Discovering a card or personal letter among the usual stack of bills and promotional mailings is often an unexpected treat. Like adults, many children enjoy receiving personalized messages meant just for them. Two activities have given the Fours that personalized letter ‘buzz’ lately:
- exchanging letters with their preschool pen pals, and
- exchanging notes, cards and drawings with their classmates and teachers.
Pen Pals: Bonding over gardening and flowers
When the Fours class learned that Imagine Nation Early Learning Center in Bristol, CT is also working on a gardening project of study this year, they paired up with the preschool classes there to become pen pals. The CCNS children initiated a communication exchange and were rewarded when their new pen pals reciprocated with a long letter describing the Flower Project they are working on.
Last week, the CCNS children collaborated to write a letter to their partner classes describing their year-long gardening project. Together, the children chose the information and pictures they wanted to share with their new buddies and, with the help of their teachers, dictated an informative and interesting note to their pen pals.
This pen pal exchange is a fun way to help develop the children’s communication skills and their ability to describe something that is important to them as well as to generate excitement and momentum around their ongoing project of study.
Friendly Notes: Mailbox flags are up in the Fours.
The mini-mail boxes attached to the children’s cubbies have been chock-full lately, as the Fours have been busy writing and receiving notes and cards to/from their classmates and teaches. After gathering some simple supplies like paper, pencils, pens, markers and crayons into a writing station and adding a little encouragement, the children quickly brought their creativity and imagination into the mix. It’s exciting for the kids to look across the room as they are playing and see their mailbox flag up. “I have mail!” can be heard happily expressed as the children rush over to open their message!
This activity is always available in the classroom and note-writing is an excellent way for preschoolers to practice and improve their writing and reading skills, build connections and friendships with their peers, and to encourage thoughtfulness and kindness. Writing notes to their family and friends is a great way to bring writing and reading practice home!
