In today’s fast paced world, letter writing has become a lost art. Children learn email, text messaging and instant communication, in some cases, even before they learn to write their own name.
I remember as a child, sitting at our family’s kitchen table, writing countless Thank You notes to family and friends. I know that it must have taken hours to complete, but even back then, there was a certain satisfaction in writing to each person individually.
Receiving letters was just as wonderful, and I always felt so special to see my name on the outside of an envelope.
Today, my children are certainly aware of what an email is, but the only form of communication that they enjoy is letter writing. They will spend countless hours making their own stationary, and writing letters to friends and family. Rarely a day goes by that I do not find a small note from my oldest son, sometimes just with the name Mama on it, but still so meaningful.
Crafting letters, start to finish, gives children a sense of connection, and celebration. It is a way to mark special occasions, and celebrate memorable moments.
My children have always loved to create their own cards and stationary, and it is a fun way to reuse art that you have never wanted to throw away, or special papers that can be turned into something new
Gather any materials that you would like to use; paints, stamps, colored pencils, etc.
Allowing children the space to be creative, to share whatever thoughts, designs or prints come to mind, is an important aspect of personal communication.
Creating color through paints, design through stamping, reflection through drawing, are all wonderful ways to play and create.
Hand stamping can be a great way to introduce paper crafts, especially for little ones, since it is a relatively easy way to decorate just about anything.
We love to make stationary, postcards, and envelopes from a variety of mediums, including repurposing older artwork, like wet-on-wet color paintings, to send to someone special.
When the crafting is done, the joy of writing takes over. Even for a child as young as three, it can be extremely fulfilling for them to craft their own thoughts on paper.
As a mother, watching my children write their own letters, address their own postcards, and stamp their own envelopes is a true joy. My hope for them is that they will always be able to appreciate the time that it takes to craft a note to someone, and just how personal it can feel when one arrives for them.
Of course, one always needs a special place to put their correspondence, and my oldest thought that another old painting of his would do the trick. He simply folded it in half, and laced some yarn up the side. Simple, quick, and perfect.
Heather Fontenot, co-editor of Rhythm of The Home, lives with her family on the Front Range of Northern Colorado. She has a passion for natural and creative living, and spends as much of her time outdoors as possible. She loves to knit, sew, garden, photograph, read and home school her two sweet little ones. She writes the blog, Shivaya Naturals, where she chronicles her life as a mother, artist, and gluten free baker.