Yay, your child was invited to a party of a classmate! They are accepted and included! How about acknowledging the kind gestures that follow from interacting with others in the world, with a short little thank-you note:
Thank You for the Birthday Invitation
When your child is invited to a birthday party, usually the thanks are included in the birthday card your child gives to the happy birthday boy or girl. If your child wishes, they may certainly make a little picture art of thanks to give to their friend.
Why Should Children Write Thank-You Notes?
At this age, a card of thanks is a nice gesture and teaches your child to appreciate what others do. It will also instill in them a habit of good manners and make them popular with other parents. 😉
The act of writing a personal thank you note will help your child in many ways:
- It will inform their view of social expectations that are essential to maintaining strong relationships and creating lasting bonds.
- It will give them a sense of responsibility and efficacy, seeing that something that they have the power to do, matters to someone else.
- Small gestures make big differences.
When kids are guided to thank another person, in writing, for a gift (or experience) which they’ve received, they also learn the value of human courtesy.
I suggest a simple card with the requisite: Happy Birthday, [name]! Depending on how well your child knows the birthday boy/girl, you might want to say how happy your child is to celebrate with them and you hope they have a fun birthday.
Example — edit for what is age- and situation-appropriate:
Happy birthday, Kyler!
Thank you for inviting me to your party to celebrate your happy day! I’m glad to know you. I wish you the happiest of birthdays!
Thanks to a Kind Child That Made the Party Fun for a Younger Child
Dear Cameron,
I just wanted to thank you for seeing that Ryan has such a wonderful time at Rory’s birthday party. It’s not easy being the youngest child at a party, especially when all of the other children are at least two years older and considerably bigger. By giving Ryan a little extra “help” with the piñata, you really made him feel like he belonged with the big kids. He told me he had even more fun at Rory’s party than at his own!
Cordially,
Alice
And, What Do You Write in a Kid’s Thank You Card (For Coming to the Birthday Party)?
As the host, it is a nice gesture to give a note of thanks to those who came out for the fun bash.
Example Thank You Notes For Attending a Kid’s Birthday Party:
As outlined here, the traditional format is to:
1. Say thanks for the thing.
2. Say how the thing has touched you (or how their thoughtfulness has made a difference).
3. Look forward to getting together.
So, for example:
Thanks for coming to my party to celebrate with me! It was so great to see you. I also appreciated the [gift they gave you]. How’d you know I love [wool socks?] I can’t wait to use it/play with it/wear it/enjoy it [next time I’m camping]. Hope to see you soon!
Related: Teaching Gratitude: Getting Children to Write Thank-You Notes
