Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Writing a Diary Entry: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Writing a Diary Entry is a free printable English worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children write about their day in the first person, put what happened in time order and say how they felt. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children write a diary entry on the lines provided. They can choose a real day or make one up. The aim is to tell the story of the day in the first person, using words such as I and my. Events go in the order they happened, and children say how they felt. When they finish, they check that each sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
Plan before you write
Say it aloud first
Tell a grown-up about the day. Say what happened first, next and last. Talking helps children find their words before the pencil moves.
Pick the feelings
Think of one feeling for each part of the day. Words such as excited, nervous, proud and tired say more than good or bad.
Add one small detail
Choose one thing you saw, heard or said. A small detail, such as a sound or a smell, makes an entry feel real.
Start at the top
Many diary entries begin with the day or the date. Write it at the top of your page, then begin your first sentence with I.
Why write a diary entry?
A diary is a personal record of what happens to someone, written by that person. Because the writer is telling their own story, they use the first person: I, me, my and we. This makes a diary a friendly first step into writing about events. Children already know what happened, so they can focus on how to write it down clearly.
A diary entry also gives children a real reason to use time order and feelings. Words such as first, then, later and at last help the reader follow the day. Feeling words show what it was like to be there. Writing about a real day, even an ordinary one, shows children that their own lives are worth writing about.
Did you know?
- The word diary comes from a Latin word meaning day.
- Many diaries are private. They are written for the writer, not for an audience.
- Samuel Pepys kept a famous diary in the 1600s. He wrote about life in London, including the Great Fire.
- Diary entries are usually written in the past tense, because they tell what has already happened.
- Many diary entries have the day or the date written at the top.
Skills and curriculum link
- Writing
- Sequencing
- Feelings words
- First person
- Capital letters and full stops
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Writing: composition | Year 3 |
What children will be able to do
- I can write about my day using I and my.
- I can put events in time order.
- I can say how I felt.
Ideas that help with diary writing
- First personWriting in the first person means the writer tells the story as themselves. Words such as I, me and my show who is speaking.
- Time orderEvents are told in the order they happened. Time words such as first, next, later and at last guide the reader.
- Feelings wordsA good feeling word is exact. Nervous, relieved and delighted tell the reader more than the word nice.
- Past tenseA diary entry usually tells what has already happened, so most verbs describe the past.
Key words
- DiaryA book or page where you write about your own days and thoughts.
- EntryOne piece of writing in a diary, usually about one day.
- First personWriting as yourself, using words such as I, me, my and we.
- Time orderTelling things in the order they happened.
- Feeling wordA word that tells how someone felt, such as proud, worried or happy.
- Full stopThe mark that ends a sentence. The next sentence starts with a capital letter.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes, help, stretch idea and answers.
- Decide together whether to write about a real day or an imagined one. Say the day aloud before any writing starts.
- Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice, such as what happened first and how it felt.
- Ask your child to check that each sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Then check against page 2.
- Come back to it another day with a different day to write about. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Talk through the day aloud first. Then write one sentence at a time, starting with I. Ask what happened first, then next, then last. Let your child say each sentence before writing it. If writing is tiring, aim for three short sentences and add more another day.
To stretch confident children
Add time words such as later, after lunch and at last. Then add a feeling word for each part of the day. Try opening two sentences with a time word, and swap an ordinary word like nice for a more exact one, such as delighted or relieved.
Make it a game
Keep a diary for a week and read the entries back at the weekend. Can you spot the best feeling word, the funniest moment and a day that was different from the rest? Take turns to read an entry aloud while others guess the day.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe child writes he or she, or the name of a character, instead of I.
Try thisAsk who is telling the story. Point to the word I and read the sentence aloud again using it.
Watch forOne long sentence joins everything with and then, with no full stops.
Try thisRead it aloud and stop for a breath. Put a full stop where one idea ends and start the next sentence with a capital letter.
Watch forThe entry lists what happened but says nothing about feelings.
Try thisAsk how they felt at each part. Choose one feeling word and add it to a sentence.
Talk about it
- What was the best part of your day, and why?
- Which part of the day would you tell a friend about first?
- How did you feel when that happened? Can you find a more exact word?
- Why do we write the events in the order they happened?
- Would you want someone else to read your diary? Why or why not?
- What small detail could make this sentence more interesting?
Take it off the page
Diary for a toy or pet
Write a diary entry for a toy, a pet or a made up character. Use I and my, put the day in order and say how they felt.
Three picture day
Fold a paper into three. Draw what happened first, next and last in a day. Write a sentence under each picture, starting with a time word.
Feelings charades
Take turns acting out a feeling without speaking. Guess it, then say a sentence that begins with I felt.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Ask them to tell you about the day before they write. Praise the feeling words and the effort, not only neat handwriting. Short, calm sessions work best.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, homework or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, and the Check it worked questions suit a quick plenary.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider English plan. It pairs well with reading real diaries, keeping a family journal or writing after a trip out. You can print it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits
Before this, children practise writing clear sentences with capital letters and full stops, and talk about what has happened to them. The Kn and Wr Spellings sheet supports spelling at the level below.
After this, children can build more variety into their writing by starting sentences with time and place phrases. The Fronted Adverbial Cards sheet is a good next step for the year above.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What happened first, next and last in your diary entry?
- Which words show how you felt?
- What would you add to make it more interesting?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Writing a Diary Entry for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Children who are a little younger or older can also use it, with more help or a bigger challenge from page 2.
- What will children practise?
They practise writing a first person account in time order, with feelings. They use I and my, put events in the order they happened and say how they felt.
- Do children have to write about a real day?
No. They can write about a real day or an imagined one. Both give practice in first person writing, time order and feelings, so let your child choose.
- What if my child says nothing interesting happened?
Ordinary days work well. Ask what they ate, who they spoke to or what made them smile or feel tired. One small moment with a feeling word is enough to start.
- What if it feels too hard?
Talk through the day aloud first, then write one sentence at a time. Aim for a few short sentences and add more another day. Page 2 has more help ideas.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time after school, rainy days and school holidays. Writing by hand gives eyes a rest and gets children thinking and talking.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or in a wider plan. It is free to print again.
More like this
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.