Letter Guidelines
Every letter should be kind, age-appropriate, and respectful of both families’ privacy. Please review your child’s letter before mailing it to Kindness By Mail.
Before You Mail
Use this checklist to make sure your child’s letter is ready.
- I reviewed my child’s letter to make sure it follows these guidelines.
- The letter is kind, respectful, and appropriate for children.
- The letter does not include personal or identifying information.
- The letter does not ask the recipient to communicate outside Kindness By Mail.
- The letter does not include photographs, gifts, food, money, or unsecured loose items.
- Any artwork folds and fits securely inside the envelope, and all stickers and small additions are securely attached.
- The completed submission slip is included.
What Can Be Included
Children do not need to write a long or perfect letter. Friendly, simple letters are welcome.
Children may include
- Their parent-approved letter name or alias
- Their age
- General interests and hobbies
- Favorite books, animals, foods, games, sports, or activities
- Family traditions or general details about everyday life
- Their state
- Friendly, age-appropriate questions
- Drawings, cards, or other paper artwork that fits securely inside the envelope
- Stickers attached directly to the letter or artwork
Please do not include
- Last names
- Home or mailing addresses
- City names, neighborhoods, or specific locations
- Phone numbers or email addresses
- Specific school, team, church congregation, or organization names
- Social media or gaming usernames
- Links, QR codes, or outside contact instructions
- Photographs
- Money, gifts, food, toys, or unsecured loose items
Keep Personal Information Private
Children may share general details about themselves, but they should not include information that could be used to identify, contact, or locate them.
- Do not include a child’s last name.
- Do not include a home address, phone number, or email address.
- Do not name the child’s city, school, neighborhood, team, or specific group.
- Do not include social media accounts, gaming usernames, links, or QR codes.
- Do not provide instructions for contacting the child outside Kindness By Mail.
Children may share their state, but they should not share their city or a more specific location.
Kind and Age-Appropriate Content
Letters should help the recipient feel welcomed, respected, and safe.
- Use friendly and respectful language.
- Ask questions that are appropriate for the recipient’s age.
- Respect differences in families, traditions, beliefs, interests, and abilities.
- Allow the other child to choose whether they would like to reply.
Letters may not include bullying, threats, swearing, profanity, vulgar language, sexual content, graphic violence, hateful or discriminatory language, pressure to reply, requests for gifts or personal information, or content that could frighten or place an emotional burden on another child.
Children may naturally mention family traditions, holidays, or beliefs that are important to them. These topics should be shared respectfully and without pressuring another child to agree or participate.
Artwork, Cards, and Creative Additions
Creative additions are welcome as long as they can be mailed safely and fit securely inside the envelope. Please attach stickers and other small additions to the letter or a sheet of paper so they stay together.
Welcome
- Drawings
- Coloring pages
- Paper artwork that fits securely inside the envelope
- Stickers securely attached to the letter or artwork
- Foldable pop-up cards that close and fit securely inside the envelope
Not accepted
- Photographs
- Money, checks, or gift cards
- Food, candy, or gum
- Toys, jewelry, bracelets, or gifts
- Unsecured loose items, including stickers, glitter, or confetti
- Sharp or hazardous items, liquids, and anything breakable
Envelope and Mailing Requirements
Following these steps helps us identify, review, and forward each letter correctly.
- Include a completed Kindness By Mail submission slip with every letter.
- Make sure the submission slip identifies the sending child and intended recipient or new-match request.
- Use a standard envelope that securely contains everything being mailed.
- Make sure artwork fits securely inside the envelope, and attach stickers and small additions so they do not become separated from the letter.
- Keep the complete mailing at one ounce or less so it can be mailed with a standard stamp.
How Letters Are Reviewed
Kindness By Mail reviews letters before forwarding them to help protect children’s privacy and safety.
A letter may be delayed or not forwarded if it:
- Includes personal or identifying information
- Contains unsafe, inappropriate, or concerning content
- Includes prohibited items
- Does not include the required submission slip
- Cannot be connected to the correct child or recipient
- Does not meet mailing or postage requirements
When appropriate, we may contact the parent or guardian and ask for a correction or rewrite. Serious or repeated violations may result in participation being limited or ended.
Replies and Ongoing Connections
Replies are never guaranteed. A child should never feel pressured to reply, continue writing, answer a personal question, or share information that makes them uncomfortable.
When children choose to continue writing, all letters must still be sent through Kindness By Mail. Families may not exchange personal contact information or communicate directly outside the service.
A Simple Rule to Remember
Before mailing a letter, ask: Is it kind, safe, age-appropriate, and respectful of the other child’s privacy?