For homeschool families, co-ops, and classrooms
Letters from historical figures that get kids writing by hand.
Your student picks a pen pal. Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln, Jane Austen. A real letter arrives in the mail, handwritten in ink, addressed to them by name. It ends with one easy question. They write back.
Addressed to your student by name.
Why this exists
My son's kindergarten year was cut short by COVID. The two school years after that, the ones where kids usually learn to write, happened mostly on an iPad at our kitchen table. He never got real instruction or practice, and his handwriting wasn't legible. Writing by hand was hard for him, and then frustrating, as teachers started expecting neater work.
The only way out was practice, but practice was the last thing he wanted to do. I looked for something that would give him a reason to write, and I couldn't find it. So I built it: a figure from history who would write him real letters and ask him questions he'd want to answer. He wrote back because he wanted to know what came next.
That is still the whole product. And to every teacher who still makes room for handwriting: thank you. This was built with you in mind.
Mark, founder, Historical Pen Pals
How It Works
How it works for a student
Pick a pen pal.
Your student chooses from more than 65 figures. Scientists, presidents, writers, artists, explorers. Whoever they're curious about.
The figure writes first.
A handwritten letter arrives in the mail, addressed to your student by name. The figure introduces themselves and tells a true story from their own life. Every letter ends with one easy question.
Your student replies by hand.
At their own pace. A few sentences or a few pages, whenever they're ready. There is no wrong way to do it. Every letter comes with a reply card that makes sending the answer easy: photograph the handwritten page, or mail it.
The figure answers.
The reply is read and answered in the figure's next letter. The correspondence picks up wherever your student left it, whether that took three days or three weeks.
The Work
What a correspondence exercises
No logins, no worksheets, no grading. A correspondence exercises four things:
Handwriting.
Practice with a reason behind it. The reply is a real letter to a real correspondent.
Reading comprehension.
The student has to understand the letter well enough to answer the question at the end.
Composition.
Choosing what to say and putting it in their own words, on paper.
History, told in the first person.
Figures tell true stories from their own lives, in their own documented voice.
Written for grades 2 and up. Younger kids enjoy it with a parent reading aloud and helping with the reply.
The letters are secular. History, not ideology.
Charter Families
Using charter instructional funds
Many independent-study charter schools give each family an annual instructional fund to spend with the school's approved vendors.
Whether Historical Pen Pals is available that way depends on your school's vendor list. Approval usually begins with a request from inside the school: a parent asks their teacher, or a teacher of record requests the program directly. If you'd like Historical Pen Pals available at your school, send us a note through the form below with the school's name. We handle the application and paperwork from there, and we'll let you know as soon as ordering is available at your school.
Already able to order Historical Pen Pals through your school? Start here.
Ordering
For schools, charters, and co-ops
We work with school purchasing: purchase orders, invoicing, and the paperwork your business office needs. For a classroom, a co-op group, or a whole grade, tell us what you have in mind and we'll put together a quote.
Families ordering directly can start anytime. A five-letter correspondence is $39, for one child or as a gift.
FAQ
Who actually writes the letters? Is this AI?↓
Fair question, and I'd rather answer it straight. The words are composed in each figure's documented voice and personally reviewed before anything ships. I read what goes out the door with my name behind it. The ink, the paper, and the mail are completely real: each letter is written in pen on premium paper, sealed, and posted. What your student holds is not a printout.
What ages is this for?↓
Written for grades 2 and up. Younger kids enjoy it with a parent reading aloud and helping write the reply. There is no upper limit.
How often do letters come?↓
The figure writes first, and we write and ship within 1 to 2 days. USPS delivery typically takes 3 to 7 business days. After that, the pace belongs to your student. Each reply is answered in the figure's next letter.
What information do you collect about my child?↓
A first name, a mailing address, and whatever you choose to share about their interests. We use it to write and mail the letters. We never sell or share it. And every letter arrives through your own mailbox, so a parent sees everything.
Is the content religious or political?↓
No. The letters are secular. Figures tell true stories from their own lives and their own time.
Can a school or co-op order this?↓
Yes. We invoice by purchase order. Use the form below and tell us what you have in mind.
Request a sample letter
The best way to evaluate the program is to hold a letter. Tell me a bit about your setting and I'll take it from there. I reply to every request personally, within one business day.
One real letter is the best pitch we have.
Request a sample, or start a correspondence today.