Table etiquette rules for children and teenagers: 4 main recommendations from a child psychologist

Instilling the basics of correct “table” behavior should begin in early childhood; only in this case will cultural skills become a habit and, to some extent, a natural personality trait of first a preschooler and then a schoolchild.

However, parents who are dealing with the problem of instilling table etiquette rules in their child must take into account that their child perceives adult habits as a model of behavior. This means that it is important to monitor your own manners, otherwise all your efforts will be in vain.

Apple from the apple tree

Teaching a child to behave correctly at the table is the task of mom and dad, not teachers in a preschool educational institution. When the baby begins to “eat” with adults, it is the latter who should instill in him the correct manners.

The best educational method is your own etiquette. If the household members themselves behave with dignity at meals, then, most likely, the child will eventually begin to perceive the rules of behavior at the table as a completely natural act.

Adequate food intake does not just mean eating quietly and using the necessary cutlery, but, first of all, the child’s ability to:

eat without messing around with foods;
don't slurp;
do not rock in your chair;
don't laugh loudly;
don't push, etc.

Surely every child at an early age was interested in one of the above, bewildering guests or irritating parents. Adults should be persistent in teaching the child and point out incorrect behavior.

History and culture of food

The rules of behavior at the table probably appeared before the table itself. They were not invented by the communists in their unique organization of schools and kindergartens. The first mentions of table etiquette appeared in the ancient world. There is mention of this in the texts of the ancient Sumerians. They say that a person must be highly moral and observe ethical standards - this is what is given to man by the gods and distinguishes people from animals. Failure to comply with the rules of behavior, according to the ancient Sumerians, leads to negativity in his life.

Eating is the most important process. He was always surrounded by all sorts of rituals and rules, strictly regulating who, when, where, what he eats. The first rules were inseparably connected with the family hierarchy, the organization of everyday life, the method of cooking, and even with the food itself. Breaking the rules while eating was considered something unforgivable, shameful, and was condemned (and sometimes punished) at all times, in any culture. Life and a person’s way of life changed, and the rules changed along with it. Family rituals have been displaced and given way to food culture and aesthetics. Rules of conduct at the table are increasingly based on secular ethics rather than on religious and national traditions.

Should we rush?

A child of one or one and a half years is not yet able to hear parental requests the first time, understand and change his behavior. In addition, at this age, children are not able to eat carefully due to physical characteristics - their tiny fingers are so clumsy that they cannot transfer the contents of a spoon into their mouth without much loss.

That is why you should mentally prepare for the fact that neat breakfasts are still far away, but there will definitely be scattered porridge, spilled soup and spilled jelly on the table. Only regular training will help you to confidently use cutlery after some time.

However, at the same time, the child needs to be explained basic rules, such as those that you can’t throw porridge, knock on a bowl of soup with a spoon, or pour juice on the floor. Behavioral norms are laid down already in early childhood, so there is no need to consider such explanations a waste of time.

To prevent the child from playing around with food and cutlery, it is necessary to set aside separate time for play activities: buy plasticine mass, safe paints for fingers. This will allow children to realize their natural desire to play.

It’s one thing if the problem of sloppy lunches lies in imperfect fine motor skills - you shouldn’t rush things, everything has its time. But if a child deliberately misbehaves at the table in order to attract parental attention, then it is necessary to react.

Children may not understand everything yet, but they are able to understand the emotional state of their parents. Therefore, mother can and should be told that bad behavior upsets her, since she prepared delicious porridge especially for her beloved son (daughter).

Handling cutlery

Each dish can be eaten with a separate set of cutlery.
Steaks, open sandwiches, cold appetizers are cut with a knife and fork. Take hot food from the cocotte maker with a teaspoon. Restaurants serve separate utensils for fruits, desserts, and exotic foods (lobster, oysters, snails, mussels, etc.). Some dishes (pizza, closed sandwiches, pies) can be eaten with your hands. The device is positioned with its teeth facing upward, and the handle is held between the thumb and forefinger.

