Good manners for kids start with a handful of words that make other people feel good: please, thank you, sorry. This page lets your child hear 17 short manners in Hindi and English, decide whether each is kind or not, and hear a kinder choice when it is not. It suits children of about 3 to 6, at home or in a nursery, LKG, UKG or class 1 classroom.
What are magic words for kids?
"Magic words" is what many families and teachers call the polite words that make things go smoothly. They are not magic because they get a child whatever they want. They are magic because they make the other person smile. The five magic words for kids that most classrooms teach are:
| Magic word | Hindi | When to use it | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Please | कृपया | When you ask for something | "Can I have water, please?" |
| Thank you | धन्यवाद / शुक्रिया | When someone gives or helps | "Thank you for the crayon." |
| Sorry | माफ़ करना / सॉरी | When you hurt someone or make a mistake | "Sorry I bumped you. Are you okay?" |
| Excuse me | ज़रा सुनिए | When you need to get past or interrupt | "Excuse me, may I go first?" |
| Namaste / Hello | नमस्ते | When you meet someone | "Namaste, Dadi!" |
These magic words examples work in kindergarten and the nursery class alike, and you can say the magic words in Hindi or English, whichever your child hears most. If your child's school asks for 10 magic words for kids in English, you can add "May I", "You're welcome", "Good morning", "Can I help?" and "Bless you". Together they make a simple magic words list for a chart.
The good manners in this game
The game has 12 kind manners and 5 unkind ones. The kind ones are: say please when you ask; say thank you; say sorry when you hurt someone; say namaste to elders; share with friends; wait for your turn; cover your mouth when you sneeze; wave hello to friends; listen when others talk; knock before you go in; comfort a friend who is sad; and use a soft voice indoors.
The five not-so-kind cards are grabbing a toy from a friend, shouting at others, hitting when angry, talking while others talk, and making fun of others. When one of these appears and your child taps 👎, they hear a cheer. Either way, Golu then says the kinder choice. No one is called naughty; the game only shows a better way.
How to play the manners game
- Good or not? One picture at a time, spoken aloud. Your child taps 👍 Good or 👎 Not good. A different answer gets "Let us think again" and a short reason, never "wrong".
- Listen: shows only the kind manners. Tap each picture to hear it. This is the best start for 2 and 3 year olds and for magic words for toddlers.
Each round ends with a marble in the Goli Jar. The 🔊 button repeats the sentence, and the अ+A button sets the order of Hindi and English, so good manners for kids in Hindi and English can be practised together or one at a time.
What good manners should a child be taught, and when?
Manners grow with a child's understanding of other people. Do not expect a 2 year old to share happily; sharing is hard until about 4, and taking turns in games is something most children are still learning at 5. Here is a realistic plan.
| Age | Manners to focus on | How |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 | Wave hello, thank you, please (even as one word) | Say it for them and with them, every time |
| 3-4 | Namaste to elders, sorry, cover your sneeze, soft voice indoors | Role-play with toys; praise when you notice it |
| 4-5 | Share, wait for your turn, knock before going in, excuse me | Turn-taking games; "my turn, your turn" out loud |
| 5-6 | Listen when others talk, comfort a sad friend, table manners | Talk about feelings in stories; practise at family meals |
How to teach good manners to kids at home
How to raise a child with good manners comes down to three things: model them, practise them in play, and notice them when they happen.
- Model the magic words to your child. Say "please" and "thank you" to your child, not just to other adults. Children copy the words they hear aimed at them.
- Play it out. Have a tea party with soft toys. Teddy says "please", the doll says "thank you". Children practise manners best in pretend play.
- Prompt, don't demand. Instead of "Say thank you!", try "What do we say to Nani?" and wait. If they freeze, say it together.
- Notice kindness. "You waited for your turn on the slide. That was hard, and you did it." Specific praise works better than "good boy" or "good girl".
- Make sorry real. A forced "sorry" teaches little. Help your child notice the other child's feelings and offer help: "He is sad. Can we give him back the block?"
Manners and feelings go together. A child who can say "I'm angry" is far less likely to hit. Our emotions for kids page helps with those words.
Good manners at home in everyday moments
- At meals: wait until everyone is served, ask "please pass the dal", and say thank you to the cook.
- With guests: greet with namaste or hello, offer water, and say bye at the door.
- With family: knock before entering, use a soft voice when someone sleeps, and help lay the table. Our family members names page is a fun way to practise greeting Dada, Nani and the cousins.
- Outside: say thank you to the vegetable seller, the bus conductor and the doctor. Our community helpers page shows the people who help us every day.
Good manners for kids in school
What are good manners in school? For young students the list of good manners is short and easy: greet the teacher, raise your hand to talk, listen when others talk, wait in the line, share crayons, keep hands to yourself, and say sorry and thank you to classmates. Teachers can use this game with the whole class: read each card, ask the class to show thumbs up or thumbs down, then act out the kinder choice. It works well as a circle-time activity for nursery, LKG and UKG, and as a starter for good manners for kids 10 lines writing in class 1.
Magic words activities, drawing and printing
There is no PDF or worksheet file, but you can print this page from your browser. The magic words table above prints cleanly as a small magic words for kids chart. A few more ideas:
- Magic words drawing: your child draws a big wand with a star, and you write one magic word on each ray.
- Flashcards: make a card for each magic word, with a picture your child draws. Hold up a situation ("Dadi gives you a laddoo") and your child picks the card.
- Magic words song: to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle", sing "Please and thank you, sorry too, magic words for me and you."
- Chart ideas: a good manners chart with pictures of your own family works better than a bought one. Photograph your child waving, sharing and saying namaste, and stick the photos on the wall.
- Books and rhymes: any picture book where characters share or say sorry makes a good manners book. Pause and ask, "Was that kind?" Short rhymes and a simple poem about please and thank you stick in the memory.
- Kindness jar: each time someone in the family uses a magic word, drop a button in a jar. Count them together at the end of the week.
Be patient: every child learns manners in their own way
Shy children may find it hard to say namaste to a stranger; a wave or a smile is a fine start, and they should never be forced to hug or kiss anyone. Autistic children may do better with clear, literal rules ("When someone gives you something, you say thank you") and a picture card to point to. Children learning two languages can use magic words in either language; धन्यवाद and thank you are both polite. If your child hits or grabs often, stay calm, name the feeling underneath, and show what to do instead. Talk to your paediatrician if you are worried.
Play this game for a few minutes, together if you can, then practise for real at the next meal. Children under 2 learn manners from you, not from a screen. When you are done, try good habits for kids, or read what a 5 year old should know.
