How many times have you watched your child race out to the mailbox to check the mail?  It’s so exciting to watch his face light up when he sees his name addressed on the envelope?  In fact, my face lights up when I receive something other than a bill in the mail.  We often think of sending greeting cards during the holidays.  Why not take your school-age child card shopping before Halloween?  If you’re anything like me, you could spend countless hours reading greeting cards. 

What a wonderful opportunity to involve your child in this activity as well as to advance literacy skills and to explore figurative language.  Visit a small greeting card store during non peak hours so that you can somewhat reduce extraneous noise in the environment.  Use of your child’s personal FM system will allow him to hear those subtle cues presented in abstract language.  After you get home, your child could design his own Halloween greeting cards.  Practice addressing the envelope together and discuss critical elements needed by the post office (i.e. name, address, city, state, zip code, return address, and stamp) before you put your treasures in the mail.  I bet you’ll be in stitches before it’s all over!!!