American etiquette is less strict. He allows you to take a knife only when necessary, and transfer the fork to your right hand.

Other rules for handling devices:

You can only cut food towards yourself. This will help avoid accidents. A table knife should only be used for cutting food and holding pieces of food on the fork. It is forbidden to eat from it. When eating hot appetizers and meat dishes, you should not immediately cut them into small pieces. This is not only indecent, but also causes the food to cool down, causing it to lose its flavor. If you drop a cutlery, do not reach under the table for it. Instead, you need to politely ask the host of the feast (or the waiter in the restaurant) to bring a new one. If there is a need to pass the device to a neighbor, this should be done with the blunt side forward, holding the middle of the handle.

Soups are scooped with a spoon from yourself. This will help protect against splashes. Teaspoon and coffee spoon can only be used to stir the drink

It is forbidden to leave it in the cup. Mix drinks slowly and carefully. Do not hit the spoon on the edge of the cup. Used cutlery should not be placed on the table

After finishing the meal, they are left on the edge of the plate.

Even if a dish is traditionally eaten with your hands (baked goods, whole fruits and vegetables, etc.), you can pass it to a neighbor using special tweezers.

Placement on the table

The cutlery on the table is arranged in accordance with the order in which the dishes are served. Those that will be used first are placed closer to the edge, gradually moving them closer to the plate. Such serving will help guests better navigate and make the meal more convenient for them. Place a napkin under each device - they should not touch the table.

To correctly position various knives, spoons and forks, you need to know their purpose:

A tablespoon is the largest. It is intended for first courses, so it is placed on the right edge of the plate.
A dessert spoon is smaller than a tablespoon and has a more elegant shape. It is needed for eating desserts that do not require cutting - jellies, mousses, puddings, whipped cream.
The ice cream spoon is not placed on the table when setting the table, but is served separately along with a vase or bowl.
A cocktail spoon with a narrow, long handle is served along with the drink. It serves as decoration and cannot be removed from the glass.
Tea and coffee spoons are served on a saucer along with the corresponding drinks.
A table knife and fork are intended for main courses and main courses, which is why they are placed closer to the plate than spoons for first courses. According to the rules of etiquette, the knife must be held in the right hand, and the fork in the left, therefore, when serving, they are placed on the corresponding sides (for left-handed people - vice versa).
The placement of fish, snack, fruit, dessert knives and forks depends on the order in which the dishes are served.
Auxiliary cutlery (for example, tweezers for opening snails or oysters) is served along with the food for which they are intended.

When serving food, the knife blades should always point towards the plate.

Special gestures and signs

Restaurant culture has developed a special language of knives and forks, with which you can express your intentions to the waiter.

Some of his gestures:

cutlery lies parallel to each other on the right side of the plate - the meal is over;
the edges of the knife and fork touch the plate, but the handles lie on the table - pause;
the fork lies on top of the knife and perpendicular to it with the teeth up - waiting for more;
cutlery lies crosswise - waiting for the next dish;
cutlery lies parallel to each other with handles down - thanks to the cook;
the knife and fork are crossed with their teeth - you didn’t like the food;
cutlery lies on the edges of the plate with the handles up - the guest demands a plaintive book;
the blade of the knife lies between the outer tines of the fork - the visitor is satisfied with everything and is ready to become a regular customer of the restaurant.

When to start etiquette lessons?

Etiquette and table manners are an important part of a child’s growing up. However, you need to decide at what age you can start targeted training.

Experts usually call the period 18 months when a child begins to actively imitate adults, diligently copying all their actions. In addition, it is at this age that children are already familiar with cutlery and operate them more or less skillfully.

All these opportunities must be taken advantage of. First of all, you should start with yourself, getting rid of the habit of drinking milk from a carton or mineral water from a bottle.

And, of course, it should be understood that the principles of behavior at the table for children should be as simple as possible and correspond to age and individual characteristics. For example, it is stupid to require a two-year-old child to know how to use a knife.

