Hip hip hooray! We have fun, playful, and friendly letter ideas for you and your writers — Letter writing is a skill that has, in large part, been lost in our digital age. Still, it is a very good thing for young writers to learn this writing skill as it will serve them well them throughout their lives.

That’s why…
I invite you to read on and discover our wonderful lists of letter ideas to inspire young writers to fall in love with letter writing. Enjoy!
- 5 Fabulous Benefits of Letter Writing
- Why Use Letter Ideas with Kids
- 7 Fun Letter Ideas for Kids
- 8 Letter Ideas for Students
- 19 Great Letter Ideas for Kids (and Everyone!)
- 10 Friendly Letter Ideas
- 11 Open When Letter Ideas
- Letter Writing Suggestions for Students by Grade Level
- A Few Final Thoughts and Some "Letter Rules"
- Links & Letter Writing Resources
I hope you use one or all of the many lists of letter ideas with your learners for your student’s next classroom project (writing-themed, of course!).
5 Fabulous Benefits of Letter Writing
Letter writing is an art form that should not get lost in our technology-based world, and when it comes to writing letters, kids have plenty of room to explore, learn and grow. Indeed, there are so many wonderful uses for letter writing.
For example, students could write a letter to a good friend in their class, send a romantic love letter to their crush, perhaps write a letter with words of encouragement to a family member, or construct a thank you note for a gift.
Now…
There are many reasons why letter writing is important for kids to learn now so they can use it throughout their lives.
You see, some of the top benefits of learning to write a letter include:
- Learning to communicate effectively
- Exploring thoughts and emotions
- Connecting with others on a deeper level
- Exploring and learning about people, places, cultures, and more
- Growing one’s creativity
Wow! Now those are some fabulous benefits of letter writing.
Plus… see this:
Letter writing has many benefits for mental health, such as increasing happiness and reducing stress levels.
And…
Writing letters can also help a writer and the recipient through challenging or tough times.
Finally, letters are a wonderful way to keep long-distance relationships close and intact. (Pssst… If you want to know the immense value of letter writing, talk to military families. They have a unique and powerful perspective on using this form of communication to stay in touch.)
Keep on reading because below you’ll discover plenty of letter ideas and letter-writing topics to help your kids — and writers of all ages — get started creating a heartfelt, wonderful letter today.
Why Use Letter Ideas with Kids
When it comes to writing letters, the sky’s the limit. Your writers can write about anything they want, and there are no rules when it comes to informal letter writing!
There are, however, various types of letters kids could compose. It can be helpful to offer them some letter writing ideas and prompts to help get their creativity flowing. Fabulously…I have quite a few awesome prompts listed below that can help you inspire your young writers right now.
Yeppers…
From writing for fun to open letters, there are ideas here for everyone.
So get it and take a look now, and, above all… write those letters! 🙂
7 Fun Letter Ideas for Kids
One of the best ways to help children learn to write is to encourage them to write letters for fun. This type of letter may be written to friends, family members, or even imaginary friends.
Here is a list of fun letter ideas and letter writing prompts that will get kids excited about writing a letter today!
- Write a letter thanking someone for a gift you received from them this year. Tell them why you enjoyed the gift and how it made you feel to receive it.
- Write a letter to a friend telling them all about your summer vacation. Describe the places you visited and the activities you enjoyed.
- Write a letter to an imaginary friend telling them all about your day. Include what you ate for lunch, what happened to you at school (or elsewhere), and share any funny stories you’d like them to know.
- Write a thank you letter thanking someone for doing something nice for you and/or making a difference in your life. This is a wonderful way to show your appreciation.
- Just for fun, write to characters from your favorite books or movies.
- Write letters to Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny or an imaginary character you make up.
- Write and describe your dreams and aspirations for the future and why you think they are fun and worth pursuing.
8 Letter Ideas for Students
When it comes to writing letters, some students are naturally good at it yet many simply feel stuck and aren’t sure where or how to begin. For those writers, here are some helpful letter ideas and writing prompts to help get their creative juices flowing.
- Write a letter to your pet (current, past, or dream pet).
- Write about a time when you overcame a challenge.
- Tell your best friend how much they mean to you.
- Describe your favorite place to visit and why it’s special to you.
- Share details of an exciting adventure you went on recently.
- Thank a family member for always being there for you. You could write to your mom, dad, siblings, cousins…
- Express your excitement about starting a new chapter in your life.
- Write about funny memories you shared with your letter recipient.
19 Great Letter Ideas for Kids (and Everyone!)
The following list of letter ideas is a great way for writers of any grade level or age to get started.
- Write to a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
- Write a letter to “the world” in which you share your ideas for the future.
- Write to the person you love (perhaps a girlfriend, boyfriend, special friend…).
- Write a letter to someone that you’d like to get to know better and introduce yourself.
- A letter of gratitude for something small, big, thoughtful, life-changing, for a gift, or just because.
- Write a thank you letter.
- Write a letter to one of your ancestors telling them what your family is like today.
- Write a forgiveness letter.
- Write a letter with words of encouragement.
- Write a letter to your favorite teacher – and tell them why they are/were your favorite teacher!
- Write a letter to your future self.
- Write a letter to your past self.
- Write a letter to your current self.
- Write a letter to someone you admire.
- Write a letter to someone you want to forgive.
- Write a letter of apology.
- Write a thank you note for something small.
- Write to someone in a foreign country.
- Write a birthday letter to wish someone a happy birthday and tell them all about what’s been going on in your life lately.

