The Importance of Letter Writing for Children

With everything being done on a screen or through an app these days, being a writer, and my stepdaughter‘s excitement of receiving mail from me and the distance between us, I have started to write and mail her letters more often. Being that I am states away, I wanted a way to be able to let her know how much she is loved, missed, that I am thinking of her, and I think it’s a neat learning experience for her as well. Here are some great tips on why letter writing is a way to keep in touch with your little loved ones, near or far and why you should teach them that writing letters to family and friends is important.

Family Bonding

What may seem like a simple letter to us is far more important to a child because with their love of learning, this sweet gesture can teach so much, and its way more personable than anything online. With letters going back and forth between family members, not only is it a way to keep in touch with one another, it is also a way to keep the relationship across the miles strong and healthy. Another great idea is teaching your children how to send thank you cards during the holidays or when birthdays come around (especially when gifts are received). Not only is the gesture nice, it also shows them to be appreciative that they are being thought of and it’s great for the family sending out mail to also receive it. Have them get creative and make the cards and letters themselves too.

Keepsakes

Hand written letters are so much more personable than a phone call, Skype, emails, and text messages. If your little loves miss you and want to remember things you have shared with them, they can always save the letters you sent them to read when they miss you.  A letter collection is also a great way to save memories between you and your little loves so they can share with their children later.

Reading and Vocabulary

Writing letters to your little loves also helps strengthen their reading skills, opens them up to a bigger vocabulary, and helps them be great spellers.  Share funny stories about your childhood, memories of them when they last visited, send silly jokes, and content that would keep them eager to receive the next letter.

Penmanship and Expression

Teaching your children to respond to their mail with handwritten letters will also improve their handwriting skills, how to use punctuation correctly, grammar, and how to express themselves through words. Like they say, practice makes perfect and all this practicing will definitely come in handy as they get older.

Sending and Receiving Mail

Teaching your children about how our postal system works will be interesting and fun for them to learn about. Plus who doesn’t like receiving mail? Your children will look forward to checking the mailbox to look for that special letter addressed especially to them. For them, it’s like receiving a surprise via mail.

Remembering Important Dates & Kindness

Writing and sending letters to loved ones also teaches your child to remember important dates like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and special family days. It teaches them that a simple act of kindness via mail can make someone’s day and show their loved ones that they are thinking of them.  A great way to motivate your children to write letters is to let them know just as they are happy to receive mail from their loved ones, it works both ways. Inspire them to share about their day or special events family members have missed out on. A great way to make writing fun is using vibrant paper, colorful pens, and stickers to decorate the envelopes. Amazon has some great deals on really cute stationery!

I hope these tips come in handy; let’s bring back the importance of handwritten letters. Get to writing!