OH Guide: Tea Parties

Ah, the tea party. It seems every girl is born with a teapot in hand, and as soon as our daughter was old enough to hold a cup she made the tea party part of her daily ritual--sandwiched between fairy frolicking and baby rocking. And tea parties aren't just for girls. In fact, our 8 year-old son proudly proclaims that he has participated in tea parties since he was 2 years old. And he still joins in on the occasional party. Tea parties are so much more than fancy hats, stuffed animals and drinking "tea."

Tea parties actually teach some really basic, yet important skills.

And oh how versatile they are.

What we can learn from a tea party:
The beauty of a tea party is they are super fun and exciting to young kids while teaching stuff that normally requires patience and tend to be boring. What our wee tea drinkers learn for the tea party ritual:

• Fine motor skills:

Pouring, passing a pitcher, stirring with a spoon, sipping from a cup, and wiping mouth with a napkin.

• Social Skills:

Practicing saying "Please" and "Thank you," making simple requests like "please pass the tea" or "may I please have another scone," passing items to other people, sharing, taking turns, role-playing, talking and listening.

And of course let's not forget the oodles of oh-so important imaginative play which is so key to a child's development.

Teatime of all types:
Of course you can opt. for the formal tea party but speaking as a parent of two tea party connoisseurs they don't always have to be these over the top events that happen only once a year. In fact once you bust out the tea set for the first time plan on it being a frequent play of choice. The idea is to be open minded and when it gets boring, especially for us parents--and believe me it will, mix it up. When it's fun for you your kids will have fun. After all, play isn't a chore (sorry, soapbox). Tea party can be played in so many different ways:

• Bust out the set. Set the table together and sit with your child sipping on imaginary tea and munching on play food (our favorite is this adorable Garden Fresh Fruits and Veggies toy complete with pull-apart veggies and fruits, knife and reusable canvas "shopping bag").
• Take out a few cuddly friends and conduct a teddy-bear tea party.
• Practice pouring and sipping with a water only tea party.
• Theme tea party. This is great at getting those creative juices flowing and good for role playing. Did someone say "farm tea party?" Or was that "Tea party in outer space?" Or did I hear "Cowpoke tea?"
• International tea. Pick a place, learn their tea customs, mark the place you "visit" on a globe, be international globetrotter tea drinkers..
• Mud tea party. That's right with a little water and dirt tea can be truly messy fun. This works just as well for tea at the sea. Get those kids in nature and invite a few creatures to join the party. Wish I could take credit for this idea but it came from a very wise woman with grown kids who now is a nanny for an adorable 2 year old boy.
• Bath time tea. Just make sure your bathing beauty only pretends to "drink" the "tea"(AKA bath water). Playing tea in the bath allows children to practice pouring skills without you having to spend teatime wiping up the mess.
• Or use rice instead of water to fill the tea pot.
• Go to an actual teatime at a local tea parlor. A great way to support local "mom and pops" and practice social skills in a public setting.
• And of course the formal tea party complete with real food and beverage. What a treat.

Tea Party Books:
Now that you've decided to embark on the tea party train why not set the stage with the perfect book? We have two favorite tea party books that never go unread when an official tea party takes place. Our all-time favorite tea party book is David Kirk's "Miss Spider's Tea Party". This book is a beautifully illustrated counting and rhyming book with a good message about not judging a book by it's cover. "Teatime with Emma Butter Snap" by Lindsey Tate is our second favorite tea party book "must-haves." A delightfully informative and fun book that is seeped in tea traditions and teaches the origin and history of the tea party, travels to a mystical land (England) and solves a mystery. Wonderfully written and illustrated the book guarantees to keep party goers glued to their seats. Sadly, this magnificent book is out of print but of course can be purchased used and new through vendors on Amazon. Yeah amazon.

Choose the perfect party set:
We purchased this Fisher-Price Musical Tea Set a while back for our little tea partier. It's great and the tea pot is very musical. And believe it or not, you actually don't get tired of hearing the darn tea pot's instrumental version of "I'm a Little Tea Pot." The cups, plates, utensils and serving platter are really cute and perfect for tiny hands making pouring, serving, passing, stirring and drinking easy. However, I really don't like the two holes that are in each tea cup. I understand why they are there but boy do they make the worst cups to drink from unless you're looking to play a prank on some unsuspecting tea drinker.

Although our Fisher-Price set does the trick I wish I'd seen this Tea Set from Green Toys first. Recycled milk containers never looked sassier.

However, if I were rich I'd spare no expense holding the perfect tea party with this Party Animals Tea Set enjoyed on this Toadstool Table and Chairs Set both sold on the Chasing Fireflies site.

Whip up the goodies:
Start with the tea. Martha Stewart's Sweet Hibiscus Tea is the perfect, easy to brew decaffeinated tea for beginner sippers. Joy the Baker's Citrus Sables and Apricot Cornmeal Cookies are the perfect serious tea party grub.

Dressing for tea:
How about Tea Party attire? Having a child choose a special outfit for tea can be an event in itself and creating a real special occasion. We really like this Newspaper Party Hat tutorial found on Maya Made's blog via CRAFT. These pretty nifty hats use both recycled and renewable resources making it a truly "green" craft. And of course tutus and dandelion crowns (see comments section for great pics of this) via The Crafty Crow always compliments the perfect tea party. Kid style tea party rule of attire is anything goes...sweet and sassy. The sassier the better.

Going Out for Teatime:
If you are in the West Los Angeles area or just happen to be and are looking for a kid friendly teatime you might want to check out Venice's Jin Patisserie. Situated on uber-cool Abbot Kinney Blvd this petite pastry shop holds traditional afternoon tea service with an Asian flair practically all day, every day of the week. For $11 each, kids10 years old and younger can enjoy a tea set which includes "A glass of milk or orange juice, fresh strawberries, egg salad finger sandwich, scone & a slice of butter cake" while adults have the option of three other sets ranging in price from $10 to $19 depending on your appetite. Pleasantly uncrowded, especially during the week, tea is served in their serene courtyard garden landscaped with beautiful and breezy papyrus reeds, a cheery tree, banana trees, large umbrellas and a stone fountain. And because this store specializes in pastries your sweet tooth is sure to be satisfied.

Tea parties brew of tons of imaginative fun and play for kids of all ages. Hot, hot, hot!

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