Pen Pals?

[NoMoreJuice!]

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in exchanging pen pal letters between school age kids this summer? I want to keep the kids busy writing, and it might be fun for them to learn about different places other kids live.

I have the following kids:
5 year old boy
6 year old girl
6 year old girl
7 year old boy
8 year old boy
10 year old girl

Last summer we tried to get international pen pals, but I paid $60 and never got a single reply.

[Thriftylady]

Great idea! I have a just turned 5 boy that isn't writing words really yet, but maybe he could participate.

I also have three girls 6,7,8 one kindy two first grade.

[childcaremom]

We are in Canada.... but it shouldn't cost too much to send a letter.

My own children are school aged. Girls ages 8 and 10. They would probably enjoy it.

[Blackcat31]

We did this a few years ago with great success!

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66821&highlight=Penpals

Fun way to get to know other areas of the country and other "classrooms"

[Thriftylady]

We are in Canada.... but it shouldn't cost too much to send a letter.

My own children are school aged. Girls ages 8 and 10. They would probably enjoy it.

We would be happy to send to Canada and I sure others would also. I don't see it being an issue.

ETA I am sure postage for this would be a tax deduction anyway, because it is an activity for the kids.

[LittleScholars]

Pen pals

I would love to do this! I have a 5 year old girl writing quite well that would really enjoy this.

[LindseyA]

We would love to as well!
10 yo boy
9 yo girl
7 yo boy
7 yo girl

Everyone else would be too small

[Thriftylady]

We would love to as well!
10 yo boy
9 yo girl
7 yo boy
7 yo girl

Everyone else would be too small

I wonder if the ones that can't write could draw a picture of an activity we did or something and we providers could just write on it what it is a picture of? Just thinking out loud since all kids love to get mail.

[wonderfullisa]

I would also love to participate!
We have
3.5yo boy (pics, not words)
5yo girl
two 8yo girls
two 9yo girls
10yo girl

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

Fun!

I have a:

10yo boy
5yo girl (can read and write pretty well. Amazing girl!)

Then if someone wanted to do it with some younger ones, I would, too! I have 2 3yo boys that would love to participate!

Just tell me what to do to get started!

[Blackcat31]

Just tell me what to do to get started!

What we did the last time was had one person be the "organizer".

Everyone PM'ed that person the ages of their DCK's and their contact info (name/address) and the organizer then paired each daycare up with another that had similar aged kids and lived far enough apart that it would be interesting to write back and forth with each other (more stuff to learn).

You ladies can obviously do things however it works best for you all but just thought I'd share how we worked it out the last time.

[Thriftylady]

What we did the last time was had one person be the "organizer".

Everyone PM'ed that person the ages of their DCK's and their contact info (name/address) and the organizer then paired each daycare up with another that had similar aged kids and lived far enough apart that it would be interesting to write back and forth with each other (more stuff to learn).

You ladies can obviously do things however it works best for you all but just thought I'd share how we worked it out the last time.

Well if anyone is interested, I would be willing to be the "organizer". Unless the OP wants to do it since it was her idea. I think if we did it that way, we would need to allow time for everyone who wanted to sign up. Not sure how long we should allow for that, knowing that we can't all get here daily to check things!

[NoMoreJuice!]

Hey ThriftyLady, I would be so thrilled if you would be willing to take that on! Maybe the end date for sign up can be mid May?

[Thriftylady]

Hey ThriftyLady, I would be so thrilled if you would be willing to take that on! Maybe the end date for sign up can be mid May?

Okay a couple of questions before we start!

I am going to suggest that once we match people up, we give each child another child around the same sex and age each other's first name. As much as possible I would set up whole daycare's. So if each had three five year olds I would match them up. My suggestion would be let the kids put in an envelope and then we can put those in a bigger envie and send it all at once, to save postage. At the other end, each child would still have one to open. Is this okay with everyone, or does someone have a better idea?

Next question. Do we want the younger group to do pictures to each other? I suppose each provider could make this choice, you would just have to let me know in the PM what you would like to do.

Any other suggestions, thoughts, ideas before we started would be welcomed!

[childcaremom]

Okay a couple of questions before we start!

I am going to suggest that once we match people up, we give each child another child around the same sex and age each other's first name. As much as possible I would set up whole daycare's. So if each had three five year olds I would match them up. My suggestion would be let the kids put in an envelope and then we can put those in a bigger envie and send it all at once, to save postage. At the other end, each child would still have one to open. Is this okay with everyone, or does someone have a better idea?

Next question. Do we want the younger group to do pictures to each other? I suppose each provider could make this choice, you would just have to let me know in the PM what you would like to do.

Any other suggestions, thoughts, ideas before we started would be welcomed!

It will be just my own school agers as my dcks are all quite young (like 1 yos). But I talked to my girls and they are happy to do it.