Create your own tea party!

Dust off your doilies, pull out the tea cozy, slide on your satin gloves and slip on your best pearls for an exquisite mother and daughter tea party. We’re always looking for an excuse to show off our girly side and what better way than with a fabulous floral fête?

Dress the scene with crafty crinkle wheels in whimsical colours. For a simple and pretty centrepiece, fill a a large teapot with flowers (you might have to trim the stems). You can show off your green thumb by gathering what has sprouted in your garden, or purchase seasonal blooms.

Take a trip to your local consignment shop for vintage-style teacups; offer an assortment of teas to adults and serve younger guests a choice of kid-friendly faves like raspberry lemonade and apple juice so they can sip daintily, too. Select a fancy multi-tiered cake stand to display sandwiches and cupcakes topped with pretty pinwheels. Other typical tea party fare like biscuits and scones (with clotted cream and jam) add the finishing touches.

Don’t send your guests away empty-handed: Let each one choose a teacup to take home as the perfect party favour.

Hats off!

Request that guests arrive in their Sunday best, then help them accessorize: Purchase cheap wide-brimmed hats and let kids decorate them with fake flowers, felt and ribbon.

Pass the teapot

Fill a plastic teapot with small treats (mini lip balms, trinkets, etc.). Have children sit in a circle as the music plays and pass the teapot around. Whoever is holding it when the music is paused picks a prize. The last kid receives the teapot.

Musical flowers

Cut out large colourful flowers from construction paper and arrange them in a circle. Let each child stand on one. Turn on the music and remove a flower. Have each child rotate around the room until the music stops; the kid left without a flower is out. Continue until only the winner remains.

Craft: DIY Pinwheels

Kids will love these pinwheels that double as cupcake toppers.

Craft: How to make a crinkle wheel

Try making this fun addition to your party!

A version of this article appeared in our May 2012 issue with the headline Time for Tea (p. 26).