Pen Pals Offer Learning Experiences for Your Child

By Melanie Marten, published Jun 19, 2007
Published Content: 885  Total Views: 1,007,530  Favorited By: 117 CPs
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In this technological age, having a pen pal can mean different things. You can have a pen pal through snail mail, or the regular postal service, or an email pal on the internet. Whichever method works for you, it is a great idea to have a pen pal. It is even more important for children to have pen pals. They can offer a world of learning experiences for your child.

Finding a Pen Pal and the Different Types

There are different types of pen pals that your child can find. One of the most popular types of pen pal these days is an electronic, or email pen pal. These children write back and forth to each other through emails. They sometimes contact each other through instant messengers as well.

You can also find snail mail pen pals for your child. Snail mail is the pet name for the regular postal service. It is harder to find children who wish to send stamped letters through the mail these days, but they can be found.

Great places to find pen pals for your child are on websites specifically set up to find pen pals, child friendly websites, and school-based pen pal programs.

What a Pen Pal Can Teach Your Child

Pen pals can teach your child many things. Perhaps the most obvious thing having one can teach your child is how to write a letter the correct way. It also gives invaluable practice in handwriting, constructing sentences and paragraphs, and communication skills.

Exchanging letters with a pen pal can also offer learning experiences about life in other parts of the country or around the world. Your child may be surprised that children of similar ages do things very differently in other parts of the country or world. If your child is lucky enough to have an international pen pal, a further learning experience about foreign customs, traditions, and even language is possible.

Having a pen pal can also teach them about different sports, hobbies, and other interests. It is a great learning experience to be able to share interest with another person. Pen pals can ignite the imagination and encourage your child to try new things.

Pen Pals Offer Learning Experiences for Your Child

Writing to a pen pal can be educational.

Credit: free stock

Copyright: free stock

Takeaways
  • There are different types of pen pals that your child can find.
  • Snail mail is the pet name for the regular postal service.
  • Exchanging letters with a pen pal can also offer learning experiences about life.
Comments
Showing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
 
 
Wonderful info! I have a penpal even now! :-)

Posted on 07/03/2007 at 2:07:00 PM

 
My oldest child has a penpal at school and always gets excited when he receives a letter. He would tell us all about it. I actually thought about asking some of the other moms in my mom forums if their kids my kids ages would be interested in a swap.

Posted on 06/24/2007 at 8:06:00 PM

 
Trading snail mail is a very special experience that's getting way too rare.

Posted on 06/24/2007 at 7:06:00 AM

 
This is a great article. At 28 years old I still write to my penpal that I got in 4th grade. We never email, only write snail mail!

Posted on 06/20/2007 at 11:06:00 AM

 
I remember in my childhood, before the internet or email, I use to have a pen pal in Finland. We lost contact after a postal strike there separated us for months.

Posted on 06/19/2007 at 3:06:00 PM

 
Great article! I had several pen pals when I was a child and still remember the anticipation of getting a return letter. My daughter's school implemented a pen pal program this year and she loved it!!

Posted on 06/19/2007 at 10:06:00 AM

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