Planning a tea party is often a big occasion for children. They get to prepare the decorations, set the table, plan the menu, and invite their favourite. They’re in charge of everything, and their imagination can create a story of how the tea party will go. 

As parents, we should encourage this ceremony and help keep the magic alive for as long as possible. Today, we’ll explore several pretend tea party ideas for kids and their very important guests. 

Choosing the guest list

The guest list is the most important aspect of any tea party. Ask your child who’s invited and create little name cards for each person’s seat. 

Soft toys make excellent tea party guests. They’re always available, never decline an invitation, and have no opinions about the food. Your child can add extra details, such as how their doll prefers her tea or their strong feelings about which biscuit is best. 

The guest list can also include imaginary guests, drawings propped against cups, or household objects promoted to personhood for the afternoon. If your child decides a wooden spoon is coming for tea, that should be honoured. 

Designing the setup

A low table or picnic blanket on the floor is usually suitable for a tea party. Collect anything that can be used as cups, plates and jugs. Tea party play sets can help bring the magic to life, but they’re not essential. Anything can become a teapot with a little imagination. 

Let your child arrange everything on the table, including the cups, centrepiece and other decorations. This is their first hosting responsibility, and they’ll often take it very seriously. You could suggest picking flowers from the garden or drawing personalised placemats for each guest.

Planning the menu

Ask your child what they want to serve for their guests, including food and drink. They can decide, write and decorate the menu. If they’re stuck for ideas, you could recommend: 

• Invisible tea, available in several flavours

• Imaginary cakes and biscuits

• Real snacks found in the pantry

• Fruit platter or sticks

Topics of conversation

Your child might not need any help with choosing what to talk to their guests about. They may already have a range of subjects planned to cover, so you can sit back and watch the conversation flow. 

If they need a little help or invite you to be a guest, speak to the dolls directly and wait for your child to answer on their behalf. This is an excellent way for them to practice perspective-taking, narrative, and social conversation in one of the most natural ways possible.

Possible themes for your next tea party

Some children need a theme to spark creativity and get their imagination working. Possible themes include:

• A rainbow realm tea party: Sparkles everywhere, every guest dressed in their favourite party clothes, and the tea is the colour of vibrant rainbows. 
  

• Mumble jungle tea party: Fruit everywhere, with an entirely tropical menu. Mango Monkey may make a surprise entrance for added entertainment. 
  

• Holiday tea party: Centre the tea party around your child’s favourite holiday - no matter what season it is! Who doesn’t want Christmas in July, anyway? 
  

• The everyday tea party: Sometimes, the best parties don’t have a theme. In fact, they’re unplanned, assembled in ten minutes from whatever’s available, and remembered for years. 

Foster creativity with Dinkum World

Every character from the Dinkum World arrives with a name, a personality, and a backstory. We include these details as an invitation for owners to build upon: your own story that no one else can replicate. 

Touch the rainbow over a Dinkum's heart. Close your eyes. You're already there.

Explore the Dinkum family at dinkumdolls.com