How to Send Hidden Messages to Friends Like a Spy
Table of Contents
Kids can write secret messages to one another after learning one of these techniques. Parents and children can share a secret language when sending one another notes.
What is a Secret Code?
Secret codes allow kids to communicate with friends without letting others know the messages they are sending. Parents can tuck a special note written in code into their child’s lunchbox. Sharing secret messages is also a great way for young children to practice their writing and reading skills.
Secret Letter Cipher
In this method of secret writing, the sender of the message inserts a letter at the end of each word in the note and then breaks up the letters of the words into different combinations. The recipient only needs to read the secret letter to unscramble the message.
- Write out the message. For example, “Have a good day, love you, mom”.
- Add a letter to the end of each word. Use commonly used letters like “e” or “r” instead of letters like “q” or “z”. For example, “havee ae goode daye lovee youe mome“.
- Rewrite all the words of the message, including the secret letter into one long word. “haveeaegoodedayeloveeyouemome“.
- Next, break up the message into three-letter words.”hav eea ego ode day elo vee you emo me“.
- Let the recipient know, in another note or phone message what the key letter is so they can decipher the message.
Write a Message Using Invisible Ink
Skip writing messages in lemon juice and instead stick a piece of wet paper onto a mirror or window to write the message. Keep a towel handy to wipe up the water that runs down the glass (and avoid doing this project near wood furniture).
- Dip a piece of plain white paper into a pan of water.
- Smooth the paper onto a mirror or window.
- Set a dry piece of paper over the wet paper.
- Write a message on the dry paper with a ballpoint pen. Holding a ballpoint pen at this angle will prevent the ink from flowing. It doesn’t matter if the ink flows, the important part is the pressure the pen tip makes on the paper.
- Remove the dry paper and throw it away. Leave the wet paper in place on the glass. The message will be visible but will vanish as the paper dries. When the paper dries, it will fall off the window.
- Tell the letter recipient to dip the paper in water to read the message.
Secret Code Crackers
- Write the alphabet across the top of the page.
- Give each letter a number, but instead of starting the “A” as “1”, start with another letter and then continuing labeling the letters in numerical order. After “Z”, continue numbering at “A”.
- Now, write out a message and then translate it using this code. So, if the code is set up so “M” is “1”, then “Have a good day” becomes 22-15-10-19 15 21-3-3-18 18-15-13. Connect the letters of individual words with dashes.
- Let the letter recipient know what letter to start numbering the alphabet. To go back and forth with letters, a child can, at the bottom of a letter, tell the other person what letter to label as “1” when they write a response.
Kids can have fun writing notes to one another with secret codes or invisible messages. Kids can break up words into confusing patterns, assign letters a numerical code, or write a secret message on wet paper. They can send hidden messages to friends or family while practicing their reading and writing skills.