries a week, rather than the once a week suggested by the author (but that will vary by child).

If you're unsure of exactly how to use the journal once you receive it, fear not! There is a three page parent/teacher/leader guide to explain the journal more fully. In the guide, the author explains her purpose in creating the journal, gives ideas for how to begin your child on the journaling process, and explains the importance of writing vs. typing in developing memory retention skills. Even if you get the journal and want to dive right in, I would strongly encourage reading this valuable introduction.

39 other Crew members have been using the Spiritual Circle Journal for Kids & Teens, so be sure to click here to see what they had to say!

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1 comment:

  1. My son also liked to write in a few bubbles each day rather than all at once. Great review.

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