Great Thank You Card Ideas for Toddlers

I have always felt that thank you cards were a must when I've been given a gift or someone has gone out of their way to do something for me. Verbally thanking them is respectful, but for them to receive a card also just goes to show that you are truly appreciative. If you've got a toddler at home, there are sure to be many instances where a thank you card is deemed to be appropriate to give, whether it be a new toy for a birthday party, or being on the receiving end of some hand-me-down clothes. Here are some ideas to make them fun and personalize them for that added touch to make the recipient smile.

Take a cute picture of your toddler playing with a new toy, or wearing an outfit they've been given. You can then download this photo to your computer and print it out if you have the technology to do so. Programs like HP Image Zone make it easy to write text on your photo if you so choose. Once it's been printed, you can then fold the paper to make it into a card.

You can buy a card that is blank inside or grab a sheet of computer or construction paper and have your child decorate it. Depending on their age, you can use markers, crayons, paint, stickers, glue, glitter, foam shapes, colored sand, tissue paper, small pom poms, and really any arts and crafts item that can be used on paper that isn't too thick (you'll want it to fit in an envelope if you're sending it in the mail). Your child will have a great time, and when they are finished you can fold the paper to make it into a beautifully, very personalized, thank you card. A cute idea to add to any card, whether it's store-bought, or a blank sheet of paper decorated by your child, would be to trace your child's hand print and add their name and how old they are beside it.

When writing your thank you card, it's always great to make sure you thank the person for the specific items they've gotten your toddler or to name the specific things that they've done for him/her. Basically, to name what it is you are thankful for. This will help to personalize the card. If it's a toy your toddler has been given, it's great to tell the recipient of the card what it is your child really enjoys about the toy. Be specific (i.e. "So-and-so really enjoys moving the train across the kitchen floor and making noises as they do so"). When someone does this in a thank you card to me it always brings a smile to my face imagining the child playing with the toy that I chose for them. It's a good idea to get the card out in the mail, or delivered to the recipient in a timely manner. I always aim to get my cards out within a week of my son receiving a gift, that way, if I'm a little late, I still know that it's gotten to the person in good time. If you've got a store-bought card to send, you can use the envelope provided. Otherwise, it depends on the size of your card. I found that going to a store like Staples is a big help. I'm able to browse through a selection of envelopes, and the ones I tend to buy are colored and vary in size. Some are smaller, others larger, and I've got a few boxes at hand in my home when I need them. It just makes it that much more convenient for me when it's time to write a thank you card.

Whatever you choose to do in a thank you card, I'm sure the recipient will be grateful to get it. Yet, I find the more personalized the card is, the more smiles it tends to bring. I just always feel that my friends and family are so kind to do things for my son, and a thank you card will display my gratitude nicely.