How to Address an Envelope to a Young Child

Whether you're sending a personalized party invitation to a child or keeping in touch with a youngster via letter while you're on vacation, it's important to address the envelope in the correct manner. The process of properly addressing an envelope to a child is easy to learn, but you must decide whether you wish to use a traditional or a contemporary approach.

The traditional way to address an envelope to a boy or girl is to use a full honorific. For young girls, write "Miss" followed by the girl's given name and surname; for teenagers, use "Ms." or check how they wish to be addressed. For young boys, write "Master" followed by the boy's given name and surname. In each case, include the honorific and the name on the first line of the envelope, and then list the address in the lines below. For example, write: "Master Daniel Jones," followed by "100 Oak Avenue" on the next line; then "Los Angeles, CA, 90123" on the third line.

Using the contemporary approach when you address an envelope for a child is a little more succinct than the traditional method. For girls, write "Ms." and the child's full name. For boys, write "Mr." and the child's full name. Include the child's mailing address below. For example, write: "Ms. Sarah Turner" on line one, followed by "100 Oak Ave." on the second line, with "Los Angeles, CA, 90123" on the third.

If you're writing to two or more children at the same address, follow the traditional or contemporary approach. For example, one method is to write: "Ms. Sarah Turner and Mr. Jacob Turner." In the event you're sending a letter or card to a family that includes one or more young children, it's acceptable to address the envelope with the parents' names and "and family" or "and children." For example, write: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Turner and Family," on line one, followed by "100 Oak Ave.," and "Los Angeles, CA, 90123" again, on the third line.

Despite the type of formality you use when you address the envelope to the child, you don't need to be as formal in the letter or card itself. The Protocol School of Washington notes that while you can begin the letter with "Dear," the appropriate honorific and the person's surname, it's standard to simply write "Dear" and the person's given name on the inside of the card or letter.