How to Create a Magical Girls Spring Tea Party

Spring is around the corner and in the homage to the season which brings us beautiful weather and bright colors, we celebrate in many ways. Spring symbolizes new beginnings so why not cleanse or get something new to celebrate the arrival of the season of promise. There are those who spring clean, those who buy a few new wardrobe pieces or plan a gathering. One of the best ways to celebrate is to get together with friends and family; what a great excuse to throw a party!

A couple of years ago around this time my daughter made many new friends at school.  In order to welcome spring, in anticipation of summer vacation and to bid farewell for the time being to her newly found friends, we decided to have a play date Tea Party. This seemed simple at first I would just get some girls together, serve herbal tea or juice and they would play. Later, I became so inspired by the spring weather and all the fun which could result from this little soiree that I started thinking up some great ideas.

We decided to make most of the trimmings ourselves. We started with the invites; if you have a printer and some imagination your creativity can go a long way. I took several photos of my daughter then found a cute tea pot image on-line. I had my sister Photoshop the picture and image together so I could later just glue it onto the construction paper.  Photos give invitations a unique, personal touch. We got some pink and purple construction paper, nice envelopes, a silver marker and tea stickers at the craft store so my daughter could help decorate them.   On the invites I asked each girl to bring a doll or stuffed animal so they could play at the party, everyone loved the idea!

The Table is Set!

At a tea party the table is an important centerpiece. It’s where the guests will spend a good portion of their time. The essentials include a tea set, this you can order online, you can find kids tea sets starting anywhere from $10-100. Amazon is a great place to find one or there are websites which specialize in kids tea sets. If you have time to scour the thrift stores you can find some nice sets there too and other table accessories. Our color scheme was pink and purple so I bought some nice square paper plates, pink napkins and a plastic white table cloth at the party store.   I invested in a lace runner to dress up the table cloth.

Flower centerpieces are of essence since it’s all about spring.  Some tea trinkets – I found a cute creamer and sugar set at the thrift store for $3 – added a nice touch. Fancy trays and baskets for napkins and finger foods are nice too. I also sprinkled little shimmering stars on the table. We placed name cards at each setting which we also made together out of thick paper stock, using a nice silver marker, and with a glittery flower sticker stuck to the corner.

The tea party atmosphere lends to dress up and girly accessories. I was able to find inexpensive wooden fans at a home store which I placed at each table setting along with a goody bag.  One of the most revered items at the party was a headband which we also made ourselves out of some plain headbands from the $1 store, marabou, and artificial flowers all held together by using the glue gun. They girls looked adorable!

Our Headband Creations

The food is probably something at this kind of party that doesn’t demand a whole lot of attention. Children are okay with PB&J and tuna finger sandwiches cut up into triangles and stacked on a fancy tray. Cupcakes however, will dress up the table and kids love them.  I ordered a dozen from the local gourmet cupcake shop in an array of flavors; these can be displayed on a multi-tiered cup cake holder or tray. For beverages herbal tea can be served or apple juice. One thing that the girls really loved were the sugar cubes which were stored in the sugar container I got at the thrift store, this will get them going for a little while but hey it’s all in the name of fun.

Music is important to any party, some Disney tunes from the Little Mermaid and some contemporary tunes by Taylor Swift worked nicely together. I also discovered tea party songs to add to the mix. We played musical chairs which is an easy game to get going in this setting since all you need is already at the party.  I was lucky to have a family member who did face painting; this kept the girls busy most of the time. Other than that they had free play time with the dolls and stuffed animals they brought from home. Lots of dancing took place all in all.

The party was a huge success. I splurged a little since it was my first time planning this kind of party and I wasn’t really sure which items were crucial. I think this is the type of party that can become a spring ritual and a bonding experience for me and my daughter. Since I already have the tea set and the experience I may plan one again but this time keep it extra simple. It’s all in the beauty of the season. Things can be simplified, redone and re-thought; spring gives you that freedom.