Check out the top children’s books about mail and letter-writing to inspire your child to write and send letters! Read stories and facts about the mail process, too.
“I love it!” my son’s teacher emailed me. Earlier that morning, she had received a handmade card from him, complete with the school’s address scrawled on the front. Because he didn’t just hand it to her… he mailed it to her.
The idea of sending mail began, as usual, with his questions:
- “Where does our mail come from?”
- “How does the mail carrier know our mail goes to us?”
- “How does the mail get from the person who sent it to our house?”
A letter-writing activity seemed like a natural way to answer all his questions.
And so, with a handmade card ready, we addressed the envelope and placed a stamp in the corner. We also walked to the nearby mailbox where he was able to slip the card into the slot and wait to hear from his teacher.
Letter-writing can be a simple and even regular activity you and your child can do together to learn more about sending mail. For instance, you can:
- Buy or create cards together.
- Keep a stash of cards to send for special occasions.
- Encourage your child to write the sender and return addresses on the envelope.
- Have him stick the stamp on each envelope. I recommend doing this before he writes the addresses so you’re sure there’s space for the stamp, especially on a small envelope.
- Wet a rag so he can seal each envelope.
- Walk to the mailbox to drop off the mail.
The occasion can be anything, from “just because” to major holidays. Send them to grandparents, teachers, aunts and uncles, and… yourselves! One of the coolest things for your child to see is his very own mail coming right back at him.
Children’s books about mail
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
A fantastic way to tie in letter-writing activities is to read children’s books about sending mail. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find any, but turns out, sending mail is a popular topic for picture books.
These stories and illustrations talk about mail carriers, how the mail system works, and the fun of sending mail. Some depict back-and-forth pen pals, while others show the importance of mail delivery for a community.
You’ll also find humor in many of these books like the mail Duncan receives from his lost crayons. And others are heartwarming, like Arfy the Dog’s campaign to find a new home—and the surprising twist on who finally adopts him.
Check out these awesome books for your next letter-writing activity:
The Lost Package by Richard Ho and Jessica Lanan
Who’s Got Mail? by Linda Barrett Osborne
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff and David Catrow
Mail Truck’s Busy Day by Traci Todd Peyton
A Letter to Amy by Ezra Jack Keats
Postman Pig and His Busy Neighbors by Richard Scarry
Seven Little Postmen by Margaret Wise Brown
Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague
Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
It Came in the Mail by Ben Clanton
The Jolly Postman, or Other People’s Letters by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Delivering Your Mail by Ann Owen
Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James
The Post Office Book by Gail Gibbons
Read these next:
- Top Educational Activities for 3 Year Olds
- 30 Creative Development Activities for 2 Year Olds
- 7 Useful Ways to Teach the Alphabet, Montessori-Style
- Easy Arts and Crafts for 1 Year Olds (No Complicated Instructions!)
- Fine Motor Skills Activities for 5-6 Year Olds
Free resource: Want even more book ideas? Join my newsletter and grab your copy of the Read Aloud Book List! You’ll get hundreds of favorite selections to read aloud with your kids. Get it below—at no cost to you:
Thank you! We’re starting a post office unit and this booklist was great!
I’m so glad the booklist was helpful, Cecily! I love that you’re doing a post office unit 🙂