Snail mail = Instant Happy
In my travels in the paper world as of late, I have met and read about many who reminisce about having a pen pal when they were younger.
Most often the tone is one full of cherished memories. Some pen pals say they grew up together through their correspondence. Many wrote the same person for years, some actually met their pen pals later in life having formed long term friendships no matter what side of the globe they lived on.
In today’s digital age pen pals are no longer a common thing. At least that’s what I thought until I heard from Cassi and Katie.
My new pen pals
These two friends contacted me to see if I would be interested in being pen pals with them. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
What I wasn’t prepared for though, was that these two gals….wait for it…. are teenagers. That’s right, teenagers! I have to admit I was shocked they were interested in writing letters, let alone to me. It made my heart smile.
On their blog , The World From the View of Two Teenage Girls, they describe themselves “as two girls from the mid-west who love sending and receiving mail.”
They have certainly lived up to their reputation; I can barely keep up. They send me the most wonderful charming letters and lots more paper treats as you can see here in the photos.
So, you want a pen pal?
Summer time is the perfect time to link up with a pen pal. Here are some resources for you to explore:
1) I’m going to be getting my youngest to pair up with a cousin in August to try out these fantastic tips via Scholastic.com
2) Swap Bot makes exchanging global snail mail and/or swaps easy (could be postcards, crafting supplies or even tea bags). You need to make an account to get in on the fun, but it is free.
3) There are a few subscriber options out there too. TheRumpus, for a fee of $6.00 a month, you will receive 2 letters from established authors. There is even a kids version where Lemony Snicket/Daniel Handler is on the author list. Many of the authors include a mailing address with their letter so you can write them back, but no guarantee.
4) As school (can’t believe I just wrote that word in July, shame on me) approaches, this is a very cool opportunity started by a teacher in Niagara Falls, NY. Do check it out, especially if you are a teacher with a class who might be interested in participating.
5) And, you can always start your own pen pal group as The Lady Writers Society did. Anyone want to join me? Let me know.
Did you have a pen pal as a kid?
Perhaps you have other suggestions as to how to go about finding a pen pal? Do let us know.
I loved having a pen pal when I was a child. That’s why I decided to start a pen pal exchange for kids on my blog. It’s going on right now at http://thewellnesswife.com/still-looking-for-kids-6-12-to-participate-in-the-wellness-wife-pen-pal-exchange/
Lisa, I never had a pen pal as a kid. Weird. But I do come from a letter writing/card sending family. I hope you got a good response from people interested in participating in your pen pal exchange.