The Art of Writing Thank You Notes
/My rascals are 2 and 3 years old and they love art. They love creating art, making art, and even destroying art. I strive to find ways to incorporate art into each day. We do sidewalk chalk, we color with markers and crayons, we practice our scissor and tearing skills, we dance to music, and we even paint our bodies (so messy, but so cute!).
One of my favorite ways to incorporate art in our regular lives is to include my rascals while writing thank you notes. (The actual art of writing thank you notes seems to have transitioned to extinction or email, but we still practice the skill with paper and pen.) Neither of my boys can write their name or letters just yet, but they sure can create something beautiful and fun.
Let me tell you, the recipients of these notes LOVE them. I always get comments from the receivers that they enjoyed getting something other than junk mail and bills, and they love that the artwork is handmade.
In my house, we write thank you notes for lots of reasons: friends came over for a visit, a grandparent brings over a book, gifts were received for birthdays and holidays, for trips, adventures, and experiences with friends and family, and for hand-me-down items from other families.
The boys love creating letters and cards. My oldest rascal even dictates what I should write as the note. In the simplest fashion, my rascals use markers and stickers to decorate their cards. When we have more time, we utilize paint, glue, and photography. There are no limits to the creativity of a handmade card!
A few tips I have learned along the way:
Paper folded in half or thirds works equally well for letting writing.
Keep lots of envelopes on hand.
Collect cards for all occasions everywhere you go.
The charities to which we donate often send us blank cards in exchange for the donation. We use these!
Amazon sells cards in bulk. Some are blank, some are themed, some are for special occasions. These are great to have on hand.
Stores like Half Price Books and Dollar Tree are great places to buy cards in bulk for a discount.
I buy blank postcards for all sorts of letter writing. Save a few pennies by buying postcard stamps from the Post Office instead of using regular stamps.
This is a great way to invest in your child’s manners and understanding of etiquette, while also sharing their artwork with family and friends!
Written by Brandi Stanton, mama of two rascals, ages 2 and 3.
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