21 Thank You Note Prompts for Kids
21 Thank You Note Prompts for Kids
Holiday gift giving will be more intimate this year, which also means that gifts from extended family and friends will likely be arriving in the mail.
Here are 21 thank you note prompts for kids to use to pen their very own holiday gift thank you notes.
A two line note of gratitude is always a wonderful gift from children, but adding a little more contest is easy with my thank you note tips.
Thank You Note Writing for Families
In our family, we ask our little gift recipients to pen their thank you notes within a week of receipt.
A friend of mine has a bit more Draconian method, but one that I find very tempting!
She requires her children to write their thank you notes before they are allowed to play with their new gifts.
It's definitely one way of getting the task completed, don't you think?!
Teaching Gratitude with a Great Attitude
I'd ask you to reconsider any decisions to institute a strict policy that may diminish some of the joy in gift receiving.
Instead, make thank you note writing a fun and easy project that children can look forward as a natural part of enjoying any new present.
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Let’s connect over social media. Follow the fun on Pinterest and Instagram. Tag #satsumasmiles to share your creativity and I'll share back.
Thank You Note Writing Tools
A small kit to equip children to write thank you notes need not be expensive or extensive.
There are just a few tools required to make sure that thank you notes are written nicely and get to their final destinations with ease.
- Note cards
- A pen that writes clearly - ensure that the ink flows nicely in little hands. I generally recommend a black ink pen for this reason. Avoid pencil as little fingers can have a hard time pressing down for easy reading.
- Mailing address - teach children the
- or use my template here to help guide kiddos. Leave this template in your thank you note writing kit for easy access.
- Postage stamp(s)
- Stickers (optional)
- Hand drawn art (optional)
- School photo or other snapshot for the refrigerator! (optional)
More Easy Etiquette for Kids
Here is some more easy reading on essential kids' manners.
These are some of my most popular posts that share tips on guiding children to show respect for themselves and others through their behavior.
As I teach in my zoom and in-person etiquette classes, manners are about making those around you feel comfortable, not a harsh list of Dos and Don'ts.
See what I mean in the blog posts below and enjoy!
How to Teach Children to Greet Adults
Kids Birthday Invitation Etiquette
15 Kids Table Manners for Fuss-Free Holiday Feasts
Thank You Note Writing Formula
In my manners classes, I love to teach tricks to help my students remember the content we're covering.
For thank you notes, I teach a very easy formula that even young children can remember with ease.
Thank you note formula:
- Salutation (Dear, To, Hello!)
- Introduction and reflection
- Thank you
- Why it matters and how the generosity makes you feel
- Conclusion
- Closing or Valediction (From, Sincerely, Love, Regards, Fondly)
Ask kids to think about sharing both their gratitude and a part of themselves in their notes
21 Thank You Note Prompts for Kids
There are any number of ways to begin a thank you note.
The best method is to have your child visualize how they can best express their gratitude authentically.
This can be done by having them visualize a ways they felt during the gifting experience.
Discover 21 easy to follow question and sentence prompts below to get you and your thank you note writers started!
If you like, use this thank you note template I created and have your children write out their responses and then transfer their thoughts to a card to mail.
Click on this link to open the file, print onto printer paper and use this tool to make thank you note writing easy for kids and families.
Question and Sentence Prompts
Ask these questions or use these sentence starters below with your children and jot down quick responses or include the replies immediately in your thank you note.
- How did you feel when you received your gift in the mail/delivery/by hand?
- How did you feel when you opened your gift?
- How did you feel when you discovered what you had been given?
- How does thinking about this toy/game/experience make you feel?
- How will you play with/use your new gift?
- With whom will you share the gift?
- Where will you use your gift?
- When will you play with your gift?
- Why did this person give you a gift?
- What about this gift reminds you of this person?
- What about the gift giving person do you appreciate?
- How does knowing that this person cared about you enough to give/send a gift make you feel?
- Thank you so much for xx. I couldn’t believe how you knew how much I would enjoy xx.
- Wow! The xx you gave me was just what I wanted.
- Thank you for thinking of me on my birthday and your kind gift of xx.
- Your gift made me feel so happy to try this new xx. Thank you for making my day special!
- Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me and your generous gift of xx.
- I'm so excited to [play, create,...] with my new xx.
- Each time I enjoy playing with my new xx, I will think fondly of you!
- Your gift makes me think of the time when we xx. This is such a special reminder of you!
- Knowing that you cared so much to send/give me a gift means so much.
Photos courtesy of Unsplash
HELLO THERE!
Today is a gift. Let's put a bow on it!
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💕 jennifer
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