Playful activities are the most important method of teaching a child table etiquette. By coming up with a “celebratory reception in the royal palace” (with the participation of dolls), you can unobtrusively introduce the baby to the basic rules - both at a party and at home.

How to quickly and easily teach etiquette to children?

Every specialist will say that the best way to teach preschool children is play as the main activity at this age. Etiquette skills can be perfectly developed through play. For this purpose, any types of games are used: story-based, didactic, active. It is important that they solve the problem of familiarizing children with etiquette and table manners.

Story games

These types of games always attract preschool children, as their plots reflect the situations of children’s everyday life. They can be organized in any conditions: at the dacha, during a walk, at home. The main thing is that there should be sufficient quantities of story toys in the child’s play corner: toy dishes, doll furniture, doll characters.

"Let's feed the doll"

Popular story games like “Feed the toy” are popular with children of all ages and can be easily played at home. For such play activities, the most common toys that every child has are used: doll (or children's) furniture, dishes (toy or plastic), the child's favorite toy (dolls, bears, bunnies). The adult offers the child stories: “Let’s give our dolls a festive dinner,” “Today is the bear’s birthday, let’s invite his friends to a tea party.” The table is set according to all the rules for serving: tablecloth, cutlery, plates, vase of flowers, napkins. All utensils are laid out by the child under the guidance of an adult, who corrects mistakes and tells how to correctly lay out cutlery (fork on the left of the plate, knife on the right), which plates are needed for the first course, second course, and dessert. Then the “guests” arrive, the child seats everyone at the table and treats them. An adult can take on the role of a guest (bunny) and act for him in order to diversify the plot, introduce different situations: he forgets what a fork is for, reaches across the table for candy, places his elbows wide on the table and interferes with other characters.

"Journey"

A common game in kindergarten, which is easy to organize at home, involving everyone in the family. Such entertainment not only helps solve the problem of developing etiquette, but also diversifies family leisure time and brings adults and children closer together. For play activities, a train is arranged from chairs standing in a row. You can prepare tickets with seat numbers, which will help you repeat your knowledge of numbers. Then the players take their seats and the “train” sets off. The presenter (an adult) tells what travelers see along the way (you can attach pictures with landscapes to the walls, make an “Eiffel Tower” from cubes, a zoo from exotic animals: monkeys, tigers, parrots). At one of the stops, travelers can go to a cafe to have a snack. Here the main role belongs to the child who sets the tables for lunch.

"Dishes shop"

An adult and a child set up a “shop” that sells a variety of dishes (you can use toy or plastic dishes). You can offer to act out the following stories: “A holiday is coming, we need to buy new dishes and cutlery for the guests,” “Little naughty bears broke the tableware, we need to help them buy dishes for dinner.”

Etiquette for preschoolers

So, the age from 1.5 to 5 years is the ideal period for the formation of many habits, including such useful ones as table etiquette. A game will come to the rescue: playing with dolls that are having lunch, or playing with a teddy bear that comes to visit. And when the child grows up a little, he will be able to master other skills:

washing hands before eating. Before breakfast, lunch and dinner, the mother needs to go to the bathroom with her child and carry out mandatory water procedures;
eating at the table. You should not teach your baby to eat in front of the TV or computer. Sit down with your child at the table in the kitchen or living room so that he can feel the “importance of the moment”;
If a very young child needs bibs and bibs, then as he grows up he should switch to fabric napkins. Firstly, this will protect your clothes from dirt. Secondly, this will be a good foundation for future visits to restaurants;
serious attitude towards food. You should not allow your child to play with food. Calmly and consistently explain why you can’t behave this way, how much it hurts your mother that her work is not appreciated;
handling cutlery. A five-year-old child should already be able to use forks and knives (children’s ones, of course). The parents’ task is to explain the rules for owning cutlery and the appropriateness of their use.

