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5 Picture Books to Teach Table Manners
Teaching a child good table manners is often tougher than you might think. Parents can exhibit excellent mealtime etiquette and little ones still burp, jump out of their chairs, fling their food, forget their napkins, or shovel mashed potatoes into their mouths with their dirty little hands. Since we are raising children and not wild animals, sometimes we need a little help bringing out the inner Emily Post in our offspring. These five age-appropriate picture books will help teach the importance of having manners, and displaying etiquette. You may even consider venturing out to eat at a restaurant (yes! someone else can cook tonight!) after reading these at home.
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Tea for Ruby, by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Robin Preiss Glasser
Princess-loving kids will enjoy this tale of Ruby, a klutzy little girl full of awkwardness and lacking in good manners. One day, she receives an unexpected invitation to tea with the Queen. Ruby sets out to ask those around her how she can exhibit good manners and excellent etiquette when in the presence of Her Royal Highness. When it comes time for Ruby to sit down for tea with the Queen, your little one will delight in finding out whether her manners are palace proper or not.
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Manners at the Table, by Carrie Finn and Chris Lensch
When kids chew with their mouth open, slurp their soup, and devour their food, it’s not funny—even though they might think so. This book helps model good eating manners for kids so that the next time they sit down at the table—whether it is at home, at their friend’s house, or at school—they are excellent mealtime guests. This clear, easy to follow picture book is part of the Way to Be!: Manners Series, teaching kids excellent skills in a variety of settings, including Manners in the Lunchroom, which is perfect for back to school season.
Dinner with Olivia, by Emily Sollinger and Guy Wolek
Fans of Olivia will delight in learning about table manners with their favorite pig. Olivia is invited to Francine’s house for dinner, where she imagines sophistication and elegance are the only way dinners happen. But this forces Olivia to confront the fact that at her own house, the casual dinner habits of her family are far less elegant, and Olivia could never imagine inviting Francine over. The difference between the two is striking and a good lesson that manners are important—and the spaghetti slurping is a special treat!
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How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Just like your kids, dinosaurs have a tough time with table manners. This detailed picture book illustrates different dinosaurs on each page and their accompanying bad habits—burping, chewing loudly, spitting out food, and dropping things on the floor. But with a little help from their Mom and Dad, these dinos learn proper table etiquette. Your kids will enjoy learning the detailed names of the dinosaurs as they learn about proper meal time manners. (And your little kidosaurus just might turn into a nice little eater after all.)
Manners Matter: 10 Table Manners Every Child Should Know, by Mark Baltes and Luke Stebbing
With ten structured items to read through, this book is specific on how kids can change their table manners and create good eating etiquette. Easy to read through, this would be an excellent book to bring to the dinner table, where you can choose a new manner to emulate at meal time every night. Dinner time will became fun again, and a lot less chaotic, with this book as a proper etiquette primer!
Bon appetit!