In this guide learn about:
What child notes are
Child notes are a place to record what you notice and what you plan to do next. They show the planning cycle, and they help you reflect on and be intentional about your practice.
You can use child notes to:
Link a new note or story to an original observation
Show how you plan to support a child's interests and development
Set goals with family members and show progress on each goal through stories over time
Link a family member's voice and feedback to an observation
Track progress and note next steps in a child's learning journey
Observe how a room or group of children is progressing
Gather information from group stories, earlier stories and other child notes, and link it together
Child notes are different from stories and community posts. To see how they compare, read Educators: Difference between community posts, conversations and child notes.
Where to find child notes
On the web version of Storypark, you'll find child notes in three places:
On a child's profile, in the Notes tab
In a room, in the Child notes tab
At your service, in the Child notes tab
A child note can include text, files, video, images, links to stories, links to other notes, and responses.
On the Storypark Educators app, child notes show under each child's profile. Family members see child notes on the Journal tab of the Storypark Families app, under Education, with "Note" or the category in the title.
Family admins can also write child notes on the web version of Storypark. Educators at every service the child is connected to can see them.
Notes you share with educators only show on the web version of Storypark for now. They don't show in the Storypark Educators app or the Storypark Families app. Learn more in Choose who sees a child note.
Create a child note
You can start a child note in four places. All four open the same child note window.
From the Create menu
Tap + in the top bar.
Select Child note.
In Select child, choose the child the note is about.
Write your note.
From your service
Open the Child notes tab.
Tap Add note.
In Select child, choose the child the note is about.
Write your note.
From a room
Open the room, then open its Child notes tab.
Tap Add note.
In Select child, choose the child the note is about.
Write your note.
From a child's profile
Open the child's profile, then open the Notes tab.
Tap Add note.
Write your note. The child is already chosen, and you can't change it.
Write and finish your note
The child note window has a writing area, a Select category menu, and icons for images, video, files and links.
Type your note, or use voice-to-text to say it out loud. Learn more in Educators: Voice-to-text.
Use the writing tools to check spelling and grammar, translate or change the tone of your note. Learn more in Educators: Writing tools.
Add a category to help you find the note later. See Use categories.
Add images, video or files. See Add images, video or files.
Link the note to stories or other notes. See Link stories and notes.
When you've finished, tap Post.
Voice-to-text and the writing tools appear if your service has them turned on or has the add-on. If you can't see them, ask your service administrator.
If your service is in Early Access for draft child notes and choosing your audience, you'll see Save draft and Share with... instead of Post. Learn more in Save a draft child note and Choose who sees a child note.
Add images, video or files
You can add as many images, videos and files as you like to a child note.
In the child note window, find the icons below the writing area.
Tap the image icon to add images, or the video icon to add video. Tap the paperclip icon to add other files, such as a Word document or a PDF.
Choose the files on your device and confirm.
To add several files at once, hold Ctrl (on a PC) or Command (on a Mac) while you select them.
Large files can take a little while to upload. You can keep writing while you wait. When your files have finished uploading, you can post the note.
To remove an image you've added, tap the red x in its corner. To remove another type of file, tap Delete.
Link stories and notes
Linking connects a note to stories or other notes for the same child, so you can follow their learning over time. For example, you can link a note about a goal to the stories that show progress towards it.
In the child note window, make sure you've selected a child.
Tap the link icon below the writing area.
Choose the stories or notes you want to link.
Confirm your choices, finish your note and post it.
You can link a note shared with educators only to stories and other notes. The link shows on that note only. The story or note you linked to doesn't show it.
For all the ways to link, including linking from a story, read Educators: Linking stories and child notes together.
Use categories
Categories group your child notes by type, so you can find and filter them later. A category shows as a coloured badge on the note, on the note card and inside the note. You can add one category to a note.
All services start with a base set of categories. Admin educators can edit them and add their own. For example, an admin educator could rename a category or create a new one.
Add a category to a note
In the child note window, tap Select category.
Tap the category you want to add to the note.
The menu closes, and the category shows as a badge on the note.
Remove a category from a note
In the child note window, tap Select category.
Select No category.
Create a category
Only admin educators can create categories.
In the child note window, tap Select category.
Tap New category.
Enter a name and choose a colour.
Tap Save.
Edit or delete a category
Only admin educators can edit or delete categories. Other educators can add a category to a note, but don't see the pencil icon.
In the child note window, tap Select category.
Tap the pencil icon beside the category.
Change the name or colour, then tap Save. To remove the category, tap Delete.
When you delete a category, it's removed from every note that used it.
Find notes by category
Use the filter on the Child notes page. Learn more in Find and filter child notes.
Save a draft child note (Early Access)
Draft child notes are in Early Access. Features may change before everyone gets them. Learn how to join in Get Early Access.
If you're not ready to share a note, save it as a draft and finish it later. Family members can't see a draft.
Save a draft
Start a child note and write as much as you like. You can add a category, images, video, files and links.
Tap Save draft.
Save draft and Share with... stay greyed out until you've typed something.
Find and finish your drafts
Open the menu in the top left of the page.
Select Drafts.
Open the menu at the top of the page and choose My drafts.
Tap the draft you want to finish. It opens as Edit note for [child].
