Raising Respectful Kids—Everyday Manners that Make a Big Difference

September is Children’s Good Manners Month, and what better time to talk about helping our kids grow into kind, respectful humans? At Playful Minds Learning Center, we believe that manners are more than just polite words—they’re little acts of kindness that show respect for others and help build strong, caring communities. Below, we share some of the basics of raising respectful kids that we put into practice in our centers and camps.

Start Young, Be Consistent

Starting young is key. Even toddlers can learn simple manners like saying “please” and “thank you.” It’s all about modeling behaviors, providing gentle reminders and celebrating small successes.

Here are some tips to help you guide your child on the path to everyday kindness:

• Say the magic words: “Please,” “thank you,” “excuse me,” “I’m sorry” and “no, thank you” are great first steps for little learners.
• Indoor voices in public places: Teach kids when it’s okay to be loud and when a quieter voice is needed—like in restaurants, stores or classrooms.
• Wait your turn to talk: Encourage children to practice patience and not interrupt conversations. A gentle hand on your arm can be a signal they want to speak. Let them know that listening is just as important as talking.
• Be a helper at home and school: Showing kindness by sharing, cleaning up or comforting a friend is a wonderful way to reinforce good manners.

Children are little mimics, so it’s important to model the behavior you want to see. A do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do approach will undermine your efforts. Positive reinforcement also goes a long way, so be sure to praise the behavior you want to see.

Exceptions to the Rules

It’s important to let children know there are exceptions to every rule. If they feel unsafe, threatened or see someone in trouble, let them know they should absolutely speak up—even interrupt loudly if they need help.

Present them with different age-appropriate scenarios and talk about which ones are emergencies that are more important than manners. For example, their friend fell down and is bleeding versus their friend took the toy they were playing with.

Our Approach

At Playful Minds, our nurturing, structured and creative environments help children develop confidence, emotional intelligence and social skills. Manners are a beautiful part of that journey—because raising respectful kids helps build a better world.