Tea Party Activities

Plant a Pot of Flowers
Best for: Ages 1 to 3

Guests will have a green thumb after this fun flower-planting activity.

You’ll Need:

• Various flower seeds: marigolds, pansies, violas, zinnias are good options
• Potting soil
• Small terracotta pots
• Water
• Newspaper
• Paints and glitter
• Paint brushes

How to Play:

1. Begin by covering the table with layered newspaper.
2. Let the kids decorate the pots their way with paint and glitter. Be careful not to let them use too much paint if you don’t have a lot of time to wait (sometimes a thin water paint dries quickly).
3. Once the paint is dry, bring the kids back to fill their pots (a third full) with potting soil.
4. Plant the seeds in the soil.
5. Send the children home with the pots and let them enjoy watching their plant grow.

 

Teacup Egg Race
Best for: Ages 3 to 5

Don’t let the egg spill from the teacup as party-goers race to cross the finish line first.

You’ll Need:

• Small teacups or espresso cups
• A large outdoor space for kids to run around
• Hard-boiled eggs

How to Play:

1. Before the guests arrive, hard-boil enough eggs for everyone at the party (or more, depending on the number of rounds), as well as some extras.
2. Once each kid has a cup and an egg, have them line up.
3. Have the kids place the eggs across the tops of the cups, so there is a chance the egg could roll off the cup (don’t just place inside as that would be too easy). Have them place their other arm behind their backs.
4. When you yell go, the children will race to the finish line, but if the egg spills off the cup, that child is out.
5. Whoever crosses the finish line first with their egg still balanced on their cup and an arm behind their back, wins the race.

 

Creative Costume Jewellery Necklaces
Best for: Ages 5 to 8

Let those budding jewellery designers shine by stringing beautiful beads into a masterpiece they can wear to tea.

You’ll Need:

• Various beads (available a most local craft stores)
• Bowls for each of the different bead varieties
• Cords or string (can be elasticized)
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Paper plates

How to Play:

1. Place bowls of beads out on the table with cords or string.
2. Have the kids decide on the length they want their necklace to be and cut the string to size. Make sure the loop is big enough to get around their heads when both ends are tied together.
3. Have them tie a knot (or help them tie one) at one end of the string, then tape that end down to the table to make beading easier.
4. Give them each a paper plate. Pass the bead bowls around so they can select the ones they like and scoop out a few onto their plates.
5. Once they’re finished beading, help them tie off the other end and tie the two ends together. Now they can wear their necklaces while they have tea.

 

Good to Know: Another option instead of beads is to use sweets. Use licorice laces, available in red, green and purple, as the string, and candy or cereal as the beads. Fruit Loops and chocolate cheerios are the easiest to put together.