Fun Game Ideas for Good Manners and Social Skills.
As parents, and teachers we want to prepare our children to navigate social situations with confidence and kindness. Equipping them with good manners and social skills is essential for their interactions with others, whether they’re making new friends, attending a party, or simply showing respect in daily life.
The first thing to acknowledge is that manners and social skills must be practiced. Just like table manners, they’re not learned overnight. Consistent reinforcement can sometimes feel like nagging, but turning lessons into games makes the process fun and engaging for kids.
Enter the manners and social skills games!
Here are some of the most important manners and social skills parents often want to teach:
Saying “please” and “thank you”
Greeting others politely
Making eye contact during conversations
Listening without interrupting
Sharing and taking turns
Apologizing when necessary
Respecting personal space
Respecting people things
Start by asking yourself: What social skills are most important for your family? Are there specific behaviors you want to focus on? Once you’ve identified these, you can use games to teach and reinforce them.
Building Awareness by Playing Games
Manners Bingo
Create bingo cards with manners and social skills like “Saying thank you,” “Sharing,” “Waiting your turn,” and “Listening without interrupting.” During the day, when kids demonstrate one of these behaviors, they can mark it off their card. The first to complete a row wins a small prize. This game helps kids recognize and practice good manners in real-life situations.
What Would You Do Game?
Write various social scenarios on strips of paper and place them in a bowl. Examples might include:
“What do you do when talking to someone in a wheelchair?”
“What do you do if you see an older person standing and there aren’t enough chairs?”
“What do you do when someone achieves something great, how can you celebrate their success with them?"
During a family meal or group activity, take turns drawing a strip and reading it aloud. Discuss the appropriate response or role-play the scenario. This activity encourages kids to think critically about manners and practice real-world applications.
Manners Cards
Create a set of 3x5 cards, each featuring a specific manner or social skill. Examples include:
When to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you'.
When is a good time to hold the door open for someone? Example: If their hands are full
What should you say/do if you break something?
What should you say before you touch something that belongs to someone else?
When guests come over, what should you do?
My kids love reading through these cards. We often do them at dinner time but they could also be read through as a morning time activity, circle time, etc. If you want you can give the kids a little reward for guessing correctly or keep tally points and give them a reward for getting the most points. However my kids just like answering the quesitons no rewards are actully needed.
Manners Charades
Write different manners or social behaviors on slips of paper, such as “Shaking hands politely” or “Helping someone pick up dropped items.” Include some examples of poor manners, like “Interrupting someone” or “Talking with your mouth full.”
Divide into teams and take turns acting out the behaviors while others guess. Discuss whether the action was polite or impolite and why. This game is both entertaining and educational.
Devices Up or Down
Make a list of times when someone might use a phone or a tablet. Read through each item on the list. The kids will determine whether it's appropriate to use a tablet, computer, or phone during certain scenarios. They'll stand "UP" if it's considered good manners to use the device and sit "DOWN" if they should put their device away.
Practice Makes Perfect
Games make practicing manners fun and rewarding. The types of games you can create are endless—it’s all about making learning manners enjoyable and incorporating them into your children’s daily lives. Whether it’s through bingo, charades, or thoughtful discussions, turning these lessons into playful activities ensures they stick while bringing joy to the process.
Good Manners/Social Skills Card Set & Games
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