How to Set a Happy Kids' Table with RICE Alphabet Cups and Petit Jour Plates

Some of the happiest meals at home are the ones with little ones at the table. They are also, as every parent knows, the messiest, the noisiest and occasionally the ones where a plate ends up on the floor. The good news is that a children's table does not have to be an afterthought of plastic and cartoons. With a few well-chosen pieces, it can be as cheerful and considered as the rest of your home, and sturdy enough for everyday life.

Here is how we like to put together a kids' table that children love and grown-ups are happy to look at, using RICE melamine from Denmark and Petit Jour from Paris, both available at House of AnLi in Tanglin Mall and online.

Start with a cup that is theirs alone

Nothing settles a squabble faster than knowing which cup is yours. The RICE Girl Stripes Alphabet Cup and the RICE Boy Stripes Alphabet Cup each carry a single letter, so you can choose an initial for every child, or line up a row of cups to spell a name on the kitchen shelf. They are among the most popular children's gifts in our shop, and it is easy to see why.

The cups are made of 100% melamine, free of BPA and phthalates, light enough for small hands and stackable when the meal is over. Away from the table, they make lovely pots for coloured pencils, paintbrushes or a few sprigs of herbs on the windowsill. They are dishwasher-safe on the top rack, though not for the microwave or oven.

Plates that teach a little manners

Petit Jour's Prince and Princess dessert plates are small, flat melamine plates designed for toddlers, and each one carries a playful French line about table manners. The Petit Jour Princess "Je ne dis pas berk..." plate ("I don't say yuck...") is a gentle reminder to try what is served, while others in the series encourage children to wait for everyone, stay at the table and keep the noise down.

They are a charming way to talk about manners without nagging, and a sweet souvenir of French style. Measuring 20 x 20 cm, they are the right size for a toddler's portion or a slice of birthday cake. Wash them before first use, and keep them out of the microwave and freezer.

Little cutlery for little hands

For the youngest diners, the RICE Fun Fair Baby Spoon and Fork is sized for small hands that are learning to feed themselves. It comes in pink or mint and, like all RICE products for food and drink, is tested food safe to Danish and EU standards. Pair it with a Fun Fair bowl or cups from the same collection for a coordinated set that makes a lovely new-baby gift.

Older children who have graduated to "grown-up" spoons will enjoy the RICE Snoopy Prints Melamine Teaspoons, a set of six from the nostalgic RICE x Peanuts collaboration. They are perfect for yoghurt, ice cream and the after-school snack, and parents who grew up with Snoopy tend to borrow them too. Note that RICE melamine cutlery is not suitable for children under three, except for the kids' cutlery designed for tiny hands.

Styling tips for a happy kids' table

• Mix, don't match. RICE prints are designed to be combined. Put a striped alphabet cup with a printed plate and solid-colour cutlery for a cheerful, collected look.
• Give every child a "place". An initial cup at each seat works like a place card, and it ends the "that's mine" debate before it begins.
• Keep it low and light. Melamine is light and durable, so it is ideal for picnics, playdates, the balcony and the condo pool deck, where glass and porcelain would be a worry.
• Add one grown-up touch. A linen napkin, a small posy of flowers in a spare alphabet cup or a pretty cake stand makes a children's party table feel special for everyone.
• Care for it well. Wash melamine on the top rack of the dishwasher and keep it out of the microwave, and the colours will stay bright for longer.

A thoughtful gift for little ones

Children's tableware is one of the easiest and most personal gifts to give. An alphabet cup with a child's initial, a Petit Jour plate for a francophile family, or a baby spoon and fork tucked into a new-parent hamper are all small gestures that get used every single day.

Browse the full range in our Kids collection or explore everything from the Danish brand in the RICE collection. You are welcome to visit us at House of AnLi, #02-139/141 Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247933, open daily from 9am to 9pm, or call +65 6235 3851. We deliver across Singapore.