Mr. Manners and Mrs. Polite

Role-play with named characters provides safe distance for practicing polite behaviors while making courtesy feel playful rather than prescriptive.

• Framework: IPC
• Unit: Champions of Character
• Learning area: Visual and Creative Arts
• Level: Infant & Toddler

Objectives

• Role-play polite scenarios using characters, practicing courtesy behaviors

Materials

• Character puppets or name tags
• Small props
• Scenario cards

Instructions

Introduce the character puppets or pictures: 'Meet Mr. Manners and Mrs. Polite! They're champions of good manners and they're going to help us practice being polite.'

Demonstrate character use by enacting a scene: Mr. Manners enters a room and says 'Good morning, everyone!' Mrs. Polite asks 'May I please use that crayon?' Mr. Manners says 'Thank you for sharing!' Children watch and identify the polite behaviors.

Invite children to become Mr. Manners or Mrs. Polite through props or imagination. Set up scenarios: greeting someone, asking to share, thanking a helper, saying excuse me, apologizing for bumping someone.

Let children practice scenarios in pairs or small groups. Circulate and coach: 'What would Mr. Manners say here? How would Mrs. Polite ask for that?' Celebrate efforts: 'You sounded just like Mrs. Polite!'

Create student-generated scenarios: 'What else could Mr. Manners and Mrs. Polite help us practice?' Act out their ideas.

Conclude by discussing how these polite behaviors make everyone feel: 'When someone says please and thank you to you, how does it feel? We're all going to be like Mr. Manners and Mrs. Polite!'

Educator tip

Use Mr. Manners and Mrs. Polite throughout the day as gentle reminders: 'What would Mr. Manners say right now?' This externalizes the expectation and reduces shame around forgetting manners.

Assessment

Observe behavior modeling accuracy, use of polite language during role-play and throughout the day, and understanding of why manners matter.

More from Champions of Character

• Tear Down the Walls
• I am Polite
• Please and Thank You Song
• My Personal Qualities Collage
• Kindness Chain Challenge
• Feelings Faces Gallery
• Partner Problem Solving
• Helping Hands Garden