How to Throw a Garden Tea Party for Kids

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If your baby has a birthday coming up this summer or you’re simply looking for a fun way to keep the kids entertained during the summer holidays, you really can’t beat a good garden tea party, especially if you’re on a budget.

Almost all kids love spending time outdoors with their friends, and when you throw in tea, cakes and cute outfits, well it’s an offer they simply can’t resist.

Sold on the idea of a garden tea party? Don’t know where to start? Check out these tips to help you throw a truly great garden party for kids:

Choose a Date and Send Out Invites

In the UK, it’s almost impossible to guarantee what the weather will be like hour to hour let alone several days or weeks in the future, but it never hurts to check the forecast and choose a date that at least seems likely to be fine.

Once you’ve sorted the date, get the kids to help you create pretty invites. It’ll get them excited for the big day, and it’ll keep them busy with something that doesn’t involve looking at a screen.

Create Your Menu

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As you will know, a garden tea party is all about the food and drinks. If you want to be traditional, then dainty finger sandwiches, petite cakes, and delicate pastries should be the order of the day, but be sure to choose flavours that the kids will like. You might love cucumber sandwiches, but the kids would probably prefer cheese, and they’re more likely to appreciate orange juice, lemonade, and milk than a strong cup of Earl Grey!

Remember to ask the guests’ parents if they have any allergies before you work on your menu. The last thing you want is to make one of your party sick!

Make the Decorations

At least of the day before the tea party, you should gather your kids together and have them help you with the decorations. If you’re strapped for time, store-bought bunting and balloons are fine, but it’s more fun to make your own.

As a minimum, you’ll want a nice tablecloth, a bit of bunting, napkins and perhaps some handpicked flowers to use as centrepieces. Paper decorations are fine, and they’re the easiest to decorate with your own designs, but if you’re happy for the kids to put their own stamp on one of your old linen tablecloths, that will look even better.

If you have expensive garden Bridgman or similar garden furniture, it might be a good idea to borrow a less expensive child’s table for the event or find a nice fabric throw to cover your chairs and protect them from any spillages or damage that could occur.

Plan Some Party Games

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No kids’ garden party should be complete without at least a couple of fun games. If you have girls, letting them make their own fairy wands or wings using ribbons, glitter and other basic craft supplies is a great idea, but classics like hide and seek and pin the tail on the donkey never fail to impress.

Favours

Last but not least, you should whip up (or buy) some small party favours to thank the guests for coming. This could be a nice fondant fancy cake, a small toy or a mini-craft project, it doesn’t matter as long as you try to choose something you know the kids will love.