Of course the best way to teach good manners and behavior is by example, but sometimes it helps to have fun stories, games and visual aids as supplements. We've rounded up some of our favorites and hope you'll add to the list in the comments.
Teaching Good Manners
FIRST ROW
• 1 How To Speak Politely and Why, How To Behave and Why and Manners Can Be Fun by Munroe Leaf
• 2 Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller (this has also been adapted into a film)
• 3 By Order of the Management prints by John W. Golden
• 4 Little Dos and Don'ts Box Set by Karen Katz
• 5 The Grouchy Ladybug and The Grouchy Ladybug Game by Eric Carle
SECOND ROW
• 6 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty MacDonald (including our favorite chapter, "The Bad-Table-Manners Cure")
• 7 P is for Polite print by Paper Packs
• 8 Thanks a LOT, Emily Post! by Jennifer Larue Huget (available 9/22/09)
• 9 Good Manners flashcards by eeBoo
• 10 Rules of the Wild: An Unruly Book of Manners by Bridget Levin
Comments (8)
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My favorite as a child was The Thingamajig Book of Manners. Those thingamajigs were disgusting and I sure didn't want to be like them!
view realjen01's profile
"My Little Golden Book of Manners" (vintage!) with wonderful Richard Scarry illustrations:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/julielion/297422538/
and also Richard Scarry's "Please and Thank You Book".
I loved the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books when I was young. I had a 2nd grade teacher who read them aloud to us. I recently bought a set so I could read them to my kids (who are too young, but someday!). I re-read the stories for the first time in forever and still loved them.
view julie_k.'s profile
What a great collection! I love Do Unto Otters!
One of my favorites is 'Time to Say Please' by Mo Willems, which comes with a game to practice good manners - there's even a spinner in the back and game board printed inside the book jacket.
view kellystokes's profile
Not a fan of any books that drop the god references. "How to behave and Why" is one of those.
view latil's profile
julie_k, i'm with you! richard scarry and mrs. piggle-wiggle both have a special place in my heart.
http://howaboutcookie.wordpress.com
view selena's profile
How I hate the French versions of those books... full of happy do-goddies who save the day at the end...
I really think that the only way to teach manners is example. It's not fun, but at least, as a child, it's not boring. Then, at age 17, you give them the Baronne de Rotchild's guide to manners. It's still the best ever.
Reminds me of a joke the famous Belgian author René Goscinny did. He was asked by a very choc lady how she should sit an admiral, a priest and a famous lawyer around her table. He answer: "their asses on a chair is the most practical way".
Maybe I should buy myself one of those books, I seem to need them !
view Loora's profile
I know some adults that need these for themselves!!! My neice (5) thought we were being mean by asking her to say please. I think its because she was forced too say it before she got what she wanted and thought we were just holding it out of her reach. I had to explain to her that it was nice and made it fun for her.
I like books that instill morals and values and love that God is mentioned in a kids book.
view jackied302's profile
my 3 year old daughter loves the Best Behavior series by Elizabeth Verdick (with Feet Are Not for Kicking, Words Are Not for Hurting, etc.). so much so that she will get all of them out for nighttime reading. and while our night book reading limit is 3, i will gladly read all of these manner books to her! another one that she loves is The Little Brute Family by Russell & Lillian Hoban. really good for a sometimes moody 3 year old!
view monthcalledmae's profile