Hand-written Thank You Notes: A Great Learning Opportunity

The holidays are a mixed bag for parents who enjoy spending time with family but may be struggling to keep their bored students occupied. One tradition that has been neglected in modern society is the hand-written ‘Thank You’ note. Writing ‘Thank You’ notes not only helps to establish ties with family and friends, it perpetuates a wonderful festive traditional and helps students remember all they have to be thankful for.

It’s good for you!

A recent study showed that writing ‘Thank You’ notes actually reduces anxiety and stress. This is because when you take the time out to write about all the things you are thankful for, you realize how much you have.

‘Thank You’ notes help to strengthen family ties and friendships and teach students appreciation. Thank you notes also teach the art of good manners and diplomacy. If your student masters these skills, they will be able to navigate social and (later in life) professional circles with ease. Good manners set you apart from the crowd and effective networking is what makes for a happy, well-adjusted adult.

How to go about it

Start by recording all the gifts your students get over the festive season. Provide them with stationary or let them make their own. For most students, writing all their ‘Thank You’ notes at once may be a bit daunting, so it’s best to spread it out over several days.

Let your students pick out the ‘Thank You’ note stationary, or let them decorate cards with stamps, scrapbooking supplies or pictures that they can draw or paint.

Your students only have to write a sentence or two in each note, so try to encourage creativity with wording.

Learning opportunity

Writing ‘Thank You’ notes is a great exercise in grammar and spelling. Students can develop language and communication skills while practicing their handwriting. It can be fun for them to experiment with different styles of handwriting too.

Sure, emails and text messages may be quicker, but nothing shows appreciation quite like getting a hand-written message in the mail. If your students enjoy receiving mail, you can carry on the writing tradition by getting them pen pals in exotic locations.

It may seem old fashioned, but a hand-written thank you note is a wonderful way to express appreciation for the thoughtfulness of a friend or family member. ‘Thank You’ notes are a great holiday tradition that should be preserved. They have the power to teach a number of valuable lessons and will help your student to appreciate all that they have received and show their appreciation in a meaningful way.