Having a pen pal is a classic summer tradition. Not only does it help children avoid the "summer slide," but the excitement of receiving personalized letters never dulls. Writing those letters, however, can often be a struggle, so we've rounded up 10 creative letter starters to break through the writer's block.
- INTRODUCTION ~ Start simply. If you don't know anything about your pen pal, consider writing a list of your favorite things:
- Foods
- Animals
- Colors
- Media (books, tv shows, movies, magazines)
- Summer fun (vacation spots, activities)
- HOMETOWN HOT SPOTS ~ If your pen pal is unfamiliar with your hometown, this is a great opportunity to teach him/her a thing or two.
- "If we spent a day in my hometown..."
- "My town is best known for..."
- "Famous people who grew up in my town include..."
- POSTCARD ~ Summer is often synonymous with vacations. Sending a postcard from your getaway destination is a fun way to switch things up.
- Going out of town? Pick up a postcard and share the highlights of your travels.
- Staying local? Purchase a postcard from a local convenience store and write about your travel dreams.
- PICTURE ~ As the saying goes, "a picture is worth 1000 words" so ditch the words to let your artistic side show.
- Illustrate your family, home, or favorite things (see idea #1).
- Create a comic strip.
- TRADITIONS ~ Every family has traditions. Think about what you do that is unique to your family.
- What do holiday or birthday celebrations look like in your house?
- "Every year my family likes to ...."
- Dig into your family history. Do your ancestors share a common job industry? Do you share a name with another family member?
- STEP BY STEP ~ Teach your pen pal how to do something.
- Consider sharing your favorite recipe.
- Write up a step-by-step tutorial for a simple science experiment.
- UNUSUAL PACKAGE ~ Envelopes aren't the only thing you can send by mail. While the USPS does have a list of prohibited items, there are a few unusual items that are perfectly acceptable to ship. Non-perishable foods are even fair game.
- Want to send a potato? Mail A Spud will do it for you!
- Rather send some rocks? Send Some Rocks will ship them directly.
- Send a brick? Yep, you can do that too. Mail Bricks will even throw in some glitter.
- ENCRYPTION ~ Add a little extra excitement to your letters by adding a simple twist:
- Write your note backward so that your pen pal has to use a mirror to read it.
- Use invisible ink to write a secret letter. Be sure to let your pen pal know how to reveal the text.
- Include a cipher with a note that's short and sweet.
- ORIGAMI ~ Show off your crafting skills by including a handcrafted origami sculpture.
- Easy Peasy and Fun has a list of 20+ cute and easy origami ideas for kids.
- Easy Peasy and Fun has a list of 20+ cute and easy origami ideas for kids.
- ASPIRATIONS ~ Dream big & share them with the world.
- What are your dreams, goals, or aspirations for the coming year?
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Macaroni Kid South Birmingham is a free weekly e-newsletter and website focused on fun family events and things to do with kids in the South Birmingham region. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in downtown Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Pelham, the Oak Mountain and 280 area, Helena and Alabaster.
