Encouraging Your Child to Write Letters to a Pen-Pal

Receiving a letter is a joy that many children no longer experience. Opening the mailbox, peeking inside, and pulling out a hand-addressed envelope from a friend is far more exciting than scanning an email or reading a brief social-media message, yet how often do children experience this? Corresponding with a pen-pal is an excellent way for your child to learn about the joy of writing letters. Begin by asking your child who they would like to write to. A pen-pal could be a best friend, a cousin who lives far away, or even a classmate your child would like to know better. For very young children, try asking an aunt or grandparent if they would like to exchange letters and drawings. The answer will almost always be yes! Send a "will you be my pen-pal" invitation using a greeting card the recipient will enjoy. Take time to make sure they will feel as though the card was selected just for them. Cards representing a hobby or featuring the recipient's favorite color are great choices. Next, have your child get creative and write a brief message inside the card. Send it out and try to be patient as you wait for a reply! Keep the correspondence going by encouraging your child to ask questions in future letters. Use conversation starters such as, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" or, "if you could visit anyplace in the world, where would you go?" Try to come up with different questions each time to keep things interesting. Once your pen-pals are writing full-force, it will be hard to slow them down! Check out our beautiful selection of personalized stationary to make the letters extra special. Having personalized stationary will make each letter an exciting keepsake. Happy writing!