If a parent wants to teach a child how to behave at the table, then it is necessary to give up shouting and irritation. You should also remain consistent in your demands. Adults need to repeat the rules day after day and not change them at will.

When to teach? Everything has its time

Table etiquette rules for children are slightly different from adult etiquette, because... Many hyperactive children become little pranksters while eating. Most children learn good manners by the age of 5. But a child’s education should begin at the age of 1.5–2 years. Of course, there may be exceptions to the rules, but know that the later you start training, the more difficult your lessons will be for your child.
Read an article about how to teach a child to eat independently and carefully - complete instructions for parents

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from 1.5 to 5

At this age, the child actively masters the skills of the surrounding world. He absorbs everything he sees and tries to imitate adults. It's time to learn the basics of etiquette in a playful way;
It is mandatory to wash your hands before eating. The mother herself should not forget to wash her hands before feeding the baby. Before each meal, she and the baby should go to the bathroom and wash both her and his hands. Over time it will do this automatically;
Feeding a child should definitely take place at the dinner table, and not in the nursery or in front of the TV. This will help your child take food seriously in the future and respect the work of those who prepare food. Place your baby in a high chair so that he does not look out from under the table, but feels like an equal member of the family;
Place a linen napkin on your baby's lap. Clothes will remain clean even if your child spills soup or tea. In adult life, the presence of a napkin in a restaurant will not confuse your child;
Do not allow your child to play with food, crumble bread, or spread porridge on the table. Such behavior is not permissible even at 2 years old. Try to patiently explain to the baby that it is ugly to behave this way, that the mother is ashamed of him. Mom and Dad never behave like that. Of course, the baby will not listen to you the first time;
Just one rule: never yell at him. Be patient and consistent in your demands. You cannot prohibit something today and tomorrow not notice what a child has done;
By the age of five, children should already be able to handle a fork and knife as children. They should not be confused that the knife should be held in the right hand and the fork in the left hand. By this age, you need to teach your child which foods are eaten using cutlery and which foods are taken with their hands.

from 5 to 10
The most fruitful age for education, but also the most difficult. During this period, the child does not so unconditionally trust the words of his parents. He is already trying to independently understand the life and actions of the people around him.

Mom and dad should not allow any relaxation for themselves in the ritual of eating. If you teach your child not to drink juice from a package, but to pour it into a glass, it will be unacceptable to break this rule yourself. Or just forget to wash your hands before lunch one day. Or not thanking the hostess for dinner. The child will notice this, and your words will no longer be true for him.

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At 5–6 years old, the child must learn how to behave at the table and no longer violate accepted norms. Each violation must be discussed with the child at a family council. This will help him understand the seriousness of the adults' demands. But in no case should you conduct a “debriefing” in the presence of strangers, in a derogatory manner or with the help of shouting and swearing.

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The baby already knows that he needs to sit upright at the dining table, without swaying in his chair. It is unacceptable to spread your elbows and push your neighbors at the table with them. If it is difficult to achieve compliance with this rule with words, the technique with books helps a lot. During lunch, slip a book under your child's armpit and ask them to hold it until the end of the meal. A few of these exercises and there will be no problems with your elbows;
The child does not allow himself to slurp loudly or speak with his mouth full. This was constantly instilled in him. He also knows that he needs to put small pieces of food in his mouth and chew them thoroughly;
The baby is holding back belching and coughing. If this is not possible, be sure to turn away from the table and cover your mouth with a paper napkin;
It will be completely natural for a child under 10 years of age to know that one cannot consider oneself the center of society and attract everyone’s attention to one’s person with various loud demands. If the child needs to move away from the table, he must ask permission from one of the parents in a quiet voice, calmly. It is not at all necessary for everyone to know that he wants to go to the toilet;
You cannot reach across all the dishes to the plate at the other end of the table. The child knows that he needs to ask for the desired piece to be put on his plate. You can't rummage through a shared dish in search of the best piece;
You can sit down at the table only after adults, and get up after everyone has eaten. If you don’t want to sit and listen to adults talk, the child simply asks permission to leave;
Gratitude for lunch must necessarily manifest itself in the form of the magic word “thank you.”

