The Benefits of Children Writing Pen Pal Letters By Anna Brooker, England
As letter writers, we all know the thrill of receiving a letter from a long-distance friend. Why not share that joy with a child? Encouraging a child to write is a wonderful thing to do. The benefits are many and the experience is something they will no doubt carry with them throughout their lives. We all recall our very first pen pal.
Why not ask your own pen pals if one of their children would like to write to your child? It will give you a chance to interact with your child on a different level as you both sit down to write letters to your pen pals together. You'll have the advantage of knowing their correspondent so there are many things you can discuss along the way as you build your long distant friendships in tandem.
Letter writing for a child is a multi-faceted thing. It will sharpen your child?s skills at handwriting and grammar, and yet it will do it in an informal setting that will make it a fun thing. As your child develops as a pen pal you will see a difference in their school work in these two very important subjects. These days, in the age of computers, a good number of children have fallen into the habit of the abbreviated computer-speak. Soon it becomes the norm, but by regular letter writing, a child stays in touch with good writing skills.
Your child will learn of the differences in cultures, but at the same time discover that children are the same for the most part. Games and music are but two topics in the international language of children. As your child's correspondence develops you will be able to discuss it with your pal who is the parent of your child?s pen pal. It will give you a lead-in for deeper conversation with your son or daughter as well.
History is another subject that your child can explore with their pen pal. It will give them a chance to ask things that are important to a young person that may not be taught at school but will round out the knowledge they have of a distant land.
Language is yet another aspect that could be shared. Your child may be helping his or her correspondent to practice their English usage if it is a second language to them, and at the same time, picking up a few words of their pen pal?s language to add to their overall view of where their pen pal lives. It may go on to inspire your child to want to learn to speak that language, a valuable skill in today's world.
The advantages of encouraging a child to begin a correspondence are many. It promotes a better understanding of the world in which they live at a level they can relate to. It is also a family activity that gives you and your children a common ground to interact, while furthering your child's ability to communicate.
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