It was their first tea party and my first time to host a tea party for toddlers.  A year later, Nora and Sylvie still talk about the “lovely tea” and the “treats” we shared on Grandma’s patio.  Here are my pointers for teatime with toddlers.

Philosophy
Keep it simple.  Most toddlers will not appreciate elaborate, time-consuming pastries or sprawling tablescapes.  Prepare everything in advance:  tea, food, and activities.  If possible, have the tea party outside, as the littles are sure to make a mess!

Teaware
Keep your grandmother’s fine china away from toddlers!  I purchased sturdy, inexpensive, and mismatched cups and saucers from TJMaxx because I wanted the girls to experience afternoon tea.  I served sweets and savories on small enamelware plates.  The feeling was “grown up” for them and no stress for me.

Tea
I served Strawberry-Kiwi fruit tea, which is caffeine-free and naturally sweet.  It is delicious warm, at room temperature, or iced, so it’s easy to make and set aside so you can keep an eye on the kids.  I added about 2 teaspoons of honey to the 6-cup teapot.

Sweets and Savories
I served a few items I knew they’d be familiar with:  apple slices and peanut butter and cheese and crackers.  I also purchased a few pastries that would be new to them, in the hopes of expanding their gastronomic horizons.  Mini petit fours and bite-sized lemon tartelettes from the local bakery were the perfect size for their little fingers.

Activities
I had some small coloring books, crayons, and stickers on hand.  I also played a Disney playlist from Spotify.  They sang, they danced, and their grandmother was surprised that they knew all the words to almost every song.

Takeaway
We had a ball!  Sylive and Nora nibbled and gulped cup after cup of Strawberry-Kiwi tea. I didn’t worry too much about etiquette—I’m the fun aunt, after all!  They occasionally left the table to collect acorns or crawl around on the patio.  They were cute as buttons, and our next summer tea party is in the works.