10 and up
You did a good job teaching your offspring excellent manners and etiquette. However, it is too early to relax. He knows what every intelligent person should know and observe. But the rules of good manners and behavior at the table are not limited to this. Ahead is the study of special cutlery that is not used daily. It would be good to introduce your child to how to eat various exotic dishes. General knowledge about the food traditions of the peoples of the world will not be superfluous.

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General Tips

Do not speak to your child in a didactic tone. To better understand the rules of etiquette, a game form of training is suitable. You can create a dinner party for dolls and bears by setting the table with toy dishes according to all adult standards. Your child will, of course, be responsible for this lunch. And you will only prompt and advise in time.
Be consistent and patient in your learning. Don't allow yourself to take it out on your child, even if he has done something inappropriate. Don't forget to praise and support your child for his successes.
Involve your child in preparing lunch. Trust him to arrange the plates and bring the bread to the table. Working together will bring you closer and make your child more respectful towards food and the person preparing lunch.
Call on cartoons and fairy tales that talk about the rules of etiquette to help you. Discuss with your child a scene from a related movie you just saw. Don't miss real-life examples. The rules of behavior at the table should be vividly woven into reality; this is not a frozen dogma.
Your own example is the best lesson. Children always imitate adults. Let's use this for learning. Of course, it’s not easy to always control yourself and not allow yourself to grab a piece of tasty food on the fly, but remember about the child.

Why should a child be taught etiquette?

Your efforts will not be in vain. Adult life will very soon become the life of your baby. A joint lunch with a potential employer, a visit to a restaurant with a girl you like, a business dinner with partners, a corporate party... Often the most serious conversations take place at the dinner table.

The ability to behave in society, good manners, knowledge of dining etiquette - these are the bonuses that you, as parents, have instilled in your child since childhood. And they will definitely bring dividends in the form of happiness and success. And you can be proud of your child and say that your efforts have borne fruit.

You might be interested: 12 effective ways to teach a child to brush their teeth -
Why should children absolutely not be forced or persuaded to eat if they don’t want to? Weight problems in children: why does this happen and who is to blame? What to do if a child is not eating well and can this be considered a serious cause for concern? – read the article with comments and experiments

Etiquette rules for children from 5 to 10 years old

This age period is the most important and fruitful for instilling table etiquette skills, but the situation is complicated by the fact that children no longer so obviously trust their parents’ words. The child is able to notice the discrepancy between the mother’s demands and her wrong actions.

What should children at this age be able to do? Below is a short list of basic etiquette skills:

the child realizes that it is forbidden to rock on the chair, place your elbows on the table, or push. If the elbows keep moving apart, you can offer the baby to hold books during meals;
The child is silent while eating and does not slurp. He also understands that he needs to bite off little by little and chew food thoroughly;
children refrain from coughing, belching and hiccups. If such actions cannot be avoided, they understand that they need to turn away from the table and cover their mouth with a napkin;
An 8-year-old child should already understand that one should not shout loudly to attract the attention of other eaters. If he needs to go to the restroom, you should tell mom or dad about it quietly, without raising your voice;
children understand that it is rude to reach across the table for the desired dish. Schoolchildren already know that in this case it is necessary to ask neighbors to put the required piece on his plate;
10-year-old children already understand that they should sit down at the table only after the elders, and get up from their seats only after the adults stand up. If you need to leave the table, the child needs to ask permission;
Children over five years old already know that after a meal they should thank their hosts by saying the familiar, but no less valuable, word “thank you.”

If a child is “embarrassed” while visiting, you should not give him a beating in the presence of a stranger. You need to talk about the violation at home; if the offense is serious, you can arrange a family council.

