TOP TIPS FOR PENPAL PROGRAMS (and a new resource)!

t seems like an old fashion idea now.

Writing a letter. Mailing it. Receiving a letter. 

These days with emails and text messages, the need for "physical mail" seems unnecessary.  

...and yet, the benefits of writing in this way as a form of communication are really wonderful! 

Did you ever have a penpal when you were a child? I remember writing to a girl in the UK and looking forward to a new letter in the mailbox.  I remember receiving postcards and even a tea towel! 

About once a year, I introduce a penpal program amongst my OT children.  I keep it just between the children I work with and match children from different schools of the same age and gender. I supervise the letter writing and deliver the letters.  There is no pressure on parents to find envelopes and stamps. 

Why include a penpal program during occupational therapy sessions? 

Benefits of program.
Social skills

•  communication skills
• knowing what to share of one's self
• being socially curious (wondering) about others
• considering someone else's perspective
• developing a positive relationship
• feeling special with having a new friend and making a connection
• feeling heard/listened to 

Writing 

• Motivation for writing  so that it can be read by someone else.
• We can work on legibility, use of capital letters, punctuation and sentence structures. 

I've learnt alot from conducting this annual penpal program.  Here are my top tips! 

Before the program
* Obtain parental consent - Inform parents about how the program will work including no need for mailing letters and no need for photographs or private information such as addresses or phone numbers (unless children really want to in which case they need consent).
* Work on handwriting prior to starting the program. Ideally by the time you start the program, the child is working on maintenance of handwriting and not at the early stages of learning handwriting legibility. 
* Work on social skills prior to the program. This will be more important for some children than others and key for engagement and participation.  
* Build a child's self awareness. For example you could have your child complete an "all about me" page. This page could be sent, but I find it better to use this as a springboard for writing out sentences. 
* Prepare some question or topic cards to help with potential areas to write about. 

During the program
* Provide suitable writing material and writing implements. 
* Discuss what is included in a letter - greeting, information about self, questions about others, comments about thoughts and feelings about different topics, making a connection with self, signing off.
* Ask child to think about what they could write about during the week.
* Variety is key! Keep a collection of content variations on hand (eg. include jokes, change the writing paper, write in a spiral, include a craft, draw a picture, make a "find-a-word", make a puzzle, include a favourite recipe.)
​

When it ends
*  I will generally run the penpal program for a school term (approximately 10 weeks in Australia), however I leave it up to families if they want to continue contact or meet in person.  Some of my current clients are enjoying the program this term so we may even continue!
* Some children don't make a connection and that is fine too.  
* Some children will not be motivated with the handwriting aspect. The challenge may be too difficult or it doesn't engage their interest in making friends. 

NOTES:
* I have found that children 8 years and older benefit most from this program. I have also done this with slightly younger children. When the child is younger (ie. 6- 7 years), we keep the letters brief, focusing more on a drawing or craft inclusion. 
* I tend to repeat a craft that I do with one child so that each child makes and receives the same craft. Sometimes I change it up so that it is not always the same child "starting" the craft, so that they are surprised by the letter content too! 

To help you get started with a penpal program, I've created a printable pack of some of the resources that I use.  This printable pack includes:
* Writing paper (letter writing pages fold to create an envelope)
* All about me page
* Topic cards
* Printable craft and game templates 
* More craft ideas. 

This penpal printable pack is currently FREE for a limited time (Sept 25- Oct 25th 2023)! So it is a perfect time to give penpals a try in term 4 (Australians will understand this reference). 

Download your FREE copy of the Penpal Printable pack from the Your Kids OT shop! 

Keep an eye on your inbox over the next few weeks as I have more freebies and new products to tell you about! 
 

PENPAL PRINTABLE PACK

​Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
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