Maintain a Fart Journal
Keep a fart journal noting time, foods eaten, and sensations; track patterns to learn about digestion, diet effects, and healthy habits.
Step-by-step guide to maintain a fart journal
Step 1
Pick a small notebook and give it a funny name to be your fart journal.
Step 2
On the first page write these column headings: Time; Food eaten; Sensation (1-5); Notes.
Step 3
Create a simple 1-to-5 sensation scale and write what each number means for how it felt.
Step 4
Make a short list of the common foods you eat to use when you fill entries.
Step 5
Choose when you will write in the journal (for example after meals or whenever you notice a fart).
Step 6
When you notice a fart, write the time in your journal immediately.
Step 7
Write what you last ate and when you ate it in the Food eaten column.
Step 8
Circle the number on your 1-to-5 scale that matches how the fart felt.
Step 9
Add one short note about the sound smell or how your belly felt.
Step 10
Keep your journal in a private spot so you can be honest and comfy.
Step 11
At the end of each week read your entries to look for patterns like certain foods or times.
Step 12
Write one small healthy change or habit to try next week based on what you found.
Step 13
Tell an adult if you notice lots of belly pain very smelly farts or anything that worries you.
Step 14
Share your fart journal project and what you learned on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
I can't find a small notebook—what can we use instead?
Use loose paper stapled together, index cards, or a notes app and set up the same four column headings Time; Food eaten; Sensation (1-5); Notes so it matches the notebook format.
What if my child keeps forgetting to write entries right after they fart?
Keep the journal in its private spot as the instructions say and set a phone or meal-time reminder or make a quick shorthand note of the time and last food to fill the full Time; Food eaten; Sensation (1-5); Notes row later.
How can we adapt the activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids, replace the 1-to-5 sensation scale with stickers or smiley faces and have a parent record Time and Food eaten, while older kids can add a smell rating, more detailed Notes, and a weekly pattern chart before choosing one small healthy change.
Any fun ways to personalize or extend the fart journal project?
Decorate the notebook with its funny name, add a simple weekly graph page to track patterns from your entries, test one small healthy change next week based on those patterns, and optionally prepare a tidy summary to share on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to maintain a fart journal
Focused Observations Chapter 4 Video 9
4 Videos
Focused Observations Chapter 4 Video 9
HOW TO make Journaling for Kids more fun | Learning With Claire | Kids Activities at Home #journal
Why do we FART? 🤣 Farts for Kids 💨 Fun Science Facts for Kids | Kids Learning Video
Observation, Documentation & Reflection of Infants and Toddlers
Facts about digestive health for kids
⏰ Keeping a journal of time, foods, and feelings helps spot patterns — which meals or times cause more gas or bloating.
🫘 High-fiber foods and certain sugars (like beans, broccoli, and onions) can increase gas because bacteria feed on them.
💨 Most people pass gas 10–20 times a day — it’s a normal part of digestion!
🧫 Much of the gas in your belly is made by helpful gut bacteria breaking down food.
👃 Only a tiny amount of gas contains smelly sulfur compounds, so the scent doesn’t mean something is seriously wrong.
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