Blunders Board Game Makes Learning Manners Fun

Thanksgiving can be a true test of etiquette and manners for all generations. Whether you’re sitting down to enjoy turkey, tofurky, or turducken this Thanksgiving, you want everyone to be on their best behavior.

Grandparents can play an important role in teaching their grandchildren social skills, according to a recent Harris Interactive study. But how do we teach etiquette in a way that’s fun and not preachy?

One creative new tool is Blunders Board Game, which makes a game out of teaching manners and social skills to children ages 5 – 10 years old. Blunders was invented by etiquette expert Aimee Symington, who wrote a guest post on my blog. The game includes 300 clever cards that cover manners in the home, at school and playing with others, and at the table.

My granddaughters and I played several rounds of Blunders and had so much fun we played it again the next day. The object is to play along with the Blunder family who blunder their way into people’s homes and at school, causing others to think badly of them—especially their neighbors, the Mannerlys. The first player to reach the finish line receives an invitation to the Mannerlys’ Annual Pool Party Extravaganza!

Players must answer challenging questions in the form of multiple choice, charade, scenario, true/false, reward, and consequences. For example:

Q: Billy brings his CD player to the park and plays his music as loud as possible. A woman asks Billy to turn it down. What should Billy do?

A) Nothing, because this lady is not the boss of him.
B) Tell the woman that it’s a public park and there are no rules against playing music.
C) Say, “yes, ma’am” and turn down the music.

Answer: C) Say “yes, ma’am” and turn down the music.

True or False: When Brenda calls her friend Sophia at her house, she doesn’t have to say “Hello, this is Brenda, may I please speak with Sophia,” because that’s too much for a 7-year old to say.

Answer: False. Brenda should always state her name when she calls someone’s house and then nicely ask for the person she’s calling.

Oops: Billy was eating dinner with his grandfather and he burped so loudly his grandfather’s false teeth fell out!

Consequence: Say the tongue twister “Bad Burpers Burping” seven times without messing up and then move back four spaces.

The game is easy to play and fun for all generations. You may even learn something new yourself!