Manners guides
Phone and video call manners
How kids can answer calls politely, take a message and stay safe.
Ages 5 to 12
From about age 5, children can say hello on a video call with family. By 7 or 8 they can answer the phone politely and fetch a grown-up, and by 10 take a simple message.
Try this week with your kids
Noki suggests a first week of quests and rewards for your kids. You change what you like before you start.
Why it matters
Phone manners help kids speak clearly with adults and keep in touch with family far away. Clear rules also teach them to protect personal information.
What to expect by age
- Ages 5 to 6
- Say hello and goodbye on video calls with family.
- Look at the screen and speak clearly.
- Ages 7 to 8
- Answer with 'Hello, this is...'
- Fetch a grown-up and say 'One moment please'.
- Ages 9 to 10
- Take a short message with the caller's name.
- Call a relative on their own.
- Ages 11 to 12
- Make calls to book or ask something, with a grown-up nearby.
Ways to practice
- Role-play calls with a toy phone.
- Schedule a weekly call with a grandparent and prepare 1 question.
- Keep a notepad by the phone for messages.
Common mistakes
Letting kids say they are home alone.
Try instead: Teach them to say a grown-up is busy and offer to take a message.
Long calls kids are not ready for.
Try instead: Short, regular calls work better for young children.
