Letterboxing

Letterboxing is a fun family activity.  It is really similar to geocaching except you are given clues to find the hidden item instead of GPS coordinates. 

Also, letterboxing is about collecting stamps--like the kind you use ink and notepad.  Each letterbox has clues that lead to a hidden container that should contain a stamp and a little notepad.

{A letterbox we found.}

 The idea is that once you find a letterbox you leave your stamp in the letterbox book (indicating that you actually found it) and then use the letterbox stamp in your own stamp book for you to keep and remember.  (If you're a little confused by my explanation, visit the links below for more detailed instructions.)  

To start letterboxing, you will first need a stamp book.  This is for collecting the stamps that you will find at each letterbox.  You can have one stamp book for the whole family or you can have one for each child, whatever works best for you.  I like to use sketch pads (the stamps look really nice on the blank paper) and then cut them in half so I really get two stamp books from each sketch pad.

Next, you will need to buy or make a stamp.  This stamp is going to be your "signature" that you use when you find a letterbox.  Here again you can either have a family stamp or individual stamps.  There are los of tutorials available online that show how to make your own stamp.  This can be fun because then you're stamp will truly be unique and one of a kind.  

You will also need to buy an ink pad so that you actually use the stamps (most letterboxes don't include an ink pad, plus you don't know how used the ink will be once you find it).

Once you have those three things--stamp book, stamp, and ink pad--you ready to find your first letterbox!

You will find the clues for the letterboxes on these websites:

www.letterboxing.org  

and

atlasquest.com.

 When you go to these websites, simply enter where you live or where you are going to see if there are letterboxes in that area.

Once you pick a letterbox and have the clues, you are ready for the search!

I love letterboxing because sometimes they are hidden in locations you've never explored before.

{A beautiful waterfall we found while letterboxing}

Plus, it feels like a treasure hunt as you try to decipher the clues. 

If you like geocaching or outdoor activities, then you are sure to love letterboxing!

Postcard Collecting

Who does not like getting letters in the mail?  Especially kids!  The other favorite thing that all kids love is COLLECTING.  Kids love collecting rocks, sticks, sea shells, cars, trains, stuffed animals--you name it!

Well, we came across this fun website, postcrossing.com, for collecting postcards.

When you login to the website, you will be given mailing addresses to send your postcards to. After you mail your postcards, your address is added to the pool of addresses for someone else to send you a postcard.  It probably won't be from the same person you mailed a postcard to, unless they choose to. (This could also be a convenient way to find a penpal, if the recipient responds.)

It is a fun way to collect stamps and postcards from all over the world! 

We have received postcards from China, Russia, Finland, Mongolia, Canada, Lithuania, and many other countries.  It is such a good feeling to send and receive letters.

I know my kids look forward to getting mail and this is a fun a way to do it!  I keep all of the postcards we've received in a small photo album.  That way it is fun and easy to flip through the postcard album to see what we have collected.  With postcrossing, it also makes it worth it to purchase postcards while on vacations or outings--a souvenir that is pretty inexpensive but in the past we have lost them.  Now we have a way to actually use our postcards!