Autumn Writing for a Purpose · Messages
Make a message for someone
Send a note to a friend, share a discovery with a woodland ranger in the play or leave a message for a story character. These open message cards give children space to draw, make marks and write something another person can receive and respond to.
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Take a look inside
Browse a two-card sheet, one notice-card extract and a short extract from the practitioner notes. These three watermarked previews show a small selection of the layouts and guidance included.
On smaller screens, scroll or swipe sideways to browse the three watermarked previews. Download the pack for all 18 message cards and the practitioner notes.
What’s included in the pack?
Autumn Writing for a Purpose: Messages. This ten-page file contains 18 printable message cards across nine sheets, plus one page of practitioner guidance. There are five named purposes and an open message card in each of three layout choices.
Messages with an audience
Simple prompts give a message a reason to exist in woodland play: reaching someone, sharing something or helping a play object find its way back. Children decide what to communicate and what their marks mean.
Room for children’s own purposes
An open message card in every layout lets children decide who the message is for and what it needs to say. The spaces can hold drawings, symbols, letters, words or a combination that works for the child.
Make something happen with the message. Deliver it, leave it where someone will find it or invite a reply. The useful part is what the child wants another person to understand.
The practitioner notes include guidance for choosing layouts, supporting communication and finding the pages to print. This is the Messages file from the Autumn Writing for a Purpose series; the other writing-purpose packs are separate downloads.
Make the message useful in the play
Begin with something the child wants to tell someone. Choose a card together and leave room for the message to take its own form.
Choose who needs to know
A friend, a woodland ranger in role play or a story character can give the message an audience. Talk about what the child wants them to know, ask or do.
Listen to the child’s meaning
Invite children to explain their pictures and marks. Offer a word, model a short message or scribe their exact words if invited. Ask before adding anything and keep their own marks visible.
Deliver it and respond
Read or share the message together, then use it in the play. Someone might reply, act on the information or ask a question that gives the child something else to communicate.
Choose a layout together
The three choices offer drawing and marks, drawing with emergent writing, or more space for independent writing. They are choices of paper, not ability groups or a sequence. Children can choose any version and switch when it helps.
Support different ways to communicate
Children can point, use familiar signs or home-language words, or dictate to an adult. A larger surface or adapted tool may help. Drawings and spoken explanations can carry the message alongside, or without, written words.
What should we print?
The file has ten pages: practitioner notes on page 1 and nine printable sheets on pages 2–10. Each sheet contains two message cards. Print the pages you need on A4 at 100% / actual size and cut around the outer borders. There is no need to print the practitioner notes.
What do the A, B and C codes mean?
They help adults find a layout. A offers drawing and mark-making space; B combines a picture box with writing lines; C gives more room for independent writing. Children do not need to work through them in order. Their message can be useful in any version.
How can we use the lost-and-found cards?
Use them for play objects or story characters, such as a missing toy or an item discovered in the woodland small world. The “Tell…” prompt means a person within the play, not personal contact details. Children decide what information would help someone respond.
Can we adapt the cards?
Yes. All text and line shapes are editable in Word. Adapt the wording or writing space for your play context, or use an open message card for a purpose the children choose.
Download the Autumn Messages writing pack
Choose a card, make a message and give someone a reason to respond.
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You might also find these useful
Build a woodland story, add signs to the play or give children another reason to record their ideas. These links open public resource pages where you can explore each pack before visiting its downloads.
Resource and preview images © Little Owls Resources.