When did you last send a handwritten letter through the mail? It was probably some time ago as we now send 4.3 billion fewer letters and cards compared to 2001. In fact, 15 percent of adults admitted that they’ve not written a note to someone in over 5 years, with 33 percent not receiving a handwritten note in a year. But despite this, we all recognize the pleasure and satisfaction we can get from receiving handwritten mail. As adults, we may have lost the art of letter writing, but it’s important that our children don’t before they’ve even begun. One way to encourage your child’s letter writing skills is through penpalling. Writing to a penpal is a great way to encourage your children to practice their handwriting while also making new friends and learning more about the world.
Getting Started with Penpalling
If you think your child would benefit from having a penpal then it’s pretty easy to get started. First, you need to make sure you have the supplies you need such as writing paper envelopes and stamps. If you think your child might be writing regular letters to a few penpals, then you may want to buy stamps in bulk at OnlineStamp to ensure you are always stocked up. Next, you need to find them some penpals to write to. A good place to start is by asking your friends to see whether their children or even their friends’ children would like to start penpalling too. Perhaps put a post on your Facebook page or alternatively, you could always ask at your child’s school to see if they can recommend any penpal programs, both in the US and abroad. Once they get started on writing to and getting letters from their new penpals, you’ll soon see the benefits of their new penpalling hobby.
Penpalling Teaches Patience
While today’s digital world offers instant responses and information at the touch of a button or swipe of a finger, corresponding through handwritten letters is really quite different. Even if your child has several penpals and writes to them regularly, there is no escaping the inevitable wait for them to receive a letter back. But while it can be a frustrating slow wait, it does teach children about being patient and that some things are just not instant. And then when the mailman does finally arrive with their letter, the excitement will make it all worthwhile.
Encourages Writing and Reading Practice
Writing to a penpal provides a subtle but effective way for your children to practice their handwriting, spelling, and grammar in a fun way. Through writing letters to their penpals, they can work on their writing skills, particularly their handwriting, ensuring it’s neat and legible for their penpal to read. Writing letters to a penpal also encourages creativity, as your child will have to come up with new ideas of what to tell their penpal and how they can put their thoughts down on paper. Then, when it’s their turn to receive a letter, they can practice their reading while also getting the valuable practice of reading different handwriting styles.
Expand Your Child’s Horizons
As your child starts to get to know more about their penpal, they will soon discover more about the world far away from their doorstep and the way other people experience the world. This is especially true if the penpal lives abroad, offering first-hand insight into a country that your child may have only read about or seen in a television documentary. Through sharing letters, your child will develop the qualities of understanding, appreciating and respecting different cultures which they will hopefully carry through to adulthood.
Writing to a penpal is a great way for children to become storytellers, to experience the world, improve their writing and reading skills, while also developing important life skills such as patience and creativity. Above all, it can be the start of what could become a lifelong friendship.
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