Letter to Someone Special
What you need
- paper
- crayons or felt tips
- an envelope
- a sticker for a stamp
How to do it
- Ask your child who they would like to send a letter to: someone in the family, a friend, or someone special from a Christmas story.
- Let them draw a picture and make marks for words, then ask what it says and write their words underneath.
- Help them write the first letter of their name, or their whole name, at the bottom.
- Fold the letter, pop it in the envelope and let them press on a sticker for a stamp.
- For a real person, write the address together, walk to the post box and let them post it. For someone from a story, post it into a box at home.
Why it matters
Making marks that mean something is how writing starts, and sending a letter to someone they love shows them what writing is for.
What they're learning
- Marks that mean something
- Squiggles they say are words are their first writing.
- Holding a crayon
- Writing their name works the fingers they will use for writing later.
- Giving
- Sending a letter to someone they love is thinking about someone else.
What to look for
Watch for them pointing at their marks and telling you what each one says.
A tip
A letter to someone from a story stays in the house: let them find a little reply in the box another day. A real letter needs a stamp.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: they draw, and you write down what they tell you
Harder: copy a short word, like "love" or "hello", from your writing
