Lesson for Children on How to Set a Table

Setting the table is one of the basic household chores that children can learn as soon as they are old enough to safely handle the family dishes and utensils. Parents magazine recommends starting lessons with kids as young as 5 years old, although parents may have to set dishes on the counter or table so kids do not have to climb up to reach them. One way to help kids remember where to put each of the elements of the place setting is to make place mats that serve as guides. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Give each child a piece of construction paper measuring 12 inches by 18 inches and have the children set their papers in front of them like place mats.

2

Explain to the children that they are going to make place mats that help them remember where to put the plate, napkin, fork, knife, spoon and cup when they set the table.

3

Give each child a plate and help the children position their plates in the centers of their place mats.

4

Help children trace around their plates to leave an outline on the place mat. Collect all of the plates when they are done.

5

Hand out napkins, help children position them to the left of the plate's outline and instruct the kids to trace around their napkins. Collect the napkins.

6

Give each child a fork, a knife and a spoon. Help the children set the utensils in the correct positions, with the fork in the center of the napkin's outline, the knife just to the right of the plate with the blade facing the plate, and the spoon just to the right of the knife. Assist children in tracing the utensils. You may have to remove the fork from the paper to draw lines between the tines. Collect the utensils when the kids are done.

7

Hand out cups and help children position them above and just inside the knife. Have each child trace around the base of the cup. Collect the cups.

8

Let children decorate the edges of their place mats with markers or crayons.

9

Laminate the place mats to help protect them from spills.

10

Hand out all of the place settings again and have children practice setting their place mats. Check each child's work, praise their skills and make corrections as needed.