Some scrapbookers use journaling prompts to help them journal on their layouts. A journaling prompt may be a word or a few words that helps the scrapbooker start thoughts on what to write. It may be a question or a topic, but the goal is to give the scrapbooker a place to start.

Let’s talk about one example and see where it leads.

Many scrappers do layouts about their children. Some prompts may be simple, like the child’s name or favorites. This can help the scrapbooker start with a list maybe, listing some simple facts about the child, like name, age, favorite food or color, etc. Lists are always a fun way to journal. The prompt could also be something bigger, maybe a statement for the mom to write a letter to their child before it is born. This can be something written with a lot of emotion and can be simply beautiful. It could also be done as hidden journaling, saved until the child is old enough to read it.

Here are some possible prompts:
Name
Age
Birth Height and Weight
Birth date
Origin of Name (where does their name originate from)
Name Meaning
Favorites: Color – TV Show – Game – Food – Sport – Toy – and so on.
Write a message for child before birth
Keep child’s drawing or artwork and ask them to explain it (write it for them)
Child’s handwriting – this could be done at any age, once writing begins
How it feels to be a Mom (or Dad)
Baby Firsts: First steps, first tooth, first visitors after birth
Brothers and Sisters
Family Tree
Outings to the Park or Museum or Zoo

There are lots of possible prompts! They give us a place to start thinking about the photos and thinking about the child and writing important information or describing events or situations that might be filled with emotion.

Let’s take this one step farther. Let’s put it to use. Many scrapbookers will take one prompt and create an entire layout using it as inspiration. Any of the prompt ideas above could be used to create a one page (or maybe two page) layout or even in some cases, an entire album. For example, use the “age” prompt. It could be used to create an album of photos about each year in the child’s life. It could be an album that celebrates the birthdays or layouts about the favorites for each year. Don’t forget, the journal prompt can also be the title of the layout.

The prompts can open up an entire thought process that can lead almost anywhere. This can be the easiest way to begin journaling and it can help those who have difficulty, just move right past the difficulty to “easy street.”