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I was in 5th grade when my class sent balloons up into the air – each one filled with a little note. I think it was some sort of experiment, but my balloon was one of the few that was found. That day I became a pen-pal with someone who lived several towns a way. It’s strange how I vaguely remember some of the details and yet vividly feel the enthusiasm welled inside of me to write to the person who found my balloon.
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
Fast forward almost 25 years, and it seems that we’ve lost the art of letter writing. I was encouraged to write. Maybe that was because when I moved to a new state a few months after the pen-pal incident, I would have lost all of my friends, if not for letter writing.
There was no e-mail. There was no texting. There was no wi-fi.
We wrote because it brought us life. At least socially.
I realize that technology has usurped this long lost art, but today I am reclaiming it for my family. We are beginning homeschool letter writing day.
Homeschool Letter Writing: What We are Doing
Gone are the days of the unknown pen-pal. However, because we recently moved, my kids have a kind of built -in group of pen-pals: all of their old friends. We are also going to start writing to the child we sponsor. It is so easy to find people to write to. Our big kids are going to write full letters, the littles are going to first learn to sign their name. We will slowly work up to writing letters with them. They can start with their name and drawing a picture, though. Our homeschool letter writing day will look like this: Take a piece of stationary or blank note card and decorate it, write a nice note (long or short), sign it, learn to address it, stamp it, and put it in the mailbox. Don’t forget to raise the flag – if mailing it at home!
Here is What We are Using for Homeschool Letter Writing
1. Blank note cards
2. A bunch of collected ink pads
3. Rubber stamps
3. Hand lettering & calligraphy pens & markers
4. Colored Pencils
5. Books that teach illustration
6. Books that teach scripting & hand lettering
Once a week work on writing to one person.
It could be an old friend. Maybe an aunt or uncle. It could even be one of the cousins. It really doesn’t matter, as long as they are practicing. I’m sure some of our relatives love getting a note from the kids – especially the ones that live so far away.
I created a free printable cheat-sheet for homeschool letter writing that can be laminated and placed in the same bin as your note cards, pens, stamps, colored pencils, and whatever other supplies you decide to include.
Download Your Printable Letter Writing How-To
Please Pin to Pinterest. 🙂
