Discover a pen pal and broaden your world

visitor put up by Alice Blumenthal McGinty, writer of My Israel and I

I’ve at all times loved exploring totally different subjects in my writing. That features every thing from the ocean to biographies of attention-grabbing individuals, to different international locations, cultures, and meals (particularly meals!). For me it is about curiosity. I’m interested in many issues! I wish to be taught, dig deep and creatively share what I do know, utilizing language to work together with individuals. That is why I write.

In my latest e book, My Israel and I (Kalaniot Books) with illustrations by Rotem Teplow, we meet many various individuals with totally different traditions. Whereas studying a e book is a good way to find out about totally different cultures, you might wish to get to know individuals and their cultures personally. Writing to a pen pal is one strategy to make this connection.

Being a pen pal is like being a author. You get to know a brand new particular person and use written language to work together with them. Not solely do you get to know that particular person, you’ll be able to be taught the place they arrive from, whether or not it is within the US or one other nation, and what life is like there. There’s a lot to find and likewise a lot to share about your self! I had a couple of pen buddies rising up. I liked the joy of receiving new letters from them. Now I’ve mates dwelling everywhere in the world who get pleasure from attending to know them and maintaining with their lives.

Listed here are some assets that can assist you discover a pen pal, and prompts and video games that can assist you get to know one another higher and have a good time within the course of!

Discover a pen pal

In fact, it is at all times good if yow will discover a pen pal by means of family and friends, however that is not at all times doable. The web is one other place to look. Listed here are a couple of websites to attempt:

1. globalpenfriends.com
   This website actually places an emphasis on discovering the proper match for customers. You’ll be requested about your background to place you in contact with somebody with comparable pursuits.
2. conversationexchange.com
   This web site focuses extra on worldwide interactions and working towards different languages. There are alternatives for snail mail, face-to-face conferences or e mail.
3. penpalworld.com
   This website has intensive safety measures. It filters for strictly kid-friendly content material, profile footage have to be accredited, and you’ll block customers or total international locations.

A observe on security: In case you discover your pen pal on-line, you will wish to chat with them a bit to be sure to’re snug earlier than exchanging postal addresses. Dad and mom ought to positively accompany this course of with youngsters.

Instructions for Writing Letters

1. One factor I ponder is…
   Top-of-the-line methods to get to know your pen pal is to ask questions. You say you’ll be able to’t consider something to ask? This is a trick – go searching you. Use your powers of statement. What do you see? A pc? A desk? Just a few books. Then contact your wonderer. That is the a part of you that asks questions. You recognize it is there! Begin with a query phrase… who, what, when, the place, why, how. Decide one and use it to start out a query. For instance, what number of books do you may have? Who’s sitting at your desk throughout dinner? The place did you get your laptop? When you get began, you will consider MANY issues to marvel about. Decide one or two each time you write to your pen pal. Ask them to do the identical.
2. Three why’s
   Right here you’ll be able to follow your marvel much more. Why questions result in understanding. If you ask three follow-up why questions in a row, you dig deep into your curiosity and be taught greater than you ever imagined. Begin with query one to ask your pen pal. For instance, if I had been your pen pal, you would possibly ask me, 1. Why did your dad and mom name you Alice? I might reply as a result of I’m named after my nice grandmother, Alice† Then in your subsequent letter you’ll ask a follow-up query “why”, akin to 2. Why had been you named after your great-grandmother, Alice? I might reply as a result of in Jewish custom we’re named after a deceased relative† In your subsequent letter, ask a 3rd follow-up “why” query, akin to: 3. Why do you may have a convention of naming youngsters after a deceased relative? I might reply to honor the family members who’ve come earlier than me† Do you see how a lot you already know about me and my traditions now? Are you able to go previous the three why’s? Strive 5 if you happen to dare!
3. What if?
   This can be a enjoyable one to stimulate your and your pen pal’s creativity! Make up a what if ask on your pen pal. What if you happen to may fly? The place would you go? What if you happen to develop into invisible? What would you do? What if questions can take your fantasy wherever you need, after which some. Benefit from the journey!

Pen Pal Video games

1. Totally different however the identical
   A pen pal comes up with a class – eg breakfast, homes, sneakers. (use your powers of statement if you happen to need assistance with concepts!) Now every pen pal describes the issues in that class (ie forms of breakfast) of their nation. After you’ve got learn one another’s descriptions, see if you happen to can every title 3 issues which are totally different about breakfast in every of your international locations and three issues which are the identical. If you’re carried out, the opposite pen pal can select a class and you’ll play once more.
2. How a lot?
   This can be a checklist recreation. A pen pal picks a class and every of you tries to checklist as many issues as doable in that class. If you’d like, you may make it a contest to see who can get essentially the most gadgets in your lists. Then the opposite pen pal chooses a class and you can begin once more. Listed here are a couple of concepts to get you began: issues you might be grateful for in your life, individuals who have influenced you, locations which are essential to you, issues you may have discovered up to now month/12 months. You be taught issues about your pen pal and your self as you play!
3. Proceed the story
   A pen pal begins a narrative by writing a couple of sentences. Within the subsequent letter, the subsequent pen pal continues the story with a couple of extra sentences. It is so good to see the place the story goes! You by no means know!

I hope your new pen pal turns into a pal – to share emotions, experiences and tales, and to present every of you a glimpse of one other world.

About Alice Blumental McGinty

Alice Blumenthal McGinty likes to stimulate fantasies. An award-winning writer of practically 50 youngsters’s books, she makes fiction and nonfiction accessible, partaking and enjoyable.

Her books embrace Kirkus’ Better of 2020, A narrative for little bear, the ocean is aware ofa non-fiction ode to the ocean, Jr. Library Guild Choice 2019, The Woman Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney2019 Northern Lights E-book Award Winner (meals class) Pancakes to Parathas: breakfast all over the worldthe 2015 Sydney Taylor Notable e book Rabbi Benjamin’s Buttonsand the 2014 South Asia E-book Award Honor, Gandhi: A March to the Sea† Eight upcoming titles embrace The Water Woman (April 2021) and bathtub the cat (Autumn, 2021). Alice was a frequent presenter at faculties and conferences awarded the 2017 Prairie State Award for Excellence in Writing for youngsters. comply with her on fb, Twitterand Instagram.

KEEP READING

Writing suggestions for youngsters

Image books for writing letters

Wordless Image E-book Poetry