Children delight in the tea party. They fill their plastic tea sets with tap water, throw a few goldfish crackers on the plates, and invite every friend and animal (stuffed or not) to the event. My favorite part of those early tea parties with my children included trying to fit in the little chairs they provided!
Therefore, it’s not surprising that many of my new visitors to Tea Party Girl are looking for information to throw their children a “real” tea party. It’s a favorite theme for birthday parties and the holidays are a particularly special time for such an event. Paired with a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and a pair of patent leather shoes, the children’s holiday tea party can transport any tomboy or girl to The Kingdom of Sweets.
The secret to the child’s tea party is to keep it simple. This is Tea Party Girl’s advice. Keep it small (eight guests is plenty!) and consider age appropriateness. My daughter’s first tea party with guests her age took place when she was four. Even then, some mothers stayed one-on-one with their child while the little ones navigated tea, sugar, milk, and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Personally, I think 6-9 year-olds are the best age group to introduce to the tea party, especially with a group of their peers. You can offer it to a younger crowd, of course, but be prepared for the attention-span to be short. You might be surprised how little time they actually sit down to tea!
The highlights of the tea party for children are:
- what they wear.
- what they eat.
- what they drink out of.
Stick to the highlights. Especially if the crowd is younger, you will need to plan some crafts and activities. The best option is to pair a craft with what they wear. Teddy Bears and Tea Cups on Balboa Island in California, for example, provides beads and pipe-cleaners to give the girls a chance to make bracelets and necklaces. At my daughter’s tea parties, we’ve decorated hats the girls then wore. Encourage the guests to wear their favorite dress-up clothes or party dresses, depending on what you plan to do. Or raid your local thrift store for all sparkly, gauzy, or “poofy” accessories like scarves or boas.
If your guests DO wear their best party dresses, you may want to skip the chocolate-covered strawberries. Instead, think small, simple (and pink!). Make the food petite such as:
- small sandwiches cut with cookie cutters
- petit-four cakes
- tiny ice cream scoops rolled in sprinkles
- little colorful candies in little baking cups
- mini muffins or tarts
A simple touch includes adding garnishes of fresh flowers and fruit. Keep it small! Fix up a plate for each child with these special nibbles ahead of time. Then they won’t have to reach for anything, minimizing spills.
Finally, I recommend providing children real plates, teacups, and linens. Expose their senses to beauty and move beyond the practicality of plastic and paper tableware. They will love drinking from real teacups. (And with enough cream and sugar, real tea!). Go ahead and add the beauty of beautiful classical music from Mozart or Bach. It’s amazing how much children respond to real art and beauty. Often the dumb-downed version is just excess noise.
Providing tea parties for children can also be a lucrative business and niche in the tea culture. Many local tea rooms provide this service or can recommend someone who does. If you are involved in a children’s tea party related business, would you leave a comment and tell us about it? (One of you did a few days ago, and for some reason I can’t find your info. Please feel free to leave it again). What would be your one piece of advice for someone throwing a tea party for children?
And if you still have questions after reading this post about the children’s tea party, please feel free to ask it in the comments as well.
Anyone hosting a holiday tea for children this year?
This is great advice, Tea Party Girl! And I would offer this anecdote as what NOT to do. 🙂 My first children’s tea party was for nine nine-year-old girls. Whew – they were having FUN! I put out sugar cubes with the china. I went into the kitchen to bring out the food and the tea, and when I came back, the sugar cubes (a lot of them) were completely gone! I had put out enough for the entire tea party, and they were gone in 5 minutes! Most of the girls had never seen them before, and were eating them like candy. Hee Hee! I learned not to put out the sugar cubes until there was an adult present. 😉
Oh, I think this is a WONDERFUL idea! Young girls will love it! I agree you have picked just the right age for them to really enjoy it.
I LOVED reading this post! (I’m also a Third-Grade Teacher, of eight-year-olds.)
Madame Monet
Writing, Painting, Music, and Wine (and of course, both tea and coffee)
winewriter.wordpress.com
I just had a tea party for three of my granddaughters, 10, 8 and 6. They arrived, set the table with three little silver tea sets, made finger sandwiches with cream cheese and jam, put chocolates in little muffin cups, and doilies on the saucers. Then they rushed to my dress-up box and put on their finery. They each had a pot of hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, and a creamer with 1/2 and 1/2. We read the books Pinkalicious and Fancy Nancy while they ate, and practiced keeping our pinkies up. Then they changed, did the dishes by hand (which they loved doing) and cleaned it all up. It was SO fun!!
For your chocolate treat in your indoor tea room, I would suggest a box of Williams and Sonoma Peppermint Bark. That’s what I’m nibbling right now, and it’s to die for!!!
Oh, how wonderful for you and your granddaughters! Such memories!! Pinkies aren’t needed except when making fun of those who drink tea ;-).
And I have looked longingly at that WS Peppermint Bark for years. This might have to be the year for indulging. Thanks for the recommendation.
Best to you!
This may not be the appropriate place to ask this, and if it isn’t please email me privately, but if someone were to cater Children’s tea parties, what would be a fair fee?
Rita
Nope, not inappropriate. It’s a good question.
Pricing is always tricky. And I’m no expert. But here’s a few thoughts, Rita. What’s the going rate for birthday parties in your area? Are there local tearooms that offer what you would do? How much do they charge?
But in that context, think of your costs of time, money, and stress. Will you provide costumes, favors, and all the food? Travel to them? How far?
Dawnya Sasse, one of my mentors, does some training on this. I would at least read over her sales letter at http://www.childrensteaparty.com for some more questions to ask yourself.
Best to you!
As a special end-of-school activity, I had a tea party for my daughter and a few of her friends. They were “graduating” from 3rd grade and would be going to a new school in the fall. We served hot tea and sweetened iced tea along with special cookies and homemade mini blueberry muffins. The girls each recived a hand made invitation through “snail mail” asking them to dress in their favorite dresses (hats and gloves optional but welcomed!) The girls really enjoyed their tea party! Now 3 years later, the girls still talk about how much fun they had and how they loved getting mail! Each girl got to take home her own china cup & saucer. I just wish my little girl would have stayed little a bit longer. I am so glad she and her friends have that memory~ and I have the pictures and video tape!!
Hi
I have been following the developments on this web site
not much here right now, but we’ll see where it goes. Check back soon.
great plan