10 Friendly Letter Ideas
A friendly letter is one of the best ways to communicate with your loved ones. You can send them a friendly letter to let them know how you are doing, what’s new in your life, or just to say hello.
If you’re looking for ideas for a friendly letter, there are plenty of prompts that can help get you writing. For example, you might want to tell a friend about an exciting event that happened recently or share some news that’s been on your mind. If you’re feeling nostalgic, you could reminisce about old times together.
Below are five more friendly letter ideas that you can use right now as a starting point for writing your next letter:
- Write about a specific day that really means a lot. Share loads of details so your reader can fully appreciate why this day is so meaningful and important to you.
- Write about your favorite memory with the recipient of the letter. (e.g. What is your favorite memory with this person?)
- Write about something that made you happy today.
- Write about something that made you sad today.
- Write about an accomplishment or goal that was achieved.
- Compliment your friend on something they’ve done recently.
- Tell about an interesting experience you had recently OR one you hope to have one day.
- Ask how they’re doing and tell them about what’s been going on with you.
- Give them advice on something (but be sure to ask for their opinion too).
- Share a funny story or tell a joke or two or three…
11 Open When Letter Ideas
An open letter is one that is sealed and given to someone to open at a future date. This type of letter can be used as an anniversary gift, a birthday gift, or just as a way to say thank you for something or tell someone how much they mean to you.
Remember to be VERY specific and tell the person receiving the letter that they may read it on the “open when date”.
- Open When you’re missing me
- Open When you’re feeling alone
- Open When you need a hug
- Open When you’re proud of yourself
- Open When you’ve had a bad day
- Open when you need a friend
- Open when you want to laugh
- When you can keep a secret
- When you want to have a great day
- When you need to make a big decision
- When it’s your birthday (or anniversary or any special date)
Letter Writing Suggestions for Students by Grade Level
Oh yeah…check out these great letter-writing ideas for students in each grade level!
Each grade level is a unique experience and a time of learning and growth. It’s also a time when children learn how to write and refine their writing skills.
A great way to help your students get started with letter writing make letter writing a part of their daily routine. Here are some suggestions for letter ideas by grade level:
- Kindergarten: Friendly letters, thank you notes, picture/drawing letters
- 1st Grade: Picture/drawing letters, informational letters such as about a school day or what they
see out the window, invitations, special holiday cards - 2nd Grade: Informational letters, persuasive letters, book reports, friendship letters, friendly letters
- 3rd Grade: Letters of admiration, thank you letters, fun letters
- 4th Grade: Fun letters, problem-solving letters, letters to another
- 5th Grade: Creative letter writing, friendly letters, open when letters
- 6th Grade: Formal letters, open-when letters, apology letters
- 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grade: Professional letters, letters of introduction, friendly letters, open when letters.
A Few Final Thoughts and Some “Letter Rules”
When ones sit down to write a letter, what should one include in it?
There are a few key parts that every letter should have. They are:
- The greeting is the first part of the letter – and it’s important to be formal and polite.
- The body of the letter is where you will provide more information. You may want to include a thank-you or ask for help or information.
- The closing is the final part of the letter and should be polite and professional.
Those are the three basic parts of a letter.
Now, let’s discuss…
How do you make a letter interesting?
One way to make a letter interesting is to make the recipient feel special. You can do this by mentioning something that only the two of you know about or by thanking them for something they’ve done.
Another way to make a letter interesting is to add drawings, stickers, or other decorations. You could also use different fonts or colors to make your letter stand out.
Writers can also make letters more interesting by telling original stories or jokes.
Another good idea is to add fun facts about the person. Now…
If you’re writing a letter to someone you don’t know very well, it’s a good idea to include some information about yourself, such as your hobbies or interests.
And finally…
Be sure to end your letter with a special closing and don’t forget to sign your name at the end.
Ok, that’s all for this post. I hope enjoyed it and found some great letter-writing ideas and inspirations. Happy letter writing to all!
Links & Letter Writing Resources
Until next time, write on…
If you enjoyed these letter topics, letter-writing ideas, and resources for students,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!
Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator

PS – Take a look at this How to Write a Great Letter (Guide)!