How to Host a Tea Party

A Tea Party is surprisingly suitable for boys and girls of preschool age. (3 ½ - 5 ½ ). It covers ALL functions of development and is likely the very best of diversified activities making it more ‘cognitively-Correct®’ than any other single activity Children can be engaged in. Everybody is a VIP at this event without the necessity of a celebration or one particular guest of honor.  It is also an excellent way to spend quality time with your children as you guide them through each preparation step as they experience the joyful freedom of exercising their responsibility and creative skills.  This is also a prime opportunity for adults to observe all of children’s skills and tendencies that will offer clues to their particularly unique talents and abilities.

STEP I - Child chooses date, time*, place (area of the house), marks it on calendar. Child writes invitee list - for delivery, by hand or by post. Invitations can include suggestions for guests to ‘dress up’** or bring a special “guest” i.e. teddy bear or dolly (Child may want to invite one or two guests to arrive early to help set-up).

STEP II - Child begins making preparations; name-place cards, placemats, (store-bought doilies or ideally, homemade doilies ~ drawing paper with children’s own illustrations, collaged papers, pages cut from colorful magazines, different shape-cuts of wrapping paper, etc.), child-size tea cups and saucers, mini-plates, small spoons, menu of tea party snacks (decaffeinated or herbal tea, cream, sugar, honey, teacakes***).

STEP III - DAY OF TEA PARTY - set table with prepared items ~ tablecloth, plastic covering for table [so children are free to make messes and clean-up with the same encouraging guidance they receive for fulfilling any other activities, because cleaning is just as fun and significant as all other learning and playing functions] - doilies / placemats, spoons, cups, dishes, tea snacks, etc. prepare hot tea in time to be cooled off to lukewarm temperature before serving.

STEP IV - ‘Host’ greets guests at door at expected time of arrival saying “Welcome to my tea party, I’m so glad you could come.”  ‘Guests’ can then be invited by one of the helpers to wait with others in a designated (supervised area) where children can view family photo albums, draw a picture, make a simple craft or ‘dress-up’ with provided accessories for the tea party.  

STEP V - ‘Host’ announces that the “Tea Party will begin now - please take your seats where you see your name”.  Child and parent together proceed to announce the rules about manners;

• "please pass the cream/sugar/teacakes"
• Please stay in your seat
• everyone has to have a time to listen and speak
• "thank you"
• wait until you finish chewing and swallowing until you speak
• never reach across the table

Special note to parents - Manners for parents – Refrain from physically helping pour, serve or clean-up (the purpose of the party is to empower the children to increase their abilities while having fun). A dual purpose is for the parents to practice their cognitively correct verbal direction giving.
 
At this time also the child and parent hosts will announce the schedule of activities to include - other children are encouraged to say “thank you for inviting me to your tea party”, then a benediction or words or gratitude can be offered.

• Children are encouraged to engage in free conversation that can be prompted by adults (ex) “Do you have a pet at home”, “Do you ever wish you had one”? “What’s the biggest mess you ever made” “What’s the strangest dream you ever had”?
• When the children appear to be having enough, it’s time to announce “Story time”.
• - From the moment tea is served 30-40 minutes after the next activity should commence.
• Guests who brought along a ‘partner. (doll, favorite teddy or stuffed animal) can each have a turn to tell the others something about their tea party partner. 
• Children are encouraged to converse as much as possible. Near the end of the tea party, children can be invited to the area they first gathered to write ‘thank you’ notes for the host and drop them in a box or bag.

* Tea party should last about 1-1½ hours at the preschool age.
** Accessories can be provided for guests; fake pearls, tea party hats / cowboy hats, ties, gloves (with ½ of fingers cut off), lace dresses or vests, formal jackets, old ‘ma’ and ‘pa’ shoes.
***’Host’ can make a note for invited guests to call beforehand about any food allergies.