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.

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