Something Fun to Try: Poetry Teatime

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Just had to share this wonderful routine that we've added this year, and have fallen in love with. It's one of our favorite parts of our week: poetry teatime.

I got the idea from Julie Bogart, of Bravewriter (a writing program for homeschoolers). She's launched a new website just today, explaining poetry teatime.

We do ours on Monday afternoons. But I recently threw in a surprise extra one to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, which you can see here--the kids loved it!

edited to add: re-reading, I realize this sounds like an ad. It's not! I'm just so thrilled with our new routine, and thought others might want to try, too. Though Bravewriter does sell products, poetry teatime is not a product--it's something anyone can do for free. I am not affiliated with Bravewriter, just a fan.

[Blackcat31]

Just had to share this wonderful routine that we've added this year, and have fallen in love with. It's one of our favorite parts of our week: poetry teatime.

I got the idea from Julie Bogart, of Bravewriter (a writing program for homeschoolers). She's launched a new website just today, explaining poetry teatime.

We do ours on Monday afternoons. But I recently threw in a surprise extra one to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, which you can see here--the kids loved it!

edited to add: re-reading, I realize this sounds like an ad. It's not! I'm just so thrilled with our new routine, and thought others might want to try, too. Though Bravewriter does sell products, poetry teatime is not a product--it's something anyone can do for free. I am not affiliated with Bravewriter, just a fan.

Oh my! That is one of THE cutest idea's I've seen lately!!!

How adorable! What a neat way for the kids to take interest in poetry and I bet even your little gentlemen look forward to Monday tea time!

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Oh my! That is one of THE cutest idea's I've seen lately!!!

How adorable! What a neat way for the kids to take interest in poetry and I bet even your little gentlemen look forward to Monday tea time!

Totally love it. I have some great pictures of a 6-year-old boy reading nursery rhymes to the group, but I don't have permission to share. Super cute! He's one of my most-enthusiastic teatime supporters!

[LindseyA]

I love this idea! Thanks for sharing! lovethis

[Unregistered]

I've done tea parties like you with a real teapot and cups I got at a resale shop. I also use a real table cloth. This just takes it to a new level! So cute!

[Josiegirl]

Oh how cute!! I love that idea!

[childcaremom]

Does anyone have any favourite poetry books?

I have put some on hold from the library but I would love some suggestions.

I am starting this week with this suggestion. My group is going to love it! lovethis

[LindseyA]

Does anyone have any favourite poetry books?

I have put some on hold from the library but I would love some suggestions.

I am starting this week with this suggestion. My group is going to love it! lovethis

We have Where The Sidewalk Ends & There's a Light on in the Attic both by Shel Silverstein. The older kids love all the funny poems in them. I have a couple random collections of children's nursery rhyme books and a book with all the classic Winnie The Pooh stories and poems. That's it. I would love to add to my collection as we do this more and more. (we've only had Poetry tea time 3 times so far)

[TheToyboxKids]

What a wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing.

[TheToyboxKids]

Does anyone have any favourite poetry books?

I have several poetry books that were my grandma's and mom's (both were teachers). They are my personal favorites.

I also like:

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
Favorite Poems Old and New by Helen Ferris
The Complete Poems Of Winnie-The-Pooh by A. A. Milne
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky

Anything by Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle.

[KiddieCahoots]

So cute!
I did this with my own children, she's now 30yrs old, although we called it "tea and crumpets"....!

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Does anyone have any favourite poetry books?

I have put some on hold from the library but I would love some suggestions.

I am starting this week with this suggestion. My group is going to love it! lovethis

We love so many!! Here are some of our favorites.
Also,
I am not allowed to set the table without the Mary Englebreit Mother Goose book; my oldest kids like to "read" aloud from that one themselves and insist on it.
They also always want "Falling Up" by Shel Silverstein.
I could read A.A. Milne's poetry every day and never tire of it.

So glad you're giving it a try!

[TheToyboxKids]

I am not allowed to set the table without the Mary Englebreit Mother Goose book; my oldest kids like to "read" aloud from that one themselves and insist on it.

This looks like such a cute book. I just added this and several other Mary Engelbreit books to my amazon wishlist.

[TwinMama]

Omg...I am so doing this when my school aged kids are here in the summer.

What do you serve for tea and snack? Or us it just play?

[nothingwithoutjoy]

What do you serve for tea and snack? Or us it just play?

No, it's real--the tea and treats are what's so enticing to the kids.

Tea: anything herbal. My kids' favorites are "Throat Coat," "Licorice Spice," and Peach. We once did hot chocolate (though I don't usually go that sweet). We will do iced tea as it gets warmer. Sometimes we add cream, sometimes just as is.

Treats: I have really bent my feeding-kids rules on this one. I decided to let loose and go with treats, though I'm usually the no-sugar teacher. (So crazy--I do muffins for birthdays, but treats for poetry teatimes! But I decided the treats make them adore the poetry, whereas birthdays they love anyway.) We often do popovers with jam; it's one of my daughter's favorites. Sometimes savory things, like little tea sandwiches. But often sweeter things that I wouldn't usually do--today it was pear-cranberry-pecan bread from the bakery and ginger snaps. You can do anything you want, as long as it has an air of "specialness" about it. The kids went crazy the day I made them tangerine snails. I normally do pretty plain snacks, so anything "cute" is special.

Here's my pinterest board where I've been keeping ideas and recipes.

Here and here and here are some pictures of our poetry teatimes.