Children love to play games, so why not teach them some etiquette while they are at it? Etiquette is fun and easy when you know the rules. Children learn best through activities, which makes these games perfect for education. Games also encourage interaction between children of different ages who may otherwise be shy around each other.
If nothing else, playing an etiquette game will get your child thinking about their manners more often throughout the day! Here are some fun etiquette games that kids can enjoy with friends or alone:
1. Pin the Manners on Teddy
It is a classic game that will keep your kids entertained for hours. Print out this free teddy bear face, decorate it with buttons and other decorations, then hand them each a safety pin to attach manners such as “please” and “thank you” onto the bear’s body!
It might be fun for older children to write their manners too. For example: “Don’t forget to say please!” or “Please don’t make me play another round of Go Fish.”
2. Manners Bingo
This game is for four or more children, all of whom should know the rules of bingo. Before beginning play, write manners such as “Please,” Thank you,” and “You’re welcome” on pieces of paper in addition to numbers.
Call out each item in turn while slowly drawing a card from an envelope containing all items written on scraps. The first child who gets five in a row wins! If playing with younger kids, make sure they understand thank you before beginning this activity properly. You can check for deals on bingo cards for savings.
3. The Manners Game
It is a word game that requires four or more players. One player, the “teacher,” selects an article of clothing and holds it up for all to see, such as a hat, sweater vest, belt buckle, etc. As soon as another child notices what they are wearing out of place on their body, he should say so!
For example: “Oh no! You have your shirt buttoned wrong!” If anyone can correctly identify why this person’s outfit looks odd without saying anything rude about them personally. Then everyone except for these children will laugh at how silly it was that nobody noticed until now!
4. Manners Charades
This is a classic game that can be played with any number of people. Before the group begins, write manners on paper strips and place them into an envelope or hat. One child should then choose one strip from the inside without looking at it. It will be his card for charades!
The player must now mime the action written on their card, so everyone else guesses what they are doing correctly before time runs out. For example: “I am signing your birthday card!”
5. Setting a Table
In this activity, have children set the table for dinner. They can position each item as they see fit and then ask their parents to review everything afterward. This is excellent practice in following instructions as well as practicing etiquette at dinnertime.
For smaller kids that may not complete all of these steps, you can break up the process into separate activities; e.g., one child sets placemats while another person lines utensils on top of them, etc.
6. Reverse Roles
In this activity, have children switch roles. One child will be the adult, and one child will be a peer. The adult can ask questions about table manners while the other person responds in their role as a young kid who doesn’t know any better!
It’s important to note that children do not have to memorize all these rules to play these games successfully! They need a general idea about how polite behavior works, such as why saying please and thank you matters when asking for something or why it’s essential to be friendly and not say any words they wouldn’t want others to use. You can check for offers on game supplies for savings.
Summing Up
Parents often struggle with how to teach their children good manners. There are so many different things that can be conducted at various ages, and it may seem like a daunting task to cover them all. Fortunately, games and activities are an excellent way to do and be sure to follow our guide. You can also check for carnival games for festivals for further help.