Poetry Teatime is a fantastic way to break the somewhat monotonous rhythm that can come with everyday schedules. It is a chance to be a little fancy and give everyone something fun to look forward too.
Teatime isn’t just about feeling a little fancy it is also about diving into literature and exploring poetry. I find that in out everyday routine poetry is most definitely neglected. I just can’t do it all and poetry is usually what gets thrown on the too hard pile most days.
What is Poetry Teatime?
Poetry and tea seem to go hand in hand don’t you think? It always reminds me of the 1900’s version of book club. It’s name is quite self explanatory, poetry teatime is where you sit around the table drinking tea and reading poetry and eating dainty little cakes.
The reading of the poetry does not need to be an in depth lesson on grammar or an opportunity to dissect the text but it is the chance to develop a love and enjoyment for poetry. It is more about having fun than actually “doing school”.
I first heard of poetry teatime when reading a post by Brave Writer. I was immediately drawn to the idea as I love the idea of bring poetry into our lessons without it being another lesson so to speak. What I really loved the fun aspect of it. There was no pressure to teach to a level of understanding, it was just simply a chance to enjoy each others company with some good old fashioned fun…and cake.
How to Start Poetry Teatime
There is no need to go over the top with this, although if you are that way inclined totally go for it! There are some rather impressive looking tea parties out there!
Get Your Tea Set
I looked around at different stores to find the perfect tea set but I couldn’t find anything I liked enough that I was willing to part with my money for. Tea sets are surprisingly expensive! In the end I went around different second hand stores searching. My daughter came with me because she was 110% on board with the idea, the boys were not so sure. We picked out lots of mismatched pieces that we liked and talked about the stories that might go behind them. I imagine that a lot of them came from old ladies homes after they had passed on. As a matter of fact a few months later my grandma did pass away and I brought home one of her favourite tea sets. I love it and it has that added sentimental value. I am sure she will love how often it is being used now.
Stock Up on Tea
We do herbal tea in this house but since my children had never had any kind of tea before we went a little crazy on flavours. We had to try a few out before we found what we liked, even then we often end up having hot chocolate. It’s the thought that counts right?
Buy or Make the Food
This may be our favourite part of poetry tea time. My daughter who is an avid baker will help me whip up some yummy treats. We like to do club sandwiches, mini cupcakes and scones with jam and cream. If you look up “high tea” on Pinterest you will get lots of ideas.
If you are in a time crunch or just don’t need the added hassle of making food there is no shame in heading to the store for a box of cupcakes or the like.
Set the Table
Let the kids go to town on this one. Get out the table cloths and fancy cake platters. Send them outside to find some pretty flowers (or weeds like my kids tend to do). They will throughouly enjoy setting out all the special tea cups and saucers and creating a little party.
The Poetry
We can not have a poetry tea party without the poetry right?! Try your best to get actual books rather than reading off a screen. If we are having a tea party I will often assign each child to bring a poem they have written or one from a book that they have enjoyed. If I give them this task a few days prior they are generally pretty good at showing up prepared.
Let each child read a poem and talk about what you loved about it, how it made you feel, what it means etc. People often feel intimidated by poetry because it can be hard to understand. I think it is important to help guide our children through it at a young age so that they can gain a greater appreciation for it and not shy away from it when they are older.
Once all the children have shared be sure to have a good poem up your sleeve that they haven’t heard before. I always find that the funny poems go over best, but also ones that require a little bit of thinking.
Adding on to Poetry Teatime
You could just stop there with the sharing of poems, eating of delicious food and drinking of yummy tea but there are so many extensions you could add on if you wanted to.
Memorisation
Memorising is great work for the brain. It extends it beyond it’s normal capacity and it is wonderful being able to bring up information when it is needed. Kids love to memorise things. They do it for sheer enjoyment. My children can memorise long passages of scripture and prose like nothing else. They love to challenge themselves…and mostly each other. I love that they are filling their minds with quality not mind numbing nonsense.
Once you have something memorised you will remember it for years to come. I still remember in 4th grade memorising a poem about the planets. I can still tell you every planet in order solely off that poem.
Journalling
Sometimes poems will bring up great journalling prompts. Poetry has the ability to make us think about things in ways that we may not have ever considered. Use a poem that you have read to give your children a prompt to write about. You may be very surprised at the ideas they come up with.
Craft
Poetry and crafting are kind of made for each other. Little kids especially love to craft. Crafts add that tactile element to language arts that the younger children really benefit from in order to consolidate everything. Dr Suess is a great author who’s poetry comes with lots of great crafting ideas.
Benefits of Poetry Teatime
Switching Up the Schedule
There are times when homeschool feels like you are just going through the motions. If you are starting to feel like that, slotting in a teatime midweek can be just the break you need. Everyone benefits from putting away the hard stuff for a couple of hours to indulge in some good old fashioned fun.
That break can be just what you and the children need to reset and start on a new more motivated page.
Family Closeness
Any time there is food and talking it is going to create memories. I bet some of your best memories were formed around the dining table. The relaxed atmosphere tends to bring out everyones funny side and opens up the channels of communication. Children feel more free to share their thoughts and ideas in a relaxed atmosphere where they don’t feel the pressure to get the answer right. There will often be lots of giggles and funny jokes told. It is these little things that help to create a family culture.
Creativity
When children are exposed to various forms of literature it expands their horizons. Their scope of what they can draw on to express themselves widens and as a result increases their creativity.
Increased Mental and Verbal Skills
Poems are not read in a monotone voice. They require correct intonation and speed. This is a skill that is difficult to teach but comes with practice. The more poetry a child reads aloud the better they become at this. This carries over into other forms of public speaking. They gain the confidence to speak in front of others maintaining the correct pitch, intonation, volume and eye contact.
Poetry Teatime is a favourite in our home. We love the excitement that it brings into our home and the joy in recreating something that was done many years ago. There is something quite wonderful about returning to days of old, and more simplicity. I have loved how involved each of my children become in preparing and participating. Even the boys who previously thought tea parties were too girly for them. I love how it is adaptable to each family. You can keep it simple or be as extravagant as you like. It is less about the decor and more about the memories and appreciation of good literature.
