Gratitude with Attitude!

It is a cold, snowy day, one of the first of the winter, and a perfect time to write. The Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanza of 2010 are now  but memories. Holiday cards and gifts were given, received and opened and now is a good time to let those who remembered you know that you appreciate them. This is a perfect time for children to learn the importance, as well as the technique, of writing thank you notes. Although technology is here to stay, and online is better than not at all, taking the time to hand write your gratitude, will be noticed.

To add creativity and fun to the process, why not let your child create their own note paper. Here is how...

The Activity: Create Gratitude Note Paper

                  Materials Needed:

1 piece of 8 1/2 X 11 cardstock: Cut in half at the 5 1/2" point.
                                                   Fold that in half at the 4 1/4" 

                                                   point.

rubber stamps,  stamp pad, templates (optional)

markers or crayons

                 The Process:

1. Have your child give a quotation about something they are grateful for to go on the back of the folded paper. It can also be a quotation found in a book that is appropriate. (It can be typed up or hand written.)
2. Then they can illustrate their quotation on the front using any of the above materials or simply drawing a picture of their own.
3. Be sure they sign their name and they can add their age.

4. Copy the design so they have the right amount of note paper for the gifts they received.

                        Writing the Note:

      A young child can dictate what they want to say to you.

      A child 5 and up can learn the format for writing their note, have you write their words and then copy it on their own note paper themselves. The older the child, the more they can do for themselves.

       Call me "old fashioned," and I am, but receiving a thank you note from someone still makes my heart sing!

                      Children's Books-Letter Writing:

• Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James is the story of a child who writes letters to her teacher asking for information about whales because she says she has a whale in her backyard wading pool. The back- and- forth between she and her teacher makes fun reading and gives an idea about what letter writing involves.
• Dear Annie: by Judith Caseley describes how writing notes can document the growth of a child beginning when the child is born. This correspondence is between Annie and her Grandpa.
• The Jolly Postman; by Janet & Allan Ahlberg uses fairy tale characters to write letters to other characters in the story. The reader can actually pull the letters from envelopes within the book. This can lead to actually having your child use their note paper to write a letter to a character in their favorite book.

         What are some other occasions that call for corresponding?

   

As we approach 2011, let there be many occasions that call for our gratitude and let us take time to acknowledge all we have to say "thank you" for.

                          Jane