Make your changes. Save stays greyed out until you change something.
Tap Save to keep working on it later, or tap Share with... to choose who sees it.
In an open draft you can also tap Delete to remove it, or Cancel to close it without changes.
Delete several drafts at once
On the Drafts page, tap Manage drafts.
Select one or more drafts. The delete button stays greyed out until you've selected at least one.
Tap the delete button.
To go back to the Drafts page without deleting anything, tap Cancel.
See your team's drafts
If your service belongs to a network, administrators can see drafts from across the network in Team drafts. This is available on request. To ask for it, contact your Account Manager or our Support team.
Choose who sees a child note (Coming Soon to Early Access)
Choosing your audience is in Early Access. Features may change before everyone gets them. Learn how to join in Get Early Access.
When you've finished a note, you choose who can see it. You can share it with family and educators, or with educators only. Notes you share with educators only are for your team to record things that don't need to go home, such as observations, reflections, or follow-ups for the team. You may see these called Team notes in some places.
Choose your audience
In the child note window, tap Share with...
Select Family to share the note with the child's family admins and educators. Select Team only to share it with educators only.
The note is shared as soon as you choose. You won't be asked to confirm.
You can't change who sees a note after you publish it. If you're unsure, save the note as a draft first and choose your audience when you're ready.
Spot a note shared with educators only
A yellow notebook icon marks notes that are shared with educators only. To see who can see any note, open the three dots on the note and select Who can see this?. Learn more in Who can see child notes.
Where these notes show
Notes shared with educators only show on the web version of Storypark for now. They don't show in the Storypark Educators app or the Storypark Families app.
Find and filter child notes
The Child notes page, at your service, in a room or on a child's profile, shows your notes. Next to Add note you'll find three controls: Filter, Recent activity (the sort option), and the eye icon, which shows who can see the notes on the page.
Filter your notes
Tap Filter.
Choose the options you want. You can combine them:
Shared with: All, Family or Team. This shows if your service has early access enabled for choosing your audience.
Authored: By me
Children: choose one or more children
Categories: choose one or more categories
Tap away from the panel to see your results. The filter applies as soon as you choose an option.
If a note is linked to another note, filtering by one category also includes the categories of the linked notes.
Change the order
Use the sort option next to Filter to change the order of your notes.
Open, edit, delete or print a child note
Each note on the Child notes page has a three-dot menu. Tap the three dots on a note card, or open the note and tap the three dots there.
On a note card, you can choose:
Go to note
Print preview
Edit
Delete
Inside a note, you can choose Who can see this?, Print preview, Edit and Delete.
Edit a note
You can edit a note if you wrote it. Admin educators can edit any note.
Tap the three dots on the note.
Select Edit.
Change the text, category, images, video, files or links.
Tap Save.
Save stays greyed out until you change something. You can't change who can see a note after it's published.
Delete a note
You can delete a note if you wrote it. Admin educators can delete any note.
Tap the three dots on the note.
Select Delete.
Confirm when you're asked.
Once you delete a note, no one can get it back.
Print a note
Tap the three dots on the note.
Select Print preview.
Who can see child notes
You'll see who can see a note, or the notes on a page, by tapping the eye icon on the Child notes page, or Who can see this? in a note's three-dot menu.
Choosing the audience for the child note is an early access feature. Read more here: Choose who sees a child note
Family and educators: Child notes shared with family are seen by the child's family admins and by educators with access to the child.
Educators only: Notes shared with educators only are seen by educators. A note made in a room is seen by admin educators and the educators in that room.
Family admins: They see child notes about their own child only. A family admin of one child can't see another child's notes unless they're also connected to that child.
The eye icon on the Child notes page lists the educators and the family admins who can see notes on that page. At a service, that's everyone connected to the children at the service. In a room, it's the children in the room and their connected family admins. On a child's profile, it's the child's connected family admins.
Inside a note shared with family, Who can see this? lists all educators at the service and the family admins connected to that child. Inside a note shared with educators only, it lists the educators and no family admins.
Get Early Access
Draft child notes and choosing your audience are in Early Access. Early Access gives you new features before everyone else, and we'd love to hear how it goes. Features may change as we learn from you.
Independent services: Turn on Early Access in your service settings. To find out how, read Educators: Early access and Educators: A service's edit page.
Network services: Talk to your Account Manager or our Support team.
FAQs
Can family members see my drafts?
No. Family members can't see a draft. If your service belongs to a network and Team drafts is turned on, network administrators can see drafts across the network.
Can I link a note shared with educators only to a story?
Yes. The link shows on the note you’re writing, but not on the story or note you linked to.
Can I change a note from family to educators only after I publish it?
No. Once you publish, you can't change who sees the note. If you need a different audience, write a new note.
Why can't I see Save draft or Share with...?
Those buttons appear when your service is in Early Access. Learn how to join in Get Early Access.
Why can't I see notes shared with educators only in the app?
They show on the web version of Storypark for now.
Why can't I edit or delete a category?
Only admin educators can create, edit and delete categories. Other educators can add an existing category to a note.
Can family members write child notes?
Family admins can write child notes on the web version of Storypark. They only see a publish option, so they don't have drafts or an audience choice.