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My daughters and I enjoy a good tea party, and a Back-to-School Tea Party is one your kids will be sure to love.
(Post modified on 4/9/22.)
Make Invitations and Plan a Theme
In years past, I would surprise our daughters when they got off the bus, to have the kitchen table all set for a tea party when they came inside. Sometimes, I’d send cute invitations the week before, asking them to invite a special friend, or even a favorite doll or teddy bear.
As a grandmother, I love to host tea parties when our granddaughter comes to visit. I always invite her to dress up and to bring a “friend” whether it be Peter Rabbit, or one of her favorite dolls. She’s pictured here in a sweet Victorian Tea Party Dress that I made for her 6th birthday.
Plan Child-Friendly Activities
No matter whether it’s a big party or a miniature-sized version, it’s always a special time, and we so look forward to our tea time together. Her mommy and aunts do, too. Having a special miniature tea set at the table for the children to play with is always a good idea.
Another great idea is to plan a few fun activities for the tea party. Play Bingo, color pictures, or have everyone name their favorite subject in school and tell an interesting story from their school days. This can be especially fun and educational if you have multi-generations sitting at the table. Think grandmothers or great-grandmas, or even a favorite teacher or two!
Children’s Tea Party Foods
Because this is a tea party for children, I always try to serve kid-friendly foods and do away with serving courses. No child wants to sit through a 90-minute tea party, let alone two hours, so serve everything at once and allow the children to fill their plates as they wish.
Pick foods that kids are going to enjoy, but not too many. After all, you’re going to want them to eat their dinners. I’ve offered several suggestions below, so maybe just pick one or two from each category.
Sweets for the Table
Russian Tea Cakes – These cookies are kid-friendly and one of our granddaughter’s favorites. Share the fun and let them help you make these little “thumb-print” cookies. Eating them is only half the fun.
Easy Lemon Tarts are sure to bring a smile to those who eat one! Perfect for a brunch or afternoon tea party, or simply as a finger food dessert.
Kids love puddings and jellies, which makes these Linzer Cookies with Strawberry Preserves a great fit for a children’s tea party. Plus, you can fit them to your theme by using special cutouts.
Tea Party Scones
When serving scones, you may select a sweet scone, which doesn’t require any accompaniments, or a plain scone with honey butter, jelly, or lemon curd. Here are a few of our granddaughter’s favorite scones!
Lemon Blueberry Scones – Scones are always a favorite to go with tea. Or strawberry milk, depending on your child’s drink of choice. I often serve both, and our granddaughter loves it.
Apple Cider Scones are perfect for a Back to School Tea Party served in the fall when apples are being harvested. These scones are made with fresh cider and large chunks of apples. Serve these scones with apple butter or honey butter. So yummy!
This recipe for Orange Cream Scones with Currants is an adaptation of my English Scone recipe that is very similar, and yet I have been turning to this recipe more and more this past year. My daughters love the light orange flavor, and I do too! Serve this scone with clotted cream, strawberry jam, and/or lemon curd.
A Few Savories
Plan serving a tea sandwich for the party. This could be as simple as Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches cut into small triangles or even with a cookie-cutter to make teddy bear or heart sandwiches, which could be done for any of the sandwich selections below.
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches is one of my favorite savory course selections. This recipe is especially easy and doesn’t use many ingredients. Simple and so delicious. Our daughters request it often.
Curried Chicken Tea Sandwiches – Kids are always hungry after school and this is a great way to satisfy their appetites before supper. Be sure to top them with a pretty garnish or even a sweet pickle.
Did I mention how much children enjoy peanut butter? You might also try this Peanut Apple Dip. After all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Toffee Coated Pretzel Sticks – These little gems are a particular hit with kids. Chocolate, Sweet, Salty and Crunchy. And fun. Serve them in a tall glass container so they stand up for variety in your table display.
Spinach Dip with Veggies – Okay, you have to serve something besides sweets to your little munchkins. Carrots and celery are a win-win combination.
Choosing Teas and Beverages for the Party
Last but not least, choose teas and drinks that are fitting for a children’s tea party. Our youngest grandson (now 2 years old) loves drinking tea from grandma’s cup. As long as it isn’t too hot! But our granddaughter preferred strawberry milk or lemonade. At age nine, she now will drink some tea with us, along with milk and sugar.
When choosing tea flavors for the party, keep your child in mind. Plan on serving fruity or floral teas or tisanes (herbal) over dark and strong teas flavors such as earl grey. And be sure to teach your children proper tea manners while they are young. This will go a long way in teaching them table manners when they are older.
Plan on serving at least one other drink to go with the tea. As mentioned above, strawberry milk or lemonade are good choices. Another option is an icy drink such as Orange Julius.
Orange Julius brings back memories from my childhood. I remember making this icy beverage when I was a girl. So sweet and milky. And cold. A wonderful diversion on a hot summer day and perfect for a Back to School Tea Party!
I hope this gives you a few ideas for planning a Back to School Tea Party for your children. No matter what you serve or how small or large the party, remember to be “young at heart” and have lots of fun, giggle and laugh, and be sure to take pictures if you can!
May you spread the love for tea to those in your household, whether young or old.
See more Tea Party Food Suggestions Here. View more Tea Party Planning Here.
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~ C.S. Lewis
