Thursday, September 7, 2017

Our First Poetry Tea Time



This year I began adding in a Poetry Tea Time into our homeschool. When I heard of the idea I fell in love with it right away and couldn't wait to try it out!



What is Poetry Tea Time you ask? It is a day that you pick to do poetry (or whatever subject you choose to also add) with tea and treats. 

In other words, it is a special day that you take a break from regular homeschooling and make this a special and memorable time for you and your children while helping them cultivate a love and hunger for words and learning. You can read how it all started here. 

You don't have to do tea---you can do cocoa, juice, or whatever suits your fancy. You can make it as fancy or as simple as you want it to. You can even use paper plates and cups.  Since this was our first one I decided to go the fancy route to make it extra special. 



I got some poetry and nature books from the library that will go along with our nature journaling and for the kids to look over. 

The children got to pick and read a poem they liked out loud.  Here is a quick list of poetry books that we used and own:

Best Loved Poems by Best Loved Poets


Here are some of the nature books (that we will use for sketching):






I kept the food simple. My eleven year old son baked some gluten-free blueberry muffins (from a box) and we just bought some Pirouettes from the store. I was also thinking that my 5 boys might feel a little weird having a tea time (especially the older ones) so we also alternately called it 'Manly Cocoa Time' as a joke and let them use coffee mugs. Marshmallows are one of their favorite things so I made sure I had plenty to make for a smooth transition.


Here is one of the poems one of my sons read:




Add some flowers and a nice tablecloth--
and don't forget to light a candle in for ambiance!



I am grateful my children have access to such a wide variety of books.



Another thing I added in to make our Poetry Tea Time special was this Art Brain Box--it was so fun but since this post is already long I will do a Part 2 next week and share more about it then. After we played our Art BrainBox (what a fun way to teach art!), I assigned them to create a dance team to a Christian song--something they like to do that can be shared at our next Poetry Tea Time--they were so excited.

Overall, I think I was really surprised by how much the kids really enjoyed it. They are already talking about the next one and what we will do. I plan to mix up what we do and never have them be the same--I have a whole list of ideas that I can't wait to do with them.

I also plan to have them be themed during the holidays--I am really looking forward to our future "tea" times! I will also try to share some of them here with you in case you'd like to see them or do them as well.


Have you ever done a Poetry Tea Time?








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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Morning June!

We have been doing Poetry Tea Time Tuesdays over the summer months, for two years now! A friend of mine hosts them with several families participating. Tea (hot or cold) is served, along with Lemonade and Goodies. The children choose the poems they would like to read and then discuss them. Sometimes they get quite lively! After Poetry Tea Time, they all head outside for some water fun, splashing around in a kiddie pool and throwing water balloons at each other. It is a great way to make meaningful memories and keep the children engaged in "education" at the same time!
Enjoy your Poetry Tea Time! Blessings, Becky

Anonymous said...

We did that! It was fun and we tried to have one every other Thursday for a school year and each of the four children had a turn reading a poem of their choice or some I had picked. We had a variety of things to eat and drink. A little fun setting for some cultural refinement.

Anonymous said...

What an enjoyable post. This idea is so much fun and educational too. I love the way you set the scene,fancy dishware,a candle and colorful and attractive food. I cannot wait to see part 2. Thank you for sharing this interesting theme.
Marilyn

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Dear Becky,

I did hear that it is great fun getting together with other families--we will have to try that some time. I also love the water ideas during the summer--so neat to hear how others use this special time with their children!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Dear Marilyn,

So glad you enjoyed it--it was a fun day AND a fun post to share!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Dear Anonymous,

Yes, I am thinking every other Friday around here. I do Friday Fun Days so this fits right in!

Anonymous said...

What a delightful post. Everything is so lovely. A wonderful post.
Joan

Anonymous said...

A great idea. Your setting is lovely. Thank You for the book selections. The muffins look scrumptious.
Marion

Lisa said...

We had our first one yesterday, it was so fun! The kids felt so special. We hope to do it monthly. It was a great way to finish our first official week of school. I'm thinking of making each party themed around the seasons and holidays.

Ashley said...

I love your tea party!!!!! I love tea parties in general, but I've never heard of a poetry tea. That sounds like so much fun! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful ideas with us. I look forward to the next tea party post. :)

Love
Ashley
ashleysyarnworks.etsy.com
creatingpreciousmoments.blogspot.com

Blackmom said...

This will certainly be a new tradition in our house...I might even use it as an opportunity to teach good manners and etiquette. Thank you so much for sharing. Lovely as usual!

Blackmom said...

This will be a new tradition at our house. I may even use it to teach etiquette and manners. Thank you for sharing! Beautiful!

Mama to 12, so far said...

How sweet. We used to do Tea Time Tuesdays and I'm thinking I may get that going again. Thanks for the inspiration.

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