Great Quotes for Kids about Good Manners!

Has anyone ever bumped into you and then not said anything? Have you ever held a door for someone and they did not say thank you or smile? These are good examples of bad manners. Little things like this can grow into bigger problems and bad habits as people grow older.

In fact, your manners can reveal something very important about you…your character.  As – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said:  “A man’s manners are a mirror in which he shows his portrait.” 

So what does having “good manners” mean to you?  Most of the adults in our lives have taught us to say “please” and “thank you”.  But it also means thinking of others feelings.

What are some ways that you could practice good manners? It could be as simple as sitting up straight or shaking hands with someone new you meet! When you talk to others, look them in the eyes so they know you are listening. You could open doors for others, and if they return the favor, be sure to say “thank you”! Saying “thank you” shows that you are thoughtful and that you appreciate that person. Saying “please” lets someone know that you are asking and not demanding something.

Practicing good manners shows respect for yourself and others. It may be difficult at first, but with practice, you will become more confident and polite.  So, the time to to work on having good manners is right now!  And like any other skill, you have to practice good manners.

Below are a collection of inspiring quotes for kids about good manners. Follow their advice and you will be on the path to becoming the best version of yourself!

• “Manners easily and rapidly mature into morals.” – Horace Mann
• “Kindness and politeness are not overrated at all. They’re underused.” – Tommy Lee Jones
• “Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.” – Laurence Sterne
• “Manners and politeness will never become old-fashioned.” – Auliq Ice
• “A man’s own manner and character is what most becomes him.” – Cicero
• “A man’s manners are a mirror in which he shows his portrait.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.” – Emily Post 
• “Men and women must be educated, in a great degree, by the opinions and manners of the society they live in.” – Mary Wollstonecraft 
• “Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go.” – Margaret Walker
• “The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.” – Wendell Willkie 
• “Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.” – Clarence Thomas 
• “The only true source of politeness is consideration.” – William Gilmore Simms
• “Politeness is good nature regulated by good sense.” – Sydney Smith
• “Good manners are just a way of showing other people that we have respect for them.” – Bill Kelly
• “Politeness [is] a sign of dignity, not subservience.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “Politeness is … forgetting ourselves in order to seek what may be agreeable to others.” – Wellins Calcott
• “Nobody loses anything by being polite, but there are a lot of people who are afraid to take the risk.” – Evan Esar
• “True politeness is a virtue of the understanding and of the heart.” – John S. C. Abbott
• “A man never loses anything by politeness.” – Henry Venn
• “The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.” – Wendell L. Willkie
• “Politeness is the flower of humanity.” – Joseph Joubert
• “Good manners: The noise you don’t make when you’re eating soup.” – Bennett Cerf
• “Politeness is the art of choosing among one’s real thoughts.” – Abel Stevens

Do you ever regret something you said or did? Are there moments when you you could have been more polite? Maybe you should change the way you are thinking? Watch this brief video and think about what you could add to it. You may just create better manners!

Additional Resources:

• Take a look at our full collection of inspiring quotes for kids and students.
• How well do you practice being polite or your good manners? Take this quiz to find out!
• Here are some additional reasons why good manners matter.

Topics for Discussion:

• When have you displayed good manners? What was the outcome?
• Are there some good manners that you need to practice? What is holding you back?
• What at your top 3 quotes from the list above? Why?
• Were you ever told to “be polite”? How did that make you feel? What happened?
• What do you believe showing good manners requires? What could build your confidence to be more polite?
• What happens when people are treated with politeness? How about when they are not treated with good manners?

Take Action:

• At bedtime, think of some things that you demonstrated good manners on that day.  When you awaken, think of 2 people that you could be more polite to.  Do this for 30 days and you will be on your way to making it a habit for life!
• Remember, you can practice good manners every day by saying “please” and “thank you”.

Teacher and Parent Features:

• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
• Check out our growing list of Lesson Plans that can be used alongside our quotes and articles
• Here are some fun activities to help teach good manners
• Discover how to help your kid to behave at mealtime
• Check out these 7 ways to teach a child good manners