I heard about this on CBC earlier in the week and the discussion reminded me of the joy of receiving a letter or postcard. It doesn’t happen very often now, sadly. I will share with you how I introduced the concept to Daisy and then fill you in on the A Month of Letters Challenge.
We were lucky to be able to borrow this lovely mailbox for the rest of the month. It has traveled to many shows all over Canada during the last three years and is still holding together well. A good indication that it will hold up to a classroom’s demands.
Our ECE’s and teachers often don’t recognize it as a mailbox initially as it is blue (no post pickup on Saturday in Canada) but the reaction is usually “Oh, cute!” or “Do you sell these?”. It is even more exciting to me as I see what is inside.
Cards, postcards, letters all with matching stamps. They are a great resource for teaching address format.
We looked at the content and discussed what each was, a card, postcard, letter or small packet. We read the addresses and information on the post and what it meant and why it was there. “Top Secret” and the recycling symbol were of most interest to her.
Putting the post into the postbox was more of a challenge than initially though Daisy worked it out. The envelope had to be the correct way round so the stamp would also fit.
I than gave Daisy a blank postcard and asked her to decorate the blank side however she wanted.
When I saw this lovely drawing I politely asked, as mothers quickly learn to do, “Can you tell me about your drawing?”. I was informed she had drawn the planes like the stamp (see top right hand corner) and included a runway for the planes to land on, herself and sun as it was a sunny day. Duh.. silly mum! We addressed the card and Daisy copied a short message to her friend.
This is the original A Month Of Letters challenge:
- In the month of February, mail at least one item through the post every day it runs. Write a postcard, a letter, send a picture, or a cutting from a newspaper, or a fabric swatch.
- Write back to everyone who writes to you. This can count as one of your mailed items.
We are starting the challenge a little late (anyone who knows me will consider this tardiness quite appropriate!) but a little under two weeks is long enough for a 4 year old and her mum. Our first letter is in the post, yeah!
It seems that the only time I post anything now is at Christmas and that list is getting shorter every year as more friends favour digital cards. I might post the odd baby present but that is it. I miss getting postcards and letters which I read more than once.
When I lived in Rwanda for a year my mum wrote weekly and dad clipped cartoons from the Coffee News and local paper. The anticipation I felt walking to the post office and waiting in the heat for a letter or parcel seemed unbearable at times. However the excitement built when the post master gave me something. I would sit on the beach with my dog Sammy and read and reread loving every word and knowing it would keep me going until the next letter arrived. Admittedly I did not have email back in 2000 but getting something in the post doesn’t come close to an email.
Anyone care to join us in the challenge for the last week?
Pretty hearts all in a row.
