Create a notebook of memories to treasure for a lifetime by taking turns writing letters back & forth with your child! Download and print the FREE Mama & Me journal labels today!
What exactly is a “Mama & Me” journal? Well, it is basically a journal that I share with my daughter. We write letters back and forth to each other, kind of like being pen pals (without the envelopes & stamps). My hope is that these seemingly simple letters to one another will become a book of memories to treasure for a lifetime! And, of course, I created a printable for it!
I wanted to make the journal look special, so made this cute little label for the notebook. In case you want to make one similar to ours, here is what I used.
Suggested Supplies to Create Journal:
- composition notebook
- fun scrapbook paper
- clear contact paper
- the “Mama & Me” label – choose from either pink or purple (Download instructions are below)
How to Make the Mama & Me Journal:
- Print the label and cut it down to the desired size to form a pretty border.
- Cut the scrapbook paper a bit larger than the label.
- Layer the papers and glue them onto the notebook.
Easier Option: You could just print the label onto sticker paper and then just stick it to the notebook.
In hopes of keeping the label intact, I put clear contact paper over the entire front of the notebook (except for the black binding that you see in the photo) and then I trimmed all the excess contact paper from around the edges.
And, that was it!
Guess what? She LOVED it!
My daughter was SUPER excited when she found the journal on her bed! It is a great way for me to “see” into the mind of my little princess! Plus, since we are the only females in the family, it is a fun way for us to bond!
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Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that it’s a sneaky little way to add in some extra work on writing and penmanship! The educator in me LOVES that!
But, I cannot take all the credit for this super fun idea! I got the idea from Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler, who got the idea from another blogger! I even followed Erica’s lead with my intro letter, which reads:
Dear Daughter,
Would you like to be my pen pal? Instead of mailing letters to each other, we can keep them here in this notebook. Does that sound like fun?
I will write to you and then leave the notebook on your bed. Then, when you want to write me back you can begin writing on the next page and leave the notebook on my bed when you are done.
You can write about anything! It can be funny or serious! Just write about whatever is on your mind! 🙂
I am so excited and I hope that you are excited too!
Love,
Mom
P.S. Write back soon! 🙂
Got boys? No problem!
Now, I know that these labels look a little girly! Don’t get me wrong, I do hope that my boys will want to do this at some point as well. I have even made their labels, though I have yet to put it together on notebooks for them. I figure I have at least another year or so, who knows?!?!?
I will be sharing the boyish Mama & Me labels later this month! Stay tuned!
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Download Instructions:
Ready to download the FREE “Mama & Me” Journal Labels for girls? Click the button below to get access to the printable pdf file.
This post was originally published on November 6, 2010.
Hi! I find this idea so awesome! I started this today with my kids (1 boy & 1 girl) and they are very excited…though they think it’s a bit weird why we would write to each other when we live in the same househouse. But i explained it to them and they warmed up to the idea…so, hoping for wonderful adventures ahead! Thanks fir sharing your great ideas! I attached a photo of the journals i made using your free downloadable!
Lauren, you are so welcome! I’m glad that your kiddos warmed up to the idea!
Lauren! Your journals are SUPER cute!!! Thanks for sharing! I’m glad your kiddos warmed up to the idea!!
I just love this! I think this would be fun for a daddy & me journal too with sons! Thank you for sharing.
Nicole @ Working Kansas Homemaker
You are very welcome! Hopefully I will get around to making a Daddy and Me label soon!
So, I just saw this on Pinterest and thought it was an amazing idea. It actually inspired me on an idea for a journal for before your kids can write. I would love to link to your blog and this post as inspiration but would like to know if you’d be ok with that before I posted the blog. Please get back to me as soon as you can. Thanks!
Hi Brandy, I am so glad you were inspired and I would be honored if you linked back to my site. I would love to see what you came up with!
Hi Jen! Thanks so much for contacting me! You know what, I started some Daddy & Me labels, but never finished them! I will get to work finishing them and try to post them this month!
do you have a Daddy and Me printable for this? I am recently divorced and I love this for me, but I also think it would be great for my daughters to do with their Dad that they don’t get to see every day now.
Thanks! Hope it will be helpful for your family!!
Then I would TOTALLY recommend you asking him questions! The possibilities are endless! Perhaps you could start by asking them to describe their ideal adventure. What is the bravest thing they have ever done? Be creative! Find out what they are interested in and ask them about it! Hope that helps!
Awh, Kristal, I am sure the kids will love it! As for printing, the colorful “border” around mine is actually just some scrapbook paper that I cut and added behind the printable. Sorry!!!!
