Ideas for Teaching Manners to Children

• Table manners should be taught at an early age. breakfast image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com

  Teaching manners to children is an ongoing process. Children must be taught how to properly behave in different social settings so they can be successful throughout life. Age two to five is the best time to teach manners because children are open to learning how to behave, and have not already developed bad habits. Teaching table manners is especially important for young children. Children also need to learn how to make proper introductions, how to speak to adults and people with authority, and how to treat other children politely. Teaching good manners is a gift you can give your child that he will use for his whole life.

Make Manners Fun

• Teaching manners can be fun. Children like the idea of celebrations, and the idea of being included at adult events. Explain to your child that formal dinners are special, and get your child excited about attending a formal event. You may add to the excitement of a formal dinner by comparing it to a tea party or a birthday celebration. Talk with your child about formal table manners before having your child attend a formal sit down dinner. You can practice by planning a fancy dinner at home. Light candles, use nice plates and dress up for dinner. Practice saying "please," "thank you" and "please pass the peas." Have your child ask to be excused from the table when he's done.

Act It Out

• Be a role model for your child. Using a play telephone, demonstrate how to politely answer the phone, then allow your child to practice. If you have two phones, pretend to call each other and carry on a conversation. Role play introductions between two people meeting each other for the first time, or one person introducing someone to another person. Act out scenarios where children must practice manners at the park or playground. Encourage your child if he does well. Gently correct any mistakes that she makes.

Crafts About Manners

• Create some fun crafts about manners with your child. Make a "Manners Book" and have your child draw pictures of children practicing good manners. For example, one picture could be of children introducing each other, and another could be of a family sitting down for a meal. Make a collage of pictures from magazines showing families eating, kids playing nicely, and other scenarios where manners are being practiced. Talk with your child about the pictures he chose for his collage. Create a placemat with a proper table setting on it. Glue cut-outs of a plate, fork, spoon, knife and napkin to a rectangular sheet of oaktag board, then laminate it.

Manners Chart

• Make a chart where your child can add stickers each time you "catch" them practicing good manners. For some kids, the stickers will be reward and motivation enough. For others, you may want to motivate them further by offering an incentive if they get a certain number of stickers. For example, they could receive a prize if they collect twenty stickers.