Journal Prompts For Teens

Another opportunity for teens to do some journaling! Bottom Line: Journaling is good for you. Here’s some scientific research related to journaling. Prepare to have your mind blown!

The simple act of journaling:

•  Strengthens your immune system.
•  Helps injuries heal faster. (I didn’t believe it either.)
•  Raises your IQ.
•  Boosts your memory.
•  Reduces stress, anxiety and depression.
•  Makes you more optimistic about life.
•  But wait! There’s more! Journaling can keep you focused & organized, help you set & reach goals, improve your writing, inspire creativity, and help you get to know yourself.

If you could get all that in a vitamin, you’d take it – no questions asked. 

Ideally, you should journal 2-3 times a week, but there are no rules. It doesn’t matter if you use paper, a computer, a journaling notebook or even a note on your phone.

There are different types of journaling and approaches. But let’s get right to those burning questions on your mind:

What do I write about? Exactly. You can write about that. 

What if I want to figure out everything I write before I write it? Interesting. Write about that.

What if I don’t have a journal? Grab a napkin and write about whether or not it matters.

Journaling is a lot like so many things in life: You get out of it what you put into it.

These journal prompts for teens may be just what you need to get started.

1. Describe an important item from your childhood. Why was it important? Where is it now?

2. You get to talk to a dead person. Who would you choose, and why? What do you want to talk about?

3. Describe your happiest childhood memory in detail.

4. Explain something that happened to you that’s so strange, nobody believes you.

5. In an abandoned cabin, you find a shiny box with a single red “DANGER” button. Do you push it? Why or why not?

6. What’s something you want to learn how to do? Why?

7. Where would you like to visit right now? What would you do there?

8. What’s your favorite memory involving food?

9. What accomplishment makes you feel the most pride? Why?

10. The best advice you’ve ever received is…

11. What’s something you could teach someone to do? How did you learn it?

12. What are you most grateful for today?

13. Name one thing you know is true.

14. What’s a positive character trait or quality that you’re known for? What developed this trait in you?

15. What character trait or quality can you grow in? How could you achieve that growth?

16. You’re now in charge of the entire world. What would you change, and why?

17. You can be any fictional character from a book or movie. Who do you want to be? Why?

18. You can wake up tomorrow having gained one ability or talent. What do you choose? Are you willing to work at it? Why/Why not?

19. Who are five people you admire, and why?

20. What’s your favorite holiday, and why?

Finish these sentences:

1. Life is mostly just…

2. I used to think… but now I realize…

3. I wonder if…

4. I totally believe…

5. It gets on my nerves when people…

6. I hope I never forget…

7. One thing I want to accomplish this month is…

8. Success in life basically depends on…

9. Cake or pie? Explain why the correct answer is definitely ______.

10. When I’m happy…

Time for some fun!

1. You find an envelope at the park with your name on it and $5,000. What do you do?

2. Aliens abduct you and ask you to describe the human race.

3. You can have one candy for free for life. What do you pick? Why?

4. You wake up and the world is experiencing a zombie apocalypse. Realistically, how long do you survive and why? (Assume slow zombies, not fast, rage ones.)

5. You run into someone who in all ways is your exact twin. How do you both make the most of this situation?

6. If you could live in any part of the world, where would you choose? Why does it appeal to you?

7. You can enter any video game as an NPC. (Non-Playable Character.) What game would be the most fun to wander around in? Why?

8. You are now the world’s foremost collector of ______. What do you collect and why?

9. If you could change one traffic law, what would it be? Why?

10. You have the most vivid, realistic dream of eating a giant marshmallow. You wake up and your pillow is gone. What’s your first thought?

Other blogs:

Conversation Starters for Kids and Parents – First Things First

100 Conversation Starters To Increase Your Family’s Connectedness

7 Ways to Deepen Your Connection With Your Teen – First Things First