Teach Kids Manners with a Tea Party Snacktime

Do your kids like tea parties? Our family often enjoys tea parties for lunch, snack, and just for fun! When we aren’t having a tea party, my girls are asking to have a kids’ tea party. Tea parties are also a great way to teach kids polite manners and table etiquette in a fun setting. The polite manners you teach your kids can impact how they interact at school and friends’ houses too. These tips can help your little miss or mister learn polite manners and important friendship building skills. A gorgeous Tinseltot tea party mat provided the perfect space for our tea party!

Say Please and Thank You

Teach kids to always say “Please” and “Thank you” when asking for snacks and receiving treats. Please and Thank you goes a long way in showing respect to adults and encouraging a polite experience when playing with friends. You can practice polite manners during your tea party and explain that these manners also apply when playing with toys, sharing craft supplies, and asking for privileges at home or school.

Teach Your Kids to Ask Questions about Each Other

Friendly conversation can be encouraged by asking questions. Kids can practice asking their siblings questions that create friendly chatter and help them build their relationships. Example questions and kids’ conversation starters could include:

How is your day going?
What was your favorite activity today?
What’s your favorite snack?
Which is your favorite color and why?

We love having tea parties outside when the weather allows. This Tinseltot tea party play mat is a perfect spot for a lovely afternoon snack. We regularly enjoy pink lemonade, pretzels and crackers, apples and bananas, fruit snacks, chocolate chips, and cookies at our tea parties. You can likely find an easy tea party snack in your kitchen. I like to use colorful trays and small dishes for our tea parties.

Tinseltot Tea Party Mat

A Tinseltot kids’ play mat transforms any area into a magical play space at the the drop of a mat! This whimsical tea party design features sweet hand drawn illustrations that capture the spirit of a far away land. Use as a play mat or enjoy a tea party complete with drinks and snacks!

I found this play mat easy to spot clean after our tea parties, although it is also machine washable. The 100% polyester material is sturdy and well made, allowing for many hours of play without worrying about kids damaging their play mat.  We’ve used our play mat outside so far but this Tinseltot play mat can also slip over a rug for convenient indoor use. I love the soft colors and gorgeous details, complete with place settings, flowers, and more!

Practice Tea Party Manners

Polite habits for a tea party include sitting still, sipping carefully, sharing snacks, and asking for permission to pour more tea (or lemonade).

Sitting still – Kids can sit on the ground with legs crossed or folded and stay seated during the tea party. If sitting in chairs, kids can sit on their bottoms and stay seated throughout the tea party. We are working on sitting still because my 3-year-old constantly gets up, resulting in spilled drinks and half-eaten meals or snacks.

Sipping carefully – Fill your kids’ cups with a yummy beverage; tea if they like that or a kid-friendly drink such as lemonade or juice. Kids can practice holding their tea cups and sipping carefully. We use real tea cups for our tea party and I emphasize that the kids should hold their tea cups carefully and gently place them back on the saucers.

Sharing snacks – Don’t let kids horde all the treats. Practice passing a plate of snacks and allow each child to pick a few treats. Tea parties should be fun for everyone, including the youngest children.

Tea parties are a fun way to enjoy an afternoon snack and spend time together as a family!

Other Ways to Make Tea Parties Fun

Kids can help set up the tea party, choose tasty snacks, and even decorate the tea party! If it’s warm weather you may be able to pick flowers from your yard.

After our tea party my girls got the idea to try and gather the first of our fallen leaves and jump in them! I love doing creative activities that help my girls create memories and strengthen their relationship as sisters.

A tea party can be a fun play date or activity to fill an afternoon! Plus it’s an excuse for me to sit down amidst busy mommy life, teach my kids some interactive manners, and watch my kids play!

Katie Wallace

Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 4 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist, and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!