Teaching Kids Manners with a Party

Host a manners party to help kids learn & practice manners

Do your child’s table manners leave something to be desired? How about his or her social skills? If so, throw a party.

What? Yes, you read that right. I said throw a party. But this is not your typical party… it’s a manners party.

One of the greatest challenges parents and teachers deal with is learning how to effectively help children become social human beings. We long for them to be polite, secure, well-adjusted, and caring people. Unfortunately, those qualities aren’t something they’re born with and they don’t magically appear overnight either. (Wouldn’t it be great if the manners fairy could just sprinkle a little magic pixie dust over them as they sleep to make their manners grow overnight?)

Often times, teaching kids the proper or socially accepted ways to behave seems too much like work and not enough like fun to grab and, more importantly, to keep their attention long enough for them to learn. As a youth worker and Girl Scout leader, I searched for a unique way to teach my troop of 6- and 7-year old girls about manners. They needed to grasp the basics of table manners, communication with other children and adults, and respect for others. More importantly, those basics had to come to life for them. (Remember, kids learn and retain concepts better when it is applicable to them.) To make all of that happen for the students, I decided to create and help them host a manners party.

As with any other learned life skills, in order for children become skilled at using proper etiquette they must have plenty of practice. Hosting a manners party for kids allows them a fun and comfortable environment in which to practice their manners. Read How to Host a Manners Party for Kids for a complete guide on how to plan and implement the party.