Table etiquette for preschoolers

When a child turns one year old, he begins to wonder what adults eat and picks up a spoon. If such interest has appeared, then it’s time to start talking about table etiquette. This needs to be done in a game format.

Table etiquette for preschoolers includes the basics of this science, without much complexity and many nuances. Children aged 2 - 4 years old can handle a spoon perfectly, and at the age of 4 - 6 years old they eat with a fork and can learn the basics of using a table knife.

To make information easier to perceive, you need to divide it into what you can and cannot do at the table. Such a gradation will set clear boundaries and systematize knowledge.

It is important to teach your child what can and even should be done:

wash your hands before eating;
eat exclusively at the table;
wish “bon appetit” before starting a meal;
chew food thoroughly, do not rush;
eat with your mouth closed, without making sounds;
pay more attention to your behavior, eat carefully;
put as much food on your plate as you can eat;
use a napkin;
eat while leaning over the plate, but at the same time remember about your posture;
After eating, say “Thank you!” and put away the dishes, offer help to adults.

The preschooler must also understand what not to do at the table:

talk with your mouth full;
use food as a toy;
biting too large pieces of food;
place your elbows on the table;
talk loudly, rock on a chair;
taking food from someone else's plate without permission;
eat in front of the TV or gadget;
wipe your mouth or hands with a tablecloth, slurp loudly.

These simple rules are easy to remember and are the basis of table etiquette. You can show children an instructive cartoon so that they understand how important it is to behave well at the table.

Table etiquette for teenagers

A child over 10 years old usually already knows well all the rules of good behavior for children at the table. He understands how to properly handle basic tableware and understands when to sit down and leave the table.

However, these are only the main principles that every decent person should know. Now it is necessary to move on to narrower and more specific knowledge.

For example, you can teach your child to use utensils that are not used every day: crab and lobster forks, fruit tongs, ice tongs, salad tongs. Firstly, this way children will expand their erudition and culinary capabilities, and secondly, it’s just interesting.

Table rules for preschoolers!

What do table etiquette rules for young children include? Parents need to know them well themselves and explain them to their child. And pictures that can be drawn by everyone together, signed with funny poems, will help you remember and learn:

Sit straight at the table, keep your hands on the table, do not put your elbows on the table (“Do not rest your elbows on the table and keep your back straight”).
Don't shout, talk or sing while eating, especially with your mouth full.
You cannot play with food or cutlery!
It’s not nice to blow noisily on food or sip soup; eat with your mouth closed.
Take bread only with your hand (“You can also take pie and glazed cheese with your hand”).
Eat a liquid dish with a spoon, and a solid dish with a fork (“Eat jelly and porridge, soup, mashed potatoes and yogurt with a spoon”).
If you use a knife, then the fork should be in your left hand and the knife in your right.
Don't play with the knife, it's only for cutting off pieces of food.
From a common dish, take the piece that is closest. If the dish is far away, ask a neighbor to help put food on your plate (“Don’t reach for food, but turn to your neighbor”).
Wipe your face and hands after eating with a napkin.
Don't forget to say thank you for lunch! After all, mom tried to cook everything delicious.
Don’t rush to jump out from the table and distract everyone from eating. Wait until lunch is over.

General recommendations

In addition to advice for each age stage, there are also general rules, the implementation of which will quickly accustom your child to “table” etiquette. What do experts recommend:

A child should not be forced to follow the rules of etiquette. It is much healthier and more effective to play with your baby. As noted above, a baby can invite baby dolls and baby dolls to a dinner party, setting the children's table according to all the rules. Mom will only have to monitor the progress of the meal.
Be sure to enlist the support of your spouse and grandmothers. It's no secret that some adults allow their children to do things that mom or dad forbids. You also need to be consistent when teaching skills. The child should be praised for every success.
Don't forget to involve your children in preparing dinner. Even a small child is able to set the table: arrange plates, lay out cutlery, put out bread. This will allow the baby to understand the value of products and the importance of the dinner ceremony.
Don't forget about cartoons and literary works that talk about the principles of etiquette. It is imperative to talk about the scenes you see, especially if they demonstrate unwanted behavior.

