12 table manners for kids (plus printable poster)

Having good table manners doesn’t necessarily come naturally for toddlers and kiddos. That’s something their parents need to teach them. So, it’s always nice to review some of the main table manners for kids to help them start off on the right foot. Check it out!

*My boys eating dinner and attempting to use their manners.*

I have four boys and one little girl. Needless to say, I’ve had plenty of experience teaching children about table manners. Although it seems like a losing battle at times, it’s worth the effort. And your kids will thank you when they are adults. Here’s 12 table manners for kids that easy to teach.

#1: Don’t play with your food

This is a particularly hard one for those two- and three-year olds. They just loves digging their hands into the food and making a huge mess. A good way to enforce this is to make your child clean up the mess they made after playing with their food.

#2: Take small bites

My second oldest son is the biggest culprit of stuffing too much food in his mouth. He can basically fit an entire burrito in his mouth and it is disgusting. A good rule of thumb is if it is larger than a tablespoon, it’s too big to put in your mouth.

#3: Don’t complain about the food

Nothing makes the cook feel worse about their cooking than when someone says, “Ew, gross!” or “What is that?” Tell your kids that even if it looks disgusting, you don’t have to vocalize it. It’s rude and inappropriate.

#4: No electronics at the table

Dinnertime is family time. In order to avoid screen zombies during dinner, you can have your older children place their phones and other electronics in a basket. Then, you can have an actual conversation with your kids instead of refereeing the screens.

#5: No farting or burping

I feel like this rule shouldn’t even have to be explained. But, I have been to homes where people freely burped at the table. If my kids fart or burp at the table, they have dishes duty that night. No exceptions.

#6: Wait your turn to talk

I can’t tell you how many times my husband and I have been interrupted by children while we are talking at the table. This is a good practice for self-control and patience for everyone at the table. You can also have a “talking stick” that you pass around so every knows whose turn it is to talk.

#7: Clear your plates and utensils

Mom or dad shouldn’t have to clear the table after dinner. Everyone should have to help. All it takes is a few reminders after dinner and it will become second nature for your kids to clear their own plates and utensils.

#8: Ask to be excused

I really like this rule because some of my kids inhale their food in the first couple minutes of dinner and then take off into their rooms. Making your kids ask to be excused allows you to make them sit at the table a little longer and tell you how their day was.

#9: Say “please” and “thank you”

It is common curtesy to say “please” and “thank you” when asking to pass the food. And my kids definitely know they have to say “thank you” to the cook after each meal.

#10: Use your indoor voice

Sometimes I feel like I’m at a freaking zoo filled with monkeys during dinner time. There is crying and yelling and teasing and fighting. If kids can’t use their indoor voice, they go straight into time out until they can behave like a normal person.

#11: Wash your hands

This rule should really be at the top. Everyone needs to wash their hands before dinner. Keep hand soap and a towel handy before dinner so your kids have no excuses.

#12: Chew with your mouth closed

I always tell my kids that if they don’t chew with their mouths closed, they won’t get any dates when they are older. This one just requires constant reminding because, let’s be honest, I have seen adults do this.

I hope you liked all of these tips for table manners for kids. I’ve designed a simple 8.5×11 printable poster with all of these tips. You can hang it on your fridge or in your classroom. To purchase and download this printable, click on the link below.

Table Manners for Kids Printable