6 Fun Games That Make Teaching Kids Table Manners Effortless.
As parents, we all hope to raise children who feel confident and comfortable at the table—whether they’re eating at home or practicing table manners and dining etiquette as guests in someone else’s house. Teaching kids polite table manners helps prevent awkward moments and builds respectful habits they can carry into every social situation.
It’s important to remember that learning proper table manners takes time and practice. Children don’t master these skills in one meal, which is why everyday family meals are the perfect opportunity for gentle instruction. Still, repeated reminders can begin to feel like nagging, and that’s often when kids start to resist learning table manners.
That’s where table manners games for kids make a big difference.
By turning dining etiquette lessons into a game, children stay engaged and motivated without feeling pressured. Games help clarify expectations, encourage positive behavior, and make practicing good table manners feel fun instead of frustrating.
Before kids can be expected to follow dining etiquette rules, they need to understand what those expectations are. Below is a helpful list of common table manners many parents focus on when teaching children how to dine politely.
Keep your napkin in your lap
Don’t talk with your mouth full
Say “please” and “thank you”
Take small bites
Chew with your mouth closed
Don’t burp, chew loudly, or make other rude noises
Don’t say rude things about the food
Ask nicely for the food to be passed
Watch your pace, it is not a race
Don’t get up until you have asked to be excused
As you begin, take a moment to think about what table manners and dining etiquette matter most to your family. What basic mealtime expectations do you want to be consistent in your home, and are there any specific manners your children need extra practice with? It can also be helpful to consider upcoming situations where stronger dining etiquette may be needed—such as holiday gatherings, family celebrations, or more formal events like weddings—so you can focus on teaching the table manners that will help your children feel confident and prepared.
Building Awareness By Playing Games
The first step is to make a list of all the manners you want to teach. Consider writing them on index cards. (You can purchase printable manners cards here as an instant download.) The first night, read through the first few items on your list. The following night, quiz them on what you went over the night before:
“When should you start eating?” (When everyone has been served)
“When can you leave the table?” (After being excused)
“How do you get some of the food that’s on the other side of the table?” (Ask the person next to you nicely to pass it)
Whoever answers correctly gets a jelly bean or a similar treat. Then add two or three new manners from the list, and on the following evening, review all that you have talked about so far—don’t forget to award little treats or prizes for each right answer, just to keep it fun!
This first step is about the kids learning what the manners are. That comes first. Then, with a few fun and engaging games, you’ll start practicing.
Stay Seated: Napkin On Your Lap
One of the hardest things for young kids is to stay seated. Sitting still is something you can work on away from the table, too, but one way to make the most of mealtime is a simple game of Napkin On Your Lap.
When you first sit down, each person at the table places a napkin on his or her lap. If they can sit through the whole meal without the napkin falling off, they win! (This game is best suited to younger players.)
Of course, they will use the napkin to wipe their mouth, but then encourage them to place it back on their lap. This is a great first step for a child to practice both staying seated and keeping track of their napkin. It can become a habit—just like buckling their seat belt.
Table Manners Bingo
Take the list of manners that you have been working with. Choose six of them that you want to work on that night. For example:
Chew With Mouth Closed
Napkin On Your Lap
Small Bites
Please & Thank you
Slow Pace
Don’t Talk With Mouth Full
Now create a set of bingo cards, numbered randomly 1 through 6 in the squares. Give a card to each participant at the table.
To play, you’ll follow these steps:
Roll a die. Read the manner that corresponds to the number that was just rolled. For example, if the player rolls a 3 (Small Bites), then any players who have been taking small bites during this meal get to mark the number 3 on their bingo card. Continue your meal.
Roll again, and repeat the process—say the number now rolled is a 2 (Napkin On Your Lap); now anyone who has had their napkin on their lap from the last time you rolled until now gets to mark the number 2 on their bingo card.
To make bingo, players can score a line of four squares across, or a complete card.
Setting the Table Game
When it’s time to teach the kids how to set the table properly, one of the most fun and effective strategies is to use or make placemats that show where each item goes. This way, they will know when they’ve set the table the way you want them to.
You can even laminate the placemat for continued use until they memorize the pattern.
For a quick and easy game, have the kids set the table for their stuffed animals at an unexpected time and then enjoy a snack together. Or you could have them sculpt Play-Doh forks, spoons, plates, and so forth, and have them set a practice table.
Manners Charades
On a piece of paper, write down one of your chosen table manners, such as Napkin On Your Lap. Do this for several of your most important items.
Then write down on a different piece of paper a bad manner, like reaching across the table. Repeat until you have several examples of bad manners.
Now mix the papers into a bowl, divide the group into teams, and take turns acting out each manner. The opposing team has to guess what the person is acting out—and whether it should be considered a good or a bad manner!
Spot the Good Manners – Game Ideas
These two games work in a similar way by shifting the focus from correcting mistakes to celebrating good manners. Instead of calling out what went wrong, kids actively look for polite behavior and get rewarded for noticing it in others. By turning table manners into a fun, positive challenge, both games encourage awareness, kindness, and good habits—without the nagging or stress.
Manners Detective
Kids become official “Manners Detectives” for the meal! They can dress the part with a hat, magnifying glass, or pretend badge, then quietly watch for good table manners like polite words, napkin use, and staying seated. Each time they spot a good manner, older kids can record a point on a secret decoder sheet they create, using symbols, tally marks, or simple codes. At the end of the meal, detectives crack their code, share what great manners they uncovered, and celebrate a case well solved!
Compliment Tokens
Everyone starts the meal with a few tokens. When a child spots someone using good table manners, they get to hand over a token and say a compliment like, “I noticed you asked so politely!” Tokens add up as the meal goes on, turning kindness and good manners into a fun, rewarding game.
No matter how you do it, introducing play into the process is always a winning strategy when it comes to teaching table manners. What other games can you come up with to make it fun for your kids?
Table Manners Bingo, Place Mats, Manners Cards, and Good Manners Posters can all be purchased as an instant, printable download from Listen Sheep. Use this code for 20% off LISTENINGSHEEPBLOG
