Telephones and e-mails have become a huge part of our lives. We rarely write letters anymore. We should not give up on letter writing because it has its benefits too, especially for children. When children write letters, they not only develop their sense of creativity, but they can keep connected to friends and family.

The best way to teach children about letter writing is to show them by way of example. A child, who sees his parent sitting at the table, taking his time to think about what he wants to write, will better appreciate the joys of letter writing and receiving.

Benefits of Letter Writing for Children

•    Letter writing is a wonderful way to express creativity and individual opinions. When you write down your thoughts no one can interrupt you, no one can tell you you're wrong and no one can prevent you from expressing what's on your mind.
•    Children who are comfortable writing letters may find it easier to write personal essays for school.
•    Letter writing is also a wonderful way to keep the lines of communication open with individuals that you cannot see regularly. It is a fun way to keep in touch.
•    When your family relocates to another city, let your child know that he can still remain a friend to those he has left behind by writing letters. Children often feel a bit lost once they move to another city. By keeping in touch with friends from their previous hometown, children can hold on to a part of their past. This will make the transition easier for the child.

When to Introduce It

As soon as your child is able to write three letter words, you can initiate him/her into letter writing. Initially it could be just part of your letter. When she is able to write sentences then is the right time to get her to write her own letters. Let your child stick stamps and post the letter in the letterbox.

Encouraging Your Child to Write

Whenever a child sees you writing or reading a letter, let him know what you are doing and how it makes you feel. You may be sharing good news with a friend, thanking them for sending you a gift, or happy to have heard back from your best friend.

Your child may develop a bond with children of friends/family members who are visiting from out of station. This is right time to encourage the children to keep in touch via letter writing. Suggest that your child write a letter as soon as possible after the company has left. The fresher the friendship is, the more rewarding the letter writing experience will be.

A letter writer needs the following supplies:
•    Stationery
•    Envelopes
•    Stamps
•    Address book
•    Special pen/pencil
•    Special folder/box to store supplies and received letter

By providing your child with these letter-writing tools, she/he will feel grown up. Suggest that your child create his/her own personalized stationery (notepaper or envelopes). This can be done by hand or on the computer.

Suggest that your child send a letter to a special relative (and then contact the relative yourself and encourage that person to reply as quickly as possible). When your child receives his first letter, he will be motivated to continue the correspondence.

Have your child include a photo with the intended letter. This gives the child something to talk about, if he is unsure of the topic to discuss.
Express you own personal satisfaction when you receive a letter from a friend. Show your enthusiasm in writing to a friend/family member.
Letter writing is a useful exercise for children to work on their creativity. It is a great way to keep relationships alive, no matter where individuals live or how often they see each other. So try out these options and introduce your child to the joys of writing letters!