Are you looking for a low-maintenance activity for a few minutes in class? Use these short journaling prompts as engaging bellringers or incorporate them as thoughtful breaks to recenter students between activities. Reflective writing slows your students’ busy minds by encouraging them to focus on a singular activity; allowing them to organize the day’s events or analyze a particular topic in more detail. However you choose to incorporate our collection of 10-minute journal prompts, one thing’s certain- carving out a short period of time for this powerful activity will help your students reap the benefits of a peace-filled learning environment!
1. What are three things you’re grateful for today and why?
2. Describe your ideal day from the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep.
3. Write about your favorite memory from the past year.
4. What’s a new skill you’d like to learn and why?
5. If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?
6. Write about a time when you faced a challenge and how you overcame it.
7. If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
8. What are three goals you have for this month?
9. Describe a place you would like to visit one day.
10. What does happiness look like to you?
11. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
12. Write a letter to your future self.
13. What is one thing you wish people knew about you?
14. Describe the best book you’ve ever read and why it made an impact on you.
15. If you could start a business, what kind would it be?
16. What does success mean to you?
17. Write about your favorite family tradition.
18. If you could invent something, what would it be and why?
19. Who is someone you admire and why?
20. Write about a piece of news you recently read and your thoughts on it.
21. What’s a new hobby you’d like to try?
22. If you could live in any time period, which one would it be and why?
23. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
24. What is your dream job and why?
25. What’s something that scares you and how can you work to overcome this fear?
26. Write a short story set in your favorite fictional universe.
27. Write about a time you helped someone.
28. If you could speak another language, which one would you choose and why?
29. Describe your favorite meal and why you enjoy it.
30. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in life?
31. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
32. Write about a time you made a mistake and what you learned from it.
33. What is your favorite way to relax after a long day?
34. Describe your best friend and what makes your friendship strong.
35. Write about an issue you care deeply about and why.
36. What’s something you’re looking forward to and why?
37. Describe a favorite teacher and what makes them special.
38. If you could create your own subject to study at school, what would it be?
39. Describe a time when you were really proud of yourself.
40. What do you value most in your relationships?
41. Write about your favorite sport or physical activity.
42. What’s something new you’ve learned recently?
43. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
44. Write about a time when you felt very happy.
45. If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be and why?
46. Describe your dream home.
47. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
48. If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and why?
49. Write about a time when you showed courage.
50. What’s your favorite quote and why does it speak to you?
51. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why?
52. Write about a time when you felt really inspired.
53. If you could master any musical instrument, which one would it be?
54. What’s something you’d like to do but feel too afraid to try?
55. Write about a movie that has had a big impact on you.
56. Describe a personal hero of yours and why they inspire you.
57. If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be and why?
58. What’s a cause that’s important to you and why?
59. If you could travel to space, what do you imagine you would see?
60. Describe a moment when you felt really peaceful.
61. What’s a book you’ve always wanted to read but haven’t gotten around to yet?
62. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
63. Write about a piece of art or music that moved you.
64. If you were a teacher, what subject would you teach and why?