51 Inner Child Journaling Prompts

Connecting with your inner child is a crucial part of the self-discovery process. Every one of us is affected and formed by our childhood experiences, with many of our habits, responses and outlooks are stem from childhood. Through journaling, we aim to get closer to our inner child, to understand ourselves better, and to heal old wounds. 

During this journaling exercise, write freely and without judgement. Be honest, and keep an open mind to any themes or trends you see while writing. 

1. What did you do for fun as a child? 
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? 
3. What did you daydream about when you were a kid? 
4. Who was your childhood hero? What about them did you love? 
5. Who were your closest friends growing up? What did you like about them? 
6. Who were your favorite teachers and why? 
7. When you were a kid, how did you imagine your life would be when you were grown up? 
8. Write about a time when you felt scared? 
9. What is your first memory? 
10. Describe a time when someone hurt your feelings. 
11. Write about a time when you hurt someone else’s feelings as a kid. 
12. How do you deal with emotional discomfort? 
13. What is your biggest fear? 
14. What do you love about yourself? 
15. How can you soothe your inner child? 
16. How can you get closure on the challenging times and traumas your inner child has suffered? 
17. How can you get to know yourself better? 
18. In school, my favorite subject was... 
19. I always used to wonder about... 
20. What always fascinated you as a child? 
21. When I am with children now, I feel... 
22. I used to spend hours playing with... 
23. How did I see the world? How did I see it differently through the lens of a child? 
24. What can I do now to honor the needs my inner child? 
25. What is your perfect day? 
26. What makes you feel jealous? Where does that feeling of envy stem from?  
27. How can you be kinder too yourself?  
28. What do you have negative self-talk about? 
29. What makes me feel anxious? Where do these feelings stem from? 
30. In what areas of life do you hold yourself to an unachievable standard? 
31. What grudges are you holding on to? How can you let them go? 
32. Do you prioritize yourself? 
33. What is one time that you forgave yourself for messing up? 
34. What is your first memory of feeling ashamed? 
35. How did shame become part of your self-talk? 
36. Who around you shames you? 
37. When you feel ashamed, how do you react? 
38. Who inspired you as a child? 
39. Write about a time you felt inspired? 
40. What do you wish your inner critic understood? 
41. What scares you? Do you avoid the things that scare you or do you take them head on? Why? 
42. Write about a time when you felt at peace. 
43. List 5 reasons why you believe in yourself. 
44. Were you self-conscious as a child? Why? Are you self-conscious now? 
45. What made you nervous as a kid? Why?  
46. Do those things still make you nervous now? Why? 
47. Did you have an imaginary friend as a child? Write about them. 
48. Do you have any lifelong dreams? 
49. What blessings did you have in your childhood that you weren’t conscious of? 
50. Write a letter to someone from your childhood self to thank them for being there for you. 
51. What did you wish your childhood self knew that you know now? 

Having a dedicated place to journal can help create a regular habit of journaling. Check out our notebook and journal collections at Nottai.