Writing: Diary Entry
To develop personal narrative writing through diary entries about school and home experiences.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Literacy
- Learning area: Literacy
- Level: EYFS Reception
Objectives
- Writes regular diary entries
- Uses first person consistently
- Records events and feelings
- Shows developing personal voice
Materials
- Diary notebooks
- Date stamp
- Prompt cards
- Drawing pencils
Instructions
Give each child a diary — a small notebook that is THEIRS. 'This is your diary. It's private and special. You write about YOUR day, YOUR feelings, YOUR life.'
Model diary writing: 'Today is Monday. This morning I walked to school in the rain. I felt a bit grumpy because I forgot my umbrella! But then we did painting and I felt happy again.'
Teach first-person voice: 'Diaries use 'I'. I went... I saw... I felt... I liked... It's YOUR story about YOUR day.' This is different from third-person narrative writing.
Provide prompts for children who need them: 'Today I...', 'The best thing was...', 'I felt... because...', 'Tomorrow I want to...' Prompts scaffold without constraining.
Read diary entries at the end of each week: 'Let's look back at our week! On Monday you wrote about the rain. On Wednesday you wrote about your new hamster. What a week!'
Diary writing builds writing stamina, personal voice, and the habit of reflection. It's also a precious record for families.