Helping our little ones grow independent is such an important skill we need to put in place early on. By creating an activity like this, not only is a valuable learning goal being met but we, as parents, will actually stand a chance at enjoying the hot (ok, warm-ish) cup of coffee. This writing activity for kindergarten will keep them busy for quite some time. Woohoo! Your child will love writing letters to the people they love, all the while developing their fine motor skills, letter recognition and pre- reading skills. Let’s not forget that they will also have a wonderful time being independent by creating mail they can deliver personally.
Writing Activity for Kindergarten
MATERIALS
- Blank cards
- Envelopes
- Cardstock
- Construction paper
- Letter formation sheets
- Sight words
- Pencils/markers/crayons
- Stickers
I like giving my little one a quiet time at a specific time each day. Our favorite time to do this is right after lunch. Once we finished our meal, I set the stage and introduced this kindergarten writing activity to my little guy. I just love these quiet time learning activities.
Gathering the materials for this activity was super fun as it is open to creativity. Therefore, just about any writing tool and material can work. Any items you have lying around the house can be used in making this pretty, yet stress-free, writing activity.
Brainstorming and Getting to Work
I said to my little one that, while we tell the people in our house just how much they are loved, what would be a fun way to actually show them? We chatted, with a little encouragement to explore the world outside of technology (initially, he suggested an email!) Then, we decided that now that our kindergartener was learning to write, it would be fun to practice this skill. Finally, we decided he would write letters.
I gave our little one the bin and he excitedly got to work. He carefully studied the sight word sheet for a few minutes. Then, he sat down and sorted through the bin materials before selecting what he wanted to use. We didn’t discuss how receiving a letter would make someone feel, but he let me know he would write to everyone who lived in our house. This was because he didn’t want to make anyone feel bad or leave anyone out.
To be honest, I am not sure who had more fun: my little guy writing his letter, or this mama watching him work so hard! He decided to draw pictures to add to his cards, which is a great addition. He finally announced that he was ready to mail it, but that he needed a little help. I explained how a real letter works, but since we are just learning, I told him that we would keep it simple. I explained how to address the envelope, and voila! He wrote who it was for and then I thought we would be good to go.
He quickly corrected me and showed me that his letter would need just one more thing. A stamp, of course! He grabbed a sticker from our materials and placed it oh so carefully in the top corner of the envelope. Now it was really ready to be mailed. This was too cute!
Make a Mailbox & Other Extensions
My son had previously found a drawer in a desk we barely used and dubbed it: “the mailbox.” I had thought we would use that but this DIY post office has a few other ways to learn and strengthen our little ones skills for this writing activity for kindergarten. They are definitely a lot more entertaining than using a drawer!
In addition to this bonus, as another extension, you can have your little one write to friends and family outside the house! They may need a little help addressing the envelope but since this activity is a fun one, they will be writing letters for a very long time to come. Just think about all the cups of coffee you can drink while they write haha. I love receiving letters, and I am sure anyone who is missing your little one the way many people are, will be deeply touched by this sweet gesture. Wouldn’t you?
Joanna is a full-time teacher and part-time mompreneur with a personalized and custom gift shop. She has a passion for writing and loves creating wonderful memories for her 3 beautiful children. As a huge fan of Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus, Joanna lives by her biggest lesson: “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!” You can find her on Facebook.
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