Entertaining company with a meal brings about a change in my children. I’m not sure if it is because talking about their day gets overtaken with conversations with our guests, but my children seem to eat lightning fast with guests.

Any other night, they linger and chat and need reminding “to eat.” Even though we include the children into the adult conversations, they seem to finish early and want to depart from the table with company present.

In noticing this pattern with my children, I tried incorporating placemats and dry erase markers with their table setting, and it worked. When my children completed their meal, they remained at the table and colored their placemats.

Not only do my children enjoy these placemats, but also their friends. The children stay at the table and participate in the conversations while coloring their placemats. Win, WIN, WIN!

After the dinner, a simple wipe with a paper towel (or from my daughter’s finger :-)) removes the colors. Our reusable placemats keep children at the table meal after meal after meal.

How to Make Reusable Placements

1. Enlarge or print a coloring page or printable, like these adorable ones from Cheerios & Lattes.

2. Laminate them or place them in a plastic envelope purchased at a craft store.

3. Color, draw, and write with dry- or wet-erase markers.

In using time wisely to entertain family and friends, reusable placements assist hostesses in keeping children at the table. As you execute your plan on Thanksgiving Day, consider adding a reusable placement to each child’s place setting.

As they finish their meal, they can remain at the table coloring and creating with the markers provided. With happy children, the adults can interact while all guests remain together. Happy entertaining!

Question: While entertaining, how do you keep children at the table?