Tips for an Easy {and Successful} Poetry Teatime
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Early in my homeschool adventure, I heard Julie Bogart speak at a homeschool conference. One of the things she mentioned was hosting frequent poetry teatimes for her family. I immediately loved this fun idea!
It sounded like such a cozy way to help create a love of poetry.
I was intrigued, but skeptical.
Would my rambunctious little boy really sit still to listen to poetry?
I was intrigued, but skeptical.
Would my rambunctious little boy really sit still to listen to poetry?
The very next week I set the kitchen table with my fine wedding china, plenty of special treats, and a stack of poetry compilations for children. It was a success! Even my very active 4-year-old son happily sat at the table and listened to poems.
What is tea with poetry?
At its most basic elements, poetry teatime, also called tea with poetry, is just a small tea party while reading poetry. It is exactly as it sounds.
Tips for an Easy {and Successful} Poetry Teatime
1. Keep it small
Everything is more fun with friends, so it can be tempting to invite a bunch of friends. We do that on occasion, but we usually keep our poetry teatime gatherings small. Sometimes it is just my family sitting around the dining room table and sometimes we invite a friend or two. I love it when Dad can join us and the whole family is there.
Keeping it small keeps it from being too overwhelming.
2. Select a day and time and put it in your planner
I take a look at my calendar and try to find a chunk of free time. I don’t really need more than an hour for the tea, but I don’t want to rush. Poetry teatime is a time to relax and unwind. I can’t do that if I am watching the clock.
I like to check the weather report each week when I’m mapping out my lesson plans. If I see a gray rainy day where we don’t need to leave the house, I schedule a tea with poetry. It is a fun way to make a homeschool day feel special.
Writing the poetry teatime in my planner means that I am more likely to follow through with it.
3. Set the table in a way that makes you happy
I like to make poetry teatime feel special so I usually set the dining room table.
A tablecloth, fancy china, and flowers create an air of excitement. The kids know that reading must be important and special if I am willing to create more dirty laundry and dishes! It makes me happy to pull out my wedding china and use it with my children.
However, poetry teatime does not require any special dishes. You do not have to use fancy tea cups if that doesn’t bring you joy.
It is totally fine to use paper plates. I love using my china, but sometimes I pick up cute holiday-themed paper plates. This is a great time saver when life gets busy.
Sometimes though, the weather is too gorgeous to be inside. On days like that, we pack a picnic basket and head outdoors.
4. The treats are important
Treats are a pretty crucial element of poetry teatime. They are what keep active young children sitting at the table listening to poetry.
The treats can be as simple or complex as your taste buds and time allow. Sometimes I arrange platters with homemade cookies, cupcakes, and fresh fruit.
Other times I pick up a few sweet treats from the grocery store.
Don’t let perfection stand in your way. I would rather have tea time with store-bought cookies than no tea time at all!
A few examples of poetry teatime treats are:
- cookies
- banana bread
- muffins
- scones with whipped cream
- fresh fruit
- mini sandwiches
I keep a well-stocked tea organizer and everyone chooses their own tea. Just watch the caffeine levels if you don’t want your kids to be up all night. We usually stick with herbal tea.
Don’t let the name fool you. Tea with poetry works equally well with hot chocolate or your favorite warm beverage.
5. Have a few poetry books available
You will need to consider your own personal audience when choosing poetry. Poems that I would read to a table full of preschoolers are very different from books I would read with high school students.
Most used book stores have a shelf full of children’s poetry compilations. Compilations are a great place to start because they tend to have many short poems. The poems were written for a child audience so they are easily understood. Check the thrift stores in your area too.
We do read poetry collections, but I like to expose my kids to famous poets too. We have read poems by Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, and Rudyard Kipling. These poems are not written for children so they are a bit harder to comprehend. We read and discuss a few harder poems and then enjoy a few silly poems.
Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky are great for silly poems. Nursery rhymes are also a great choice for little ones.
6. Consider using a poetry teatime guide
This past year I started using the Literary Adventures for Kids poetry guides. Each month my daughter has a friend come over for themed poetry teatimes. The poetry guides make planning so easy! There are even holiday themes for a special themed teatime.
Each guide includes:
- Decor ideas
- Snack suggestions
- Recommended poems
I think the point of tea with poetry is to create positive associations with reading.
Realistically, those associations could be done with any book. We read a lot of fiction with our reading lists. Nonfiction and biographies are natural fits with social studies and science curricula.
Tea with poetry gives me an opportunity to expose my kids to good poetry, something we might not otherwise find time for in our busy schedules.
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