I love this idea! I am going to do this with my 9y/o daughter and 7y/o son. I am also going to make them for the kids grandma, we moved several hours away and I think its a great thing for them to share. I do have a question though, when I went to print out the labels it doesnt print them with the nice border that you have on your sample book. Is there anyway I can get a file to print it like yours? Thanks a bunch! Kristal
this looks great!! since boys are harder to get to talk – any ideas of what to start off with for them? or ideas in general? i dont think my 9 yr old will write unless i start by asking questions…thanx!
This is so cute. my husband is over seas and with 2 kids I know my daughter is feeling the stress. I am going to start this today and hope that it will back her feel alittle better about our crazy life right now.
Brilliant! My little one is too young at this time, I would love to do it when she is older but for now I think doing it with my husband could be just as great!
Sorry, I completely forgot to add the link. Here it is – http://revolutionoflove.stblogs.org/archives/2012/07/making-it-count-t.html
Oh, bathroom…good idea!!
We did this when I was growing up as a family. Everyone could write in the journal and we kept it in the bathroom. It was a LOT of fun!!
Hope they like them!!!
A party! Sounds like a fun idea!
love this will get together with my daughters and do this I have married one and 2at home we will make a party out of it so all can do Thanks
This is brilliant! I just made these for my two oldest kids. Thanks for the great idea.
I am the same way! I love written letters! They seem so much more personal than emails or even phone calls!
Thank YOU for sharing! What is your blog address? I would love to check out your journal!
Great idea!!
I love this idea, I am going to do it with my husband!
I know this is an older post but I just discovered it on pinterest. I love the idea and made one too. I blogged about it and added a link back here. Thanks for sharing!
i am going to do this with my little girl. I did it with my mom.
This is an AWESOME idea!!! I love the fact of being able to read them again years from now when they are all grown up!!
I have done this too! I heard about it first in my Brio magazine as a junior in high school, and started doing it with my algebra teacher. Since then, I’ve also done it somewhat successfully with my brother and sister and even once with my mom. It’s more personal than email, though not as fast, but for someone like me who loves written messages, this is a great system. It’s surprising how deep conversations can come when they don’t have to be face-to-face.
Thanks so much for such a great idea! I just made one for my son and posted about it on my blog. 🙂 http://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.ca/2012/07/mommy-and-me-journal.html
Great idea Monette! I love getting notes and letters from my hubby! Perhaps we should make our own journal!!!
Tina, I LOVE the idea of hidden notes! My mom would periodically put a note in my lunchbox when I was a little girl! Great memories!! Thanks for sharing!!
This is such a beautiful idea! My mom used to write me little “love notes” and hide them for me to find all the time when I was little (and when I was not so little – like in my calculator on the day I took my SATs)… anyway, it is one of the fondest memories of my childhood and the notes always made my day. I love the idea of the notes going back and forth in a notebook like this and once my daughter is old enough I definitely plan to get in on this (she’s only 15 months now). Thanks for your creativity!!
This is a fun idea! Also, will work between you and hubby to promote more bonding time and you’ll be amazed how much it makes a difference in your relationship! I use “I love you because” memo board (copied from another site) for us and love it!
This is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing. I’ve pinned it onto my writing board for kids. Great Activity for the summer too! http://pinterest.com/educatorsspinon/writing-activities/
I am planning to make some for my boys too! It will be interesting to see if they respond the same!
I am doing this with both my son and daughter. I picked up a couple of journals from the christian bookstore (because I love the little scripture’s on the pages,lol) My daughter, 6 is much more into it than my son, 8, even though he asked if he could do one too. His responses to my entries are simple thanks mom, lol
Thanks so much for this idea. My daughter just finished 8th grade and her hormones have created some distance in our relationship. I’m using this summer to get things back on track . . . . this will be a definite part of the plan!
Made one with my daughter today! She loves the idea and can’t wait to get started! Thank you for the idea…. 🙂
Thank you so much for this! As a full time working Mum I feel very disconnected with my 7 year old daughter as my husband does all the school drop offs, pick ups, clubs etc. I hope this will bring us closer together, she loves writing things down. I will do one with my 4 yr old boy too but I will draw pictures in his in the hope he’ll draw them back!
I can’t thank you enough for the wonderful idea!!
LOVE this idea! Thanks for sharing! Love to decor idea as well! That helps to make it even more personal!
I used to have notebooks with all of my closest girlfrends throughout middle school and high school… it was an awesome way to confront issues with eachother without a catty arguement but we also had so much fun with it! I started one with my mom and sister a few years ago when we were going through a tough time and it was a great way to open up and reconnect!
Another decor. idea is to take pictures and magazine clippings of your favorite things and cover the front and back with them… then take either clear masking tape or a laminate sheet to seal it all up!!
