Snail Mail Ideas for Kids, Teens, & Adults

Did you know April is National Letter Writing Month? And snail mail is making a comeback!

A lot today is digital. And in many ways, that’s amazing – that’s how I get to connect with all of you! But real, physical things are important too. There’s just something different about holding something tangible in your hands that was sent from someone else.

I’m a huge fan of snail mail. Not just for its real-ness, but because it helps us stay connected with other people in meaningful ways.

And it’s something special we can teach our kids or students.

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Snail Mail Ideas & Inspiration:

Decorate the outside of your envelope (and maybe the inside, too!)
Add a pack of fun stickers
Get a set of blank cards and envelopes and draw your own design on the cover. Not an artist? Don’t stress it! Pick up one of Ed Emberley’s Drawing Books and doodle something fun. Or make it easy and download ready-to-print designs you love.
Postcards aren’t just for vacation. Find a fun one from your own area and mail out a note to let someone know you’re thinking of them.
Have a friend who is going through a tough time? Write & send a note now, and create a calendar notification to remind you to send a note in a couple months. This also is a really thoughtful way to remember and support someone who has lost a loved one.
Upgrade to a padded envelope and add something extra: A small gift card or goodie, or even some sourdough starter (I actually just sent some last month to Carlee, my sister-in-law, who runs Create in the Chaos with me!)
Send a craft – I put together a kit just for this! Check it out below.

Tips to Make It Happen

Life gets busy. If you don’t set up systems or routines, things often fall through the cracks. Here’s a few tips to help you get in the habit of sending letters or notes:

Keep an address book. Whether you keep a physical address book or have a digital one, just make sure it’s somewhere easy to get to and where you don’t have to hunt for it. I keep an Address Book spreadsheet starred in my Google Drive so I can pull it up with two taps on my phone.
Order a pack of blank cards & envelopes. Blank ones make it easy to customize for every occasion.
Get some stamps. Fun stamps (like these adorable classic children’s literature stamps) or generic ones, whichever you prefer.
Set this all up in one spot. You could use a cute basket, plastic folding envelope, or even a spot in a drawer. Whatever you use, put it somewhere in easy reach.

When you have a few minutes, instead of some mindless scrolling of social media (or searching Craigslist for good deals or more chickens…which I may be guilty of), pull out your stuff and take 5 minutes to write a note to someone.

Snail Mail for Kids

Looking for a way to involve your kids or students with snail mail? I made mini versions of some of my crafts that you can print and fit perfectly in envelopes!

You can have your children or students put together a special note and craft to send to a friend.

Also, these are an amazing way to send fun snail mail to a niece, nephew, grandchild, or other special kiddo in your life and brighten their day.