Early years experts explain why you SHOULD be writing letters to Santa
As Christmas creeps closer, the festive magic is in the air as online searches for “letters to Santa” have shot up by 323% in the last month alone.*
However, it appears some little ones will struggle with this festive task as it’s unfortunately been found by Ofsted that there is a skills dip in foundational reading and writing for those at Reception and Key Stage 1 level.
As such, our early years educational experts here at EDURINO want to urge parents to encourage their children to write out their Christmas lists and letters to Santa this season, not only as a way to get in the festive mood - but also because of the educational benefits of this festive tradition.
Five reasons why your child should be writing letters to Santa
Writing out our letters to Santa is a festive classic. Most parents may find it an easy way to discover the best gift for their child, but this activity is also an exciting opportunity to improve on their critical development. Think of Christmas lists as a great handwriting practice for them, as well as present inspiration for yourself.
Our expert team of teachers have offered their professional insights into how this tradition supports growth in early years education.
Enhances future learning development
Something as simple as signing a name at the end of a letter can help improve reading and spelling skills in your child. A study from The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) concluded that name-writing skills had significant positive correlations with later reading abilities including decoding, reading comprehension, and spelling.
Key early kid's writing skills—such as independently writing uppercase and lowercase letters, using unconventional writing to convey meaning, and writing letters can help prevent future reading difficulties.
But, at what age can children write their name? In most cases, children will begin writing their name legibly by age 3-4, and by around the age of 6, children can print the entire alphabet and numbers from one through 10 by memory.
Improves reading and writing skills at home
Crafting a letter to Santa encourages children to practise sentence formation, spelling, and grammar in an engaging way.
It’s easy to let children only focus on learning when they’re at school, but it’s important they use these skills outside of the classroom as well. Writing a letter to Santa at home is a great way to enhance the skills they work on Monday to Friday.
Similarly, research from the National Research Council (NRC) also concluded that regular writing practice for kids can improve a child’s overall literacy and communication abilities.
Rather than having them work from an exercise book, encouraging them to write out a Christmas list or a letter to Santa will be a fun way of learning, and will allow your child to feel more engaged and fulfilled - leading to a positive experience with less tantrums!
Boosts presentation skills
Addressing Santa in a letter fosters a sense of purpose in writing. This allows your child to learn to structure their thoughts, present their ideas clearly, and even use persuasive techniques as they list their festive wishes.
Consider asking your child to read out their letters to you once completed, as this can help boost their confidence in reading out loud and with their speech development.
Promotes emotional development
Writing letters provides children with an avenue to process and articulate their emotions in a structured way. It will encourage your child to slow down and thoughtfully consider how to communicate their feelings and experiences.
This reflective practice can lead to greater emotional clarity and self-awareness, as seen in studies highlighting the therapeutic benefits of expressive writing.
For example, asking children to reflect on the past year and writing about their achievements, hopes, and gratitude helps them develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence - making it a great way for kids to express themselves in a safe, creative format.
Encourages creativity
Letter writing may not be the best way to encourage all children writing - as we know every child is different! But parents can keep this festive activity fun by making the letters more interactive and creative through colour, drawing, and decoration. Ask children to imagine Santa's reaction to their letter and this can help stimulate imagination, creativity, critical thinking and fine motor skills like hand-eye coordination and visual learning.
Set up your children with crafting supplies such as:
- Pens and paper
- Glue and scissors
- Glitter, felt and wool
Encouraging creativity in children is crucial as it enhances problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and cognitive abilities while fostering resilience, self-confidence, and social collaboration.
How to support your child’s writing
Guide, don’t correct
When you are working on your letters to Santa it's very important that you guide your child rather than correcting them. Offering gentle guidance will help with spelling or formatting but also allow your child to take ownership in their writing and efforts.
Focus on positivity
Maintaining a positive attitude toward your child's effort when writing a letter to Santa is crucial. How adults respond to early writing attempts can either foster or discourage a child’s natural interest in writing and further learning.
Lead by example
To encourage your child to not only write to Santa, but also to regularly practice their writing every day, you should show them how writing fits into your own life.
For more tips on encouraging your child in their learning and development, take a look at our expert advice on:
