Written by Erica Illsley, Contributing Writer

‘Tis the season for writing love letters or little love notes to your sweetheart or children. This is a little tutorial on how to write a simple love note called the acrostic, something you may have done in grade school but have forgotten about. Acrostics are great for highlighting a person’s name and their fun-loving personality traits. I like to make these for my children at least once a year and add them into birthday cards for family and friends but they are a great project to work on for those you love in the month of February.

Barb Evans, a teacher, explains that an acrostic is something that contains:

• Personal Thoughts
• Original Ideas
• Expressive Language
• Mental Imagery
• Sensory Details*

An acrostic involves choosing the letters of a word(s) – I usually choose the person’s name. For example, my nephew’s name is Jackson so I would write each letter of his name in capital letters on the left side of a piece of paper vertically (like pictured).

Next, is think of adjectives and describing words for each letter that you wrote and write them out vertically. This can be a little tricky if the name has multiple letters that are the same. You can also write out a phrase or sentence using that letter, think of fun memories you have shared with your husband, child, or friend.

 

For Valentine’s Day or any other special lovey-dovey occasion you can use these simple acrostic starter pages. Print it out, cut it in half, and fill out with your own sweet words. I used some fun words from songs, my husband’s favorite cookie, and things that would make him laugh from those cute little inside jokes we share. Then, leave it in a special location that your loved one will be sure to find!

Click here for the free printable download – Romantic Acrostic

Other Creative Ideas for Acrostics

Use notecards or other small pieces of paper to make a book. Write each letter of your word on a page and then write in small handwriting your describing words. Punch a hole in the corner and tie it with string or staple them together to make a booklet.

Create a banner using the letters of your special acrostic word and have the descriptions written on the banner below the letter.

Make a small version on a bookmark and place it in a book that the person is currently reading.

Make a larger version on a poster and display it in a prominent place.

Type it up, print it out, and place it in a picture frame.

Resources

If you’re like me you might get stuck on a letter and need a more creative adjective to describe the person that you are writing about, so these resources will help you come up with some fresh words and ideas.

I have created a quick letter word list that can be helpful if you need a starting point for filling out your acrostic. It is a “G” rated list of words,  if you are making the romantic acrostic you will have to come up with your own steamy substitutions.

Click here for the second free printable –  Word List for Acrostics.

A website called Adjectives That Start With simply has lists of words categorized alphabetically by letter that you can find new words for each letter. Be sure to look for the numbered pages icon that will take you to more adjectives or scroll below the list of words and find a section that says “Last adjectives searches that start with _letter_:” and it will give you lists of words beginning with various prefixes, click on the list you want and it will take you there.

Thesaurus.com has a search bar that you can find a synonym (same type of word) of a word. If you’re looking for a word like happy it will give you other words that are similar for example, cheerful, merry, pleasant, etc.

*This acrostic poem poster can be found at Barb Evans’ website It’s About Time Teachers. http://itsabouttimeteachers.blogspot.com/2012/04/poetry-month-freebie.html