20 Funny Notes From Kids Who Had a Request and Access to a Crayon

Celeste Mello • Writer and Editor

Nov 15, 2026 12:30 PM EST

How do kids make us laugh so much when they're just trying to be taken seriously?

Children have important things to say. Mom said no to another snack, bedtime came too soon, or a sibling did something they need everyone to know about. They have a complaint, a request, a very strong opinion, and they're going to explain it. A little drawing next to the note also helps deliver their message.

When I taught English to kids, I loved hearing the things they came up with. I could ask a simple question and get an answer I hadn't prepared for at all. Kids don't need a long vocabulary list to make their feelings clear. It was clear if they wanted something, disliked something, or thought a situation was unfair.

These notes remind me how much kids want us to understand them. They feel something, and they want so badly to communicate it that they put all their effort into writing it down on paper. The spelling isn't always perfect, but the message comes through perfectly, and we appreciate them taking the time to do it.

And that's part of why these little messages are so funny. The feelings are familiar! I know what it's like to be disappointed, frustrated, or convinced that I have a reasonable request. The difference with adults is that we manage our emotions better (hopefully), but the emotions are the same. That is why an emotion expressed by a kid is so genuine. It's the rawest description of an emotion.

01

via Unsplash+ (Kelly Sikkema)
02

via jeraldinejeronimojorjette
03

via jeraldinejeronimojorjette
04

via thriftingtreasurepage
05

via little_contractors
And we can't help smiling. The kids wanted an answer. They might even have left instructions about what that answer should be. Please hear them!
06

via szasbigg3stfan
07

via lessonsfromtheminivan
08
I think bro likes his cat

via giggle_galaxy4real
09

via giggle_galaxy4real
10

via thebookoholics
It's lovely to keep the note. My mom has my love letters from when I was a kid. There were also apology letters and letters asking for a pet. (By the way, I got the beautiful cat I wanted!) But the piece of paper written in the middle of a very serious childhood disagreement became something my family takes out years later and we can laugh about it together. The notes keep so much personality in them. Like, the handwriting, the choice of words, the questions, the drawings...
Those were the things that mattered enough to write about when we were kids. And we wanted to be heard.
11

via parents
12

via knowyourmeme
13

via clenae
14

via jonne.mills
15
Empathy right here!

via gruber_karen
16

via luminaryparenting
17

via luisrodriguez505
18

via texasbeeworks
19
the childhood we all deserve

via miranda_kerckhoff
20

via kk_chance