I just left one for my 7 year old daughter to find when she got home from school today. I heard giggles as she was reading my first letter to her and then she came running out with a huge grin. Thank you so much for the idea. I’m also having a great time checking out the rest of your blog.
My mom and I did this growing up. It was perfect for everything from a place to ask questions I felt awkward asking in person to planning a surprise party for my dad to simple I love you
I got so inspired, I have to make my own version. Thanks!
Great idea to start early!
I love this idea. I am a teacher and do this with my class each year. I have 2nd graders and it started as a way to get them to write more. I now have seen that it is a way for me to build a relationship with my students more. I have a 2 year old daughter and even though she is not old enough to write back, I am going to start this with her. I am going to start by just keeping a journal and writing to her weekly until she is old enough to start writing back. I think it will be fun for both of us to look back through them when she is older and read my thoughts and prayers for her as she was growing.
I think it would be great for teens/preteens!!!
Wonder if this would work with preteens and teenagers.
Love the idea of having a journal like this with the hubby!!! Great idea!!!
LOVE this idea and I just started one for my daughter who will be 7 next month. I think I might also start one back and forth with my husband, kind of llike the book, Wednesday Letters, if you have ever read that, except he can write back to me too:)
i found this through pinterest and I just started this last night with both my daughters, 5 and 7! I’m already finding out sooo much about my 7 year old! IT’s liek she’s comfortable writing it down, like most people are rather than talking about it! I cried and laughed so much! I’m sooo overjoyed that I came across this and so eager for the years to go by and see all the blessings that will come from it!!!! thank you sooo much!!!!
Just took a look at your journals! They are super cute! Thanks for linking and sharing!! 😉
Saw this on pinterest. What a great idea. My triplets are in 2nd grade and this is a great project for them. I just finished making their books. You can read about it here on my blog. http://creativetripletmom.blogspot.com/2012/03/penpal-journals-with-my-kids.html
This is such a simple, but wonderful idea. I have two teenage daughters 15 and 19. I feel disconnected from them at times and feel this will be the perfect and special way to reconnect and stay connected with them. I am also going to implement this with my eight year old son. Woohoo…so excited. Starting tomorrow. Thank you for the idea. Have a beautiful blessed day.
Thank you for sharing. The notebook is ready–to go. Can’t wait to get started :0)
Love this idea! I think that I will do this with my little girl when she gets older!
Love this idea! Doing this right now!! 🙂
You are so right! Check out the “Conversation Journal” at Heart of the Matter: http://heartofthematteronline.com/communicating-with-tweens-and-teens-through-a-shared-journal/
What a GREAT idea!!!
This is something that can be done with a teenager too. I have a 16 year old that I have sometimes had trouble in talking to or having her talk to me. I am going to try this with her too. Sometimes it is easier for them to write what they want to say instead of saying it. Also, I have told her that she can ask me anything, but writing a question she wants to ask may be easier than coming to me to ask it.
I have a friend who uses this same concept in her marriage. Written communication is whole another level of intimacy and great for days
when you need to be reminded how much you are loved. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this very sweet idea! I just printed the label and am putting this together while my daughter is in school. She will be so excited to do this!!! I really appreciate your generosity in sharing the label that you created! You’re awesome!
I love this idea on so many levels, connecting with my daughter, working on her writing skills, allowing her a place to share freely, ect. THANK YOU
Thanks for this. I came across it on Pinterest and have talked about it on my blog, linking back to yours for my readers to see where it came from. Thanks!!
Neat idea!!!
Great idea… I had a similar idea to try with my 6 year old but to pretend it was from a “Story Fairy”… I haven’t started it yet, but might try soon as my 6 yr old is just learning to read and write.
Awh, that is so cute! Glad it is working for you!
My boys love to get mail but it doesn’t often come for them. As a homeschooling mom I wanted something to keep up their handwriting and this is just the perfect sneaky way! This is day 3 and they love it. They ask me all day “Did you read my note? Did you write back?” Love it!
I did this for my daughter when she was 8. She is now 13 and it has been the best thing for our relationship! We only write to each other once a week or so, but I can almost count on her putting our journal on my pillow at night when there has been a rough day at school or conflict between the two of us! I then write words of encouragement back to her and even say the hard things…and she will listen (mostly). It is like a back door to her heart! Great idea!!
I found this on Pinterest and I am so excited about it. I am starting one today for my four year old daughter. She likes to write letters to people by dictating them to me. I print them out in a light grey font that she traces, so she gets writing and composition practice. I don’t see why we can’t do that in a book until she is able to write on her own. I also hope she’ll draw in here, she is a great artist. I am very excited to see where this goes. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you for this idea! I made my daughter one and we are loving it. Here’s the link if you want to take a look.