Parental example is the lesson that children learn best. If mom or dad behaves carefully at the table, uses cutlery correctly, washes their hands before eating, etc., then mastering the skills will not take long.

Recommendations for parents “Rules of behavior at the table.” State educational institution “Nursery-garden No. 5, Smolevichi”

Do not limit yourself only to edifying words about the benefits of etiquette. Teach your child to show his good manners and knowledge constantly, in everyday life. For example, you can involve your baby in setting the table for dinner (put out a bread box, plates, arrange spoons). Remember how your child behaved correctly when visiting, praise him. Discuss examples from children's lives, both positive and negative. You can capture on camera a beautifully set table and a child sitting correctly at the table, so that you can then look at the photos or videos together and discuss them.
Watch children's films and cartoons with scenes of etiquette more often. Ask which of the characters has good manners and which showed himself to be ill-mannered. You can laugh at the clumsiness of the characters, sketch and correct mistakes in the drawing.
We must not forget that an example for parents will be the best lesson for children. After all, in childhood, a child always imitates his beloved mom and dad. Therefore, the manners of parents will be reflected in the behavior of children.
Good manners, the habit of behaving correctly in society, good manners, and knowledge of etiquette will certainly help preschool children become successful in later life.

What are the benefits of table etiquette?

Not all parents realize the importance of teaching their child table manners. But nowadays these skills are becoming truly necessary for a successful life.

Today, more and more often, serious matters are discussed over dinner in a restaurant, where deals are concluded. In addition, do not forget about visiting catering establishments with a pretty girl or guy or business partner. That is, observing etiquette can either help in adult life or harm.

The above outlines only general principles. Of course, each child is a bright individual, and each unit of society has its own dining traditions and rituals.

However, table etiquette for children in any situation has a common goal - to teach the child proper behavior in society, which should be useful in adult life. Therefore, parents should have a little patience and put in a little effort so that they can then be proud of their child’s impeccable manners.

Didactic games

Educational (didactic) games can be verbal, board-printed, or subject-based. They are great for reinforcing table manners. Now there are many educational games on sale on various topics, but you can also choose educational material yourself to play with your little ones at home.

“Name the vegetable correctly”

The action is played out using a ball. The player catches the ball that the leader throws to him. The host names a dish consisting of vegetables. The child must correctly name the vegetable that is included in the dish. For example, borscht - (cabbage, carrots, potatoes, parsley, onions); salad - (tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper). You can use the same type of name for other dishes in the game. The game is useful because it helps to remember the dishes that preschool children see on the table while eating. When all the ingredients of the dish are named, the host asks to say with what cutlery the dish is eaten: soup, porridge - with a spoon, cutlet - with a knife and fork, salad - with a fork.

“Bears are having lunch” (based on the fairy tale “The Three Bears”)

The game establishes the name, the use of cutlery and dishes, and table manners for children. This fairy tale is especially useful - a game for very young children who are just beginning to learn the rules of etiquette at the table. The adult tells the child a fairy tale and, with the help of pictures, explains how the table is set for the bears, asks whether the girl behaves correctly, what manners the little bear cub has, and whether there are children who behave the same way. Illustrations by Yu. Vasnetsov, N. Ustinov, V. Lebedev, where the table setting is very clearly depicted, are well suited for such a game. If parents know how to draw, you can prepare pictures where there is not enough cutlery, or with dishes that need to be eaten with a fork. The child is asked to remember what they eat salad, cutlet, and draw on the missing items: fork, knife.

“The tablecloth is self-assembled”

To play, you need to prepare large pictures depicting a table, and small cards with drawn cutlery and dishes. The game is attended by older children who are well acquainted with table setting at different meal periods: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner. The presenter suggests taking out a small card from a stack of pictures and placing it on the “table” where the depicted item is needed: for lunch - deep and shallow plates, spoon, fork, knife, napkin, cup, bread box; for an afternoon snack - a glass or cup with a saucer and a small spoon, napkin, etc.

