Sometimes, the best moments happen when the screen goes dark. At 10, my daughter’s long past cartoons—these days it’s iPad games, YouTube shorts, and bursts of screen time that always seem to win during long travel days. But on our recent trip through Paris, Provence, and the French Riviera, we tried something different.
We didn’t ban the iPad totally. We just offered something more meaningful.
From Screens to Sketches
While on the plane, she sketched the Haussmann buildings from memory (those elegant Parisian facades) and her view from the window high above the clouds. On the train to Provence, she wrote about the blur of the countryside rushing past and reminisced about the food she loved back in Versailles. From Provence to the French Riviera and back to Paris, she documented each day with little doodles: every gelato flavor she tried, her favorite French dishes: croissants, pain au chocolat, crêpes, and the attractions that captured her heart.
These weren’t forced entries—they were invitations to notice, feel, and reflect.
Why It Works
Parenting in the digital age is a balancing act. My previous blog, “Why Teaching Kids Travel Journal Writing Matters in the Social Media Age,” shared how journaling helps kids manage overwhelm, build creativity, and tell their own stories on paper—not just through a screen.
At 10, the benefits deepen: Self‑expression becomes more intentional. Mindfulness transforms into real presence. Creative thinking sparks memory retention and storytelling skills.
With her iPad games paused, my daughter wasn’t just along for the ride—she was part of it.
A Gentle Alternative
No lectures. No screen‑time battles. Just a printed journal decked with prompts and space to draw, write, or glue memories.
When kids have the tools to reflect, they often surprise us. That’s the soul of slow travel—trading noise for noticing, scrolling for storytelling.
What Parents Can Do
- Pack the iPad, yes—but add the journal too.
- Make journaling optional, never mandatory. When she’s inspired, she’ll open it. When she’s not, she’ll feel respected.
- Model the behavior. Sit with your own pages open and journal alongside her.
- Celebrate the small entries. Share highlights together after dinner or before bed.
Why I Created These Journals
They’re designed not as a worksheets, but guided space for curiosity, observation, and surprise.
Built for families who want snapshots of actual wonder, not just filtered moments.
So before you grab the tablet, slide a journal into your travel bag too.
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You don’t need a screen to keep kids entertained on a trip.
With the right prompts, even a simple café stop or a quiet train ride becomes a story worth telling.
Let their travel days unfold gently—pen in hand, curiosity wide open.
