The Write Start (27 page)

Variations

For Scribblers:
Using blank labels, make stickers with “Dear,” “Love,” the names of friends and family members, and the children’s own names, which they can stick to their various scribbles. They will get a kick out of stuffing the resulting notes in envelopes.

For Spellers:
Spellers require only mailing address and return address labels for their envelopes. They can start writing letters on their own.

For Storytellers:
Storytellers love to write letters to people real or imagined, whether an out-of-town grandmother or a fairy-tale character.

For Scholars:
Scholars are ready to learn the format for the different parts of a letter: heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature (see “
Parts of a Letter
” in the templates section).

45

Thank-You Notes

W
ITH A LITTLE INGENUITY,
we can turn the obligatory thank-you note into something much more fun. (Dare I say, even enjoyable?) All it really takes is a slight adjustment in attitude to turn these requisite little expressions of gratitude into something that will actually be gratifying to write.

So how do we breathe new life into the old thank-you note? First of all, we can start by jazzing it up a bit. Make the card out of a repurposed piece of your child’s artwork. Or have your children make a drawing of themselves looking immensely happy and grateful, and then make cards out of the drawings by running off a stack of them on the copy machine. Maybe take a picture of your child holding up a big sign that says “Thanks,” make multiple copies, and have them write their note on the back.

Next, brainstorm ahead of time some words and expressions that may suitably express their gratitude. “Thank you” is nice, but “You rock!” “You’re too cool for school,” and “Were you reading my mind?” have a more enthusiastic ring to them.

A little creativity on our part can turn a thankless chore into an exciting reason to write. Try it and see for yourself, and you can thank me later (no note required).

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
creative paper (old artwork, new drawing, photo of your child)

∗
pencil

∗
envelopes

∗
stamps

 

H
OW-TO

 

Encourage your children to express their gratitude by writing simple thank-you notes. Keep the notes short, sweet, and personal. Make sure your children mention the name of the gift in the note. Don’t be tempted to have them write too many at once; it helps to focus on one or two at a time.

 

Variations

For Scribblers:
Write down Scribblers’ reactions to questions, such as “How did you feel when you opened the gift?” “What is a super-exciting way to say thank you?” Make sure they get a chance to make their marks on the page as well.

For Spellers:
Take some of the pressure off Spellers by helping them complete a fill-in-the-blank style note (see “
Thank-You Note
” in the templates section).

For Storytellers:
After brainstorming and listing their gift-related emotions, Storytellers will be ready to compose a sensational note.

For Scholars:
Challenge Scholars to find some new and improved ways to say thank you. (Like making cards by tracing around a foot, cutting it out, and starting out by saying, “You knock my socks off!”) Dare them to come up with something delightfully different (they just may surprise you!).

46

Postcards

W
HO SAYS
you have to be on vacation to send a postcard? Any time you feel like saying, “Wish you were here” (or “Wish I was there,” as the non-vacation version may read), a postcard fits the bill.

Postcards are a simple, carefree way to get kids into the regular habit of correspondence. Just have them write a couple of lines on a card, address it, stick on a stamp, and it’s ready to go. They’re also super-easy to customize with drawings and photos.

And even better, postcards are the cheapest kind of mail to send (you can get special postcard-rate stamps at the post office). With all the pennies you’ll be pinching by sending postcards, maybe you can start saving up for that next vacation. (I got you thinking about it, didn’t I?)

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
card stock (or blank, unlined four-by-six-inch index cards)

∗
postcard template (see “
Postcard
” in the templates section)

∗
scissors

∗
crayons, markers, colored pencils, stickers, stampers

∗
pencil

∗
postcard stamps

∗
blank address labels

∗
glue stick

 

H
OW-TO

 

1.  Print the postcard template onto card stock (one side will be blank; the other will be for writing on). Cut it out.

2.  Show your children how to put their personal touch on the blank side of a postcard by drawing, coloring, doodling, stamping, or stickering it.

3.  On the flip side of the postcard, children can write their message on the left and the recipient’s address on the right.

4.  Then place a postcard stamp, and it’s ready to go. (Repeat for everyone you know!)

 

Variations

For Scribblers:
Pre-writers can scribble on the blank side of a card, and then dictate a short message to you to write on the flip side.

For Spellers:
Encourage emerging writers to draw a picture on the blank side of the postcard, and have them write a short sentiment on the flip side. Make some labels with the addresses of friends and family for Spellers to put on their postcards (it will be tricky for them to write the addresses themselves, in such a small space).

For Storytellers:
Give Storytellers a contact list of their friends and family member’s addresses, a small address book, or a simple card file. Then they can churn out postcards all on their own!

For Scholars:
Scholars can learn to turn almost anything into a postcard: photos, pictures from magazines, photocopies of pictures from books, or artwork of their own. They simply need to adhere the postcard very thoroughly to the back of their chosen image with a glue stick, and then let it dry. Then they can write their message, address the postcard, add a stamp, and send it. They’ll love finding things that have postcard potential.

47

Passing Notes

I
N THIS AGE
of text messaging and e-mail, I wonder if passing notes is in danger of becoming a lost art.

I speak from experience on the subject of passing notes. My best friend, Regina, and I dedicated ourselves to perfecting the art of note passing in English class. I dare say we wrote far more notes to be slipped under the desk than we wrote on our papers on top of the desk. It definitely fell under the category of creative writing nonetheless, and isn’t that what English class is all about, anyway? (For the record, our teacher didn’t agree.)

Instead of encouraging our kids to engage in classroom subterfuge, let’s pass along the note-passing tradition in other venues. Notes can be slipped into lunch bags, Mom’s laptop bag, or Dad’s briefcase, under little sister’s pillow, or into the pocket of Grandma’s sweater. Pass notes back and forth while passing the time in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. Or pass an “Are we there yet?” note around the backseat of the car on a long drive.

Oh, and if you want to help your kids elevate note passing to an art form, teach them how to incorporate some super-fancy note folds. And make sure you demonstrate how to transfer the aforementioned notes discreetly (you never know when the teacher might be looking).

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
paper

∗
pencil

 

H
OW-TO

 

Write a note. Less formal than a letter, a note can be about anything that’s on your mind. The only requirement is that you keep it short. Passing notes requires a quick turnaround time, so get right to the point. One or two sentences max, so your note-passing partner doesn’t have to wait too long. It also helps to include a question, which invites a timely response.