"The Fourth Wheel"

The game is well known to preschool children, as it is often used for educational purposes when becoming familiar with mathematical concepts and the world around them. An adult prepares drawings depicting four objects: three - dishes and one - another group, for example, a plate, fork, spoon, chair; teapot, cube, spoon, glass, etc. The purpose of this game is to consolidate knowledge about cutlery and dishes. Such games for young children are widely available on sale. You can play them in the evenings, at the dacha, during a walk, since the cards do not take up much space.

“What do they eat?”

Another similar game that also helps organize a child’s leisure time and at the same time reinforce table etiquette. You need to prepare cards with images of dishes and cutlery or purchase gaming material in the store. The material can be varied, for example, in the first option - select cards with images of foods that are eaten with hands, dishes that only require forks; forks and knives; in the second, the adult prepares the game series, deliberately making mistakes.

Poems and riddles about etiquette

Reading children's books, memorizing funny rhymes, riddles and nursery rhymes help to consolidate preschool children's knowledge of etiquette. They can be read while walking, preparing for dinner, in the evenings. Children will be interested in the books by V. Dmitrieva “1000 Lessons of Etiquette”, A. Usachev “15 Rules of Etiquette”, G. Shalaeva “School of Politeness”. It is better if an adult reads short poems by heart.

For babies

Before eating, wash your hands... (with water).

Exactly, we sit straight, If at the table... (eat).

What will we tell grandma for delicious pancakes? (Thank you)

Wash your hands, don’t be lazy. Only then sit down at the table.

On your knees, baby, put (a napkin).

For the second, remember too, you need to take a fork and (knife).

Of course you'll spill the soup if you drink from the plate. Tilt it a little, finish your soup (with a spoon).

For older preschoolers

Poems by Yuri Chichev

Everyone knows this from childhood: “When I eat, I am deaf and dumb.”

So that your fingers do not become cheese, sausage grabbers, there is a fork with every dish. And well-mannered people take everything for themselves with a fork and put it back.

And in the salad, you see, there’s a spoon. Give yourself a little bit, don’t pile it up: Eat it, and you’ll take more later.

Don't lick the common salad spoon, guys!

Don’t grab food with your hands - Mom will be very embarrassed. Etiquette will add here: Only take bread with your hand.

The dish with bread is far away and not easy to reach. Don’t put your sleeve in the salad, There are neighbors at the table - Ask them politely. And remember the Magic Word again. A neighbor will give you bread - Thank you in return.

To cut something, you take a knife in your right hand, a fork in your left hand, and sit like a queen. Whoever learns to eat at home will not suffer when away.

So as not to accidentally crash onto the floor during an hour of fun, don’t swing on a chair - This is not a swing.

What can we say to this? He who does not know etiquette and does not observe it is considered ill-mannered.

Speech - Speak politely and thank

Younger schoolchildren, like preschoolers, must learn the rules of communication with people; for this, if necessary, they should be reminded of the rules of speech etiquette set out in the section above and reinforce them. There are also rules for communicating with people that absolutely everyone should follow. These rules should be taught to children from early childhood. Even very young children should know that:

When meeting, you should greet your acquaintances;
Adults should be addressed as “you”;
It is forbidden to interrupt adults, interfere in their conversation and comment on what they hear;
Before parting you should say goodbye;
You should thank for a service rendered, a gift given, etc.
In case of misconduct, you should ask for forgiveness;
It is prohibited to call names or insult other children;
It is prohibited to use filler words;
It is forbidden to gossip;
During a conversation, it is necessary to give everyone present the opportunity to speak, without interrupting them;
If the interlocutor begins to behave inappropriately, you should reprimand him, but do not become like him;
In a conversation, it is prohibited to discuss other people or criticize them.