That is SOOOO sweet! Love the Daddy & Me idea! Perhaps I should make one too! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing! I made this for my 7 year old daughter today and she cried when she opened it! I am so happy to have another way to preserve the innocents of my children through this idea! THANK YOU! PS…. my husband wants to do one with her to so I will be making another one for Daddy and Me!
Thanks Laura! I am planning to make them for my boys this weekend!
Hmmm, I am using Firefox and I just opened the boy printable just fine. I will keep an eye on it to see if anyone else has the same prob as you!
Love this – making this for my son right now!
Just one thing: I don’t know why, maybe it’s my computer, but I tried to print your “boy” printable from Firefox and got a blank page. When I used IE, it worked fine. So if you hear of anyone else having problems with printing, you might suggest switching browsers for the print.
Love the idea of writing, but sharing once your daughter returns! That will be very special!!!
I saw this on Pinterest! As a Mama to 3 girls I’m so excited to do this! 2 are old enough now and I’ll have to wait a few years with the 3rd. Thank you for an amazing, cute, fun idea!
What a great idea. My daughter leaves for a semester in France and I will get her a book. I will make one for myself so we can write things to each other and share them when she comes home. Thanks for the neat idea.
Rachee~
Thank you for your kind words! And, you are most welcome! 😉
I found your blog through another site and have to say I absolutely love it! This idea of a Mama and me book is fantastic! Great ideas and thank you for sharing.
-r
Laura,
Sorry it took awhile for me to get back with you. It took me awhile to find the font. Anyhow, it is called Cool Dots and I downloaded it from here: http://www.scrapvillage.com/fontsc.htm
I recently discovered this wonderful idea through pinterest. I’m going to try this with my daughter. I was wondering if you can tell me the name of the font you used for your label? thanks!
Such a great idea. I am going to do this with my 6 year old daughter, and 8 year old son. Starting tomorrow.
Thanks
Such a great idea!! My daughter is 7 and loves to write. It will be something we can keep and cherish!! Thanks!!
I can’t believe I missed that almost a year ago! I know my daughter would LOVE this. Thanks so much for sharing 😀
Thanks for sharing! I need to go ahead and make a journal for my boys now that they are a bit older!
We’ve been doing this since my daughter was 6–she’s now 11. I’m so grateful for the things she’s revealed in the journal that she might not have ever said aloud: feelings, misgivings, fears. Bless you in your journey.
I LOVE this idea! I featured it as part of my Pinterest Project! http://fabulouslydomesticbyambrosia.blogspot.com/2011/09/pinterest-project-day-6-mama-me-journal.html
This is a great idea! Our 4 year old LOVES to color and frequently colors pictures that explain her feelings, so I implemented this with her too. We color 1 page each time and leave it for each other. It’s such a treasure! Our 6 year old and I write little letters too. Thanks…
Thanks so much for sharing this! I made one for my daughter and she loves it. What a great way to introduce journaling, bond with your child and sneak in some extra writing!
I just discovered your site yesterday,and I love it!! I just got finished making a journal for my 7 yr old daughter and I!! Thank you so much for sharing such a sweet idea 🙂
I know you said you didn’t come up with this idea, but you came up with the download that I used, and I have to say thanks! My son & I have been doing this for a few months now and our relationship has GROWN immensely!! I am so grateful for all you wonderful, creative mothers that share your wealth with us. Eternally grateful!!
Kudos Mama Jenn!!
Oh my goodness, this is adorable!
I love this so much that I’m bookmarking it now! Maybe my first-grader and I can start it soon 🙂
I am so enjoying reading your blog! Thank you for another great idea :).
BRILLIANT idea!!You’re an amazing mum!
I love this! Someone told me recently that they do this with their teenage daughter and I thought how much I would have benefited from this as a teen!! I have two toddler boys and have planned to do this if I ever have a little girl. Not a bad idea for my boys either, I guess! 😉
I love this idea! I have heard of it before and now that my kids are getting to the age where they can are starting to read and write I’m thankful for the reminder! Thanks for sharing!
I heard of this before and meant to follow up on it and just forgot. Thanks for the reminder 😀 I love the idea of becoming my daughters ‘pen pal’ sharing ideas, dreams, and just another way to strengthen the bonds of love between us.
Shalom
What a great idea! I can’t wait til my kids are old enough to do something like this 🙂
I did this same thing with my 5th graders when I taught public school. It was awesome to learn more about their lives. I got a ton of great reading suggestions too.
One thing that really helped them was having a list of sentence starters and ideas to write about in case they got stuck.
How sweet! I love this idea!
That is such a cute idea! What a fun way to stay connected and maybe she will tell you lot’s of things in that journal you may have never learned! 🙂