HOSTING A FABULOUS CHILDREN’S TEA PARTY

by Lady Dawnya Sasse

Gone are the days where a child’s tea party only involves a solitary child and a table full of stuffed animals and empty plastic tea cups! The options for creating a children’s tea party are boundless, which this article will briefly demonstrate.

Themes

A children’s tea party does not need to be limited to fancy dresses, gloves, and quiet chit-chat around the table—although this type of tea party can be great fun! If you are interested in hosting multiple tea parties or creating one special event, having a variety of themes to choose from may help get the creative juices flowing. Tea parties can focus around any of the following themes:

                     • Birthdays
                     • Seasons
                     • Holidays
                     • Special events (graduations, celebrations, etc.)
                     • Favorite things (dolls, stuffed animals)
                     • Special people (such as grandparents, friends)
                     • Much, much more!

Choose decorations that compliment your theme, and if possible, find invitations that are either theme-or tea-related, such as cups and saucers or teapots.

Supplies

Depending on your needs, you will need to have a certain amount of supplies for the designated party, or, if you are interested in hosting children’s tea parties as a business venture, a variety of supplies. Some ideas include:

Dress-up clothes

Girls especially like to dress up, and if you are able to locate a variety of fun clothes (check local discount or pre-owned clothing stores), children can pick and choose. Faux jewelry and lots of fun hats are also good to have on hand. If the party will be a one-time event, invite children to come dressed-up on arrival.

China

While tea parties of old often made use of plastic tea sets, consider looking into inexpensive china from second-hand stores, friends, or relatives. Adding this special touch along with some carefully chosen table ornaments, such as flowers and doilies, will help give the tea party that extra special aura.

Activities

Many tea parties will need additional activities to compliment the time sitting at the table. Use your theme for ideas, as well as these ideas:

                     •          Songs (I’m a Little Teapot)

                     •          Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or cup on the table, handle on the cup)

                     •          Pinatas (cup or teapot shaped)

                     •          Fashion show (let the children show off their outfits)

                     •          Crafts (color paper tea pots, decorate a cup, etc.)

                     •          Relay races (incorporate the theme or use tea trays with plastic cups)

                     •          Games (filling teapots with water one cup at a time, three legged races, etc.)

Food and beverages!

The food you choose to serve will depend largely on the theme. If a traditional English or New England theme is chosen, consider serving small sandwiches or delicate cookies. A birthday theme may incorporate scones or small cakes. Whatever is chosen, think about ease of serving, utensils required (if any), and the overall messiness of the food.

Finally, don’t forget the tea!

There is an abundance of tea options to choose from. Fruity or herbal teas are probably best (as opposed to real teas which are stronger tasting and contain caffeine). Have a few choices on hand so the children can experiment. Also, even though it is a tea party, have some non-tea
beverages available just in case.

Last-minute tips

Always remember to be flexible and have back-up plans if needed. For
example, outside games may need indoor counterparts in the event of bad weather. Have fun and enjoy!

(C) Dawnya Sasse - 2005

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lady Dawnya Sasse, is author of the world's first online tea business programs entitled "Start a Tea Business" (TM) and "Start A Children's Tea Party Business." (TM) To learn more about her online classes and to sign up for her FREE Tea Radio(TM) Broadcasts visit her site at www.TeaEvents.com