Penny the Panda Learns Table Etiquette - A Children's Story

Penny the Panda Learns Table Etiquette

By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller

Moral to the Story:

Knowing how to behave at the table shows respect for the people you’re eating with.
Chewing with your mouth closed helps keep mealtimes clean and pleasant. Not talking with food in your mouth shows others you care about what they see and hear. Using a napkin and keeping it on your lap helps you stay tidy and respectful. Keeping your elbows off the table makes more space for everyone around you. Saying “please” and “thank you” shows gratitude and good manners. Trying a little bit of everything, even if it’s new, shows you’re open-minded and polite. Good table manners make mealtimes happier for everyone, and show you’re growing up with kindness and class.

Penny the Panda loved to eat. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every snack in between, Penny was always ready for a meal. But there was one small problem…

Penny didn’t have the best table manners.

At home, Mama Panda gently reminded her every day:
“Penny, chew with your mouth closed.”
“Don’t talk while you’re eating, sweetie.”
“Wipe your face with your napkin, not your paw.”
But Penny would giggle and forget.

One day, Mama Panda invited some neighbors over for dinner, including Penny’s best friend, Leo the Lemur.

“We’re going to have dinner at the big table,” Mama said. “Let’s show our guests how polite we can be.”

Penny puffed out her chest. “I can do that!”

But as soon as the guests sat down and dinner was served, Penny’s old habits came back.

She plopped her elbows on the table.
She slurped her soup.
She reached across Leo’s plate to grab a roll.
She even talked with a mouth full of noodles, spraying a few onto the table.

Leo’s eyes widened. Mama’s eyebrows rose. Papa Panda gently cleared his throat.

After dinner, Mama and Papa pulled Penny aside.

“Sweetheart,” Papa said kindly, “we know you didn’t mean to be rude—but tonight wasn’t your best behavior.”

“I was just being me,” Penny said, shrugging.

“But being respectful at the table,” Mama said softly, “is a way of showing love and kindness to others. It’s called etiquette.”

“Eti-what?” Penny tilted her head.

“Etiquette,” Mama repeated. “It’s like a set of kind rules we follow, especially during meals. Would you like to learn them?”

Penny nodded. “Yes, please.”

So over the next week, Mama and Papa taught Penny eight table etiquette rules every panda (and child) should know:

1. Chew with your mouth closed.
“It's not a race,” Papa said. “Slow down and enjoy.”

2. Don’t speak with food in your mouth.
Mama reminded her, “Your words are important, but they can wait until you’ve swallowed.”

3. Keep your elbows off the table.
Papa chuckled, “We need room for all our plates, and for dancing elbows to stay away from drinks!”

4. Put your napkin on your lap—and use it instead of your paw or sleeve.
“Before you eat,” Mama said, handing her a soft cloth, “fold your napkin and place it on your lap.”
“Why?” Penny asked.
“Because it keeps your lap clean and shows you’re ready for a tidy meal. And if something spills, your napkin is right where you need it—much better than your paw or sleeve!”

5. Wait until everyone is served before eating.
“It shows respect,” Papa said. “And patience.”

6. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
“Even when it’s just family,” Mama said, “manners matter most.”

7. Try a bite of everything, even if it looks different.
“You don’t have to love it,” Papa said, “but it shows appreciation to the cook.”

8. Don’t reach, ask politely for what you’d like.
“Reaching over others is rude,” Mama said. “And you might knock something over.”

Penny practiced every meal. She tucked her elbows, wiped her chin, and even said, “Excuse me,” when she burped.

She folded her napkin and placed it in her lap before every bite. She remembered to wait. She remembered to chew quietly. And she smiled every time she got it right.

A few days later, Leo’s family invited them over for dinner.

Penny sat tall in her chair, napkin in her lap, and waited quietly.

“Would you like some bamboo noodles, Penny?” Leo’s mom asked.

“Yes, please!” Penny said with a smile.

Leo grinned. “Wow! You’re being so polite!”

Penny beamed. “I’ve been learning etiquette!”

Everyone at the table laughed in delight.

At the end of dinner, Leo’s mom said, “Penny, you were such a wonderful guest.”

Penny felt proud. “Thank you. I wanted to show how much I appreciate being here.”

As they walked home under the moonlight, Mama Panda gave Penny a squeeze.

“See?” she whispered. “Etiquette isn’t just about rules, it’s about making everyone feel cared for.”

Penny hugged her back. “And I liked how good it felt to be polite.”

From that day on, Penny became the politest panda at every picnic, party, and pancake breakfast.

Because once she knew how to show kindness at the table…
She never forgot.

Moral Poem:

Chew with care, keep elbows down,
Use your napkin, not your gown.
Place it neatly on your lap,
And sit up straight, no mid-meal nap!
No food talk, wait till you’re through,
Say “please” and “thanks” for what they do.
Try a bite, then share a grin,
Table kindness comes from within.

Three Thought-Provoking Questions:

1.     Why is putting your napkin on your lap an important part of table etiquette?

2.     How do table manners help show respect for the people around you?

3.     Which one of Penny’s new etiquette habits do you want to try most?