Etiquette & Manners at a Cookie Party for Kids

Playing Host

• The host serves a vital role at each gathering, as she greets guests and ensures that each guest enjoys the party. Allow the kids to take turns playing host, from greeting the kids as they enter the room to taking their coats and showing them where to sit. One child might be in charge of keeping the conversation going and making sure each child has a chance to contribute, while another might make sure everyone knows where the bathroom is. Breaking down host duties among the kids helps them learn what it means to throw a party.

Waiting to Eat

• At a cookies party, etiquette dictates the same rules as at any other party. The kids need to wait until each child has a cookie in front of her ̵1; and only then can the kids eat their cookies. When the child playing host helps you distribute the cookies, remind the kids not to touch their cookies until all the host has served everybody. This includes waiting until all kids have drinks in front of their places. If you wish to teach old-school etiquette, place the plates in front of the girls before the boys, and approach each child from the child's left side, just as a formal waiter would do. Any child with a food allergy must eat a different cookie than the others, but make sure nobody makes a big deal about the allergy.

Table Manners

• Let the kids know that you expect them to use proper table manners, and describe what that means. To model etiquette rules, place your napkin in your lap. If the cookies are chewy, the children can use a knife and fork to cut the cookie. If the cookies are not chewy, allow the kids to use their hands to eat the cookies. To model how to cut a chewy cookie with a knife and fork, pick up your own knife and fork to cut your cookie. Asking the children to cut the cookies and eat one bite at a time helps them learn formal etiquette for future occasions where etiquette dictates the behavior. Remind them not to grab food from other people's plates or to jump up for more; instead, they should ask if they could have additional cookies or juice. They should follow basic rules of etiquette during the cookie meal -- from wiping their hands on their napkins to chewing with their mouths closed. After the cookie meal is over, show the children what to do with their dirty dishes -- etiquette dictates that you should take your plate to the sink or kitchen unless the host asks you not to.

Saying Thanks

• When the party is over, make sure all the kids thank each other for their roles in the party. Since they all played host in some way, they should all receive some sort of thanks. For example, the kids can thank the greeting host for making them feel welcome or they can show gratitude to the host who served the cookies. The thanks should extend to you as well, because you are teaching the children not to overlook an adult's contributions. After the party, help the kids write ̶0;Thank You̶1; notes to each other for their roles at the party.