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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Something Fun to Try: Poetry Teatime
nothingwithoutjoy 10:44 AM 03-29-2016
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.
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Blackcat31 11:14 AM 03-29-2016
Originally Posted by 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.
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!
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nothingwithoutjoy 11:39 AM 03-29-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
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!
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LindseyA 05:52 PM 03-29-2016
I love this idea! Thanks for sharing!
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Unregistered 06:22 PM 03-29-2016
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!
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Josiegirl 02:36 AM 03-30-2016
Oh how cute!! I love that idea!
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childcaremom 02:56 AM 04-24-2016
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!
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LindseyA 05:58 AM 04-24-2016
Originally Posted by 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!
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)
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TheToyboxKids 06:32 AM 04-24-2016
What a wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing.
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TheToyboxKids 06:49 AM 04-24-2016
Originally Posted by childcaremom:
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.
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KiddieCahoots 10:48 AM 04-24-2016
So cute!
I did this with my own children, she's now 30yrs old, although we called it "tea and crumpets"....lol!
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nothingwithoutjoy 07:02 PM 04-24-2016
Originally Posted by 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!
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!
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TheToyboxKids 07:06 AM 04-25-2016
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy:
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.
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TwinMama 12:16 PM 04-25-2016
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?
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nothingwithoutjoy 02:45 PM 04-25-2016
Originally Posted by TwinMama:
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.
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TwinMama 05:32 PM 04-25-2016
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy:
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.
I love it! Awesome! Thank you!
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CityGarden 05:42 PM 04-25-2016
I love this idea and will certainly be adding it to our weekly rhythm!! Thank you for sharing I can use this for both my preschool and my school age dd.

We love Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. I think it is a great time to also add Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes.
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CityGarden 05:58 PM 04-25-2016
Originally Posted by 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?
My 9 year old dd & I have tea daily and have since she was a tot. Always real tea in real tea cups and normally with a wholesome snack.

Teas: We have a ton of tea but often opt for tea by the Republic of Teas as they have a good variety of decaf flavors.

Snacks: We LOVE scones and loaf breads. In a time crunch though I will just cut up some fruit or bake some biscuits with butter.

For tea this afternoon dd & I had Ginger Peach Tea and raspberry scones. (For tomorrow was will have tea with zucchini bread) Typically whatever we have for tea one afternoon will also be breakfast the next day.
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childcaremom 08:47 AM 04-26-2016
Thank you all for the book suggestions. I put what I could find on hold and just got notice that they are in.

I spilled the beans to my big kids and they are so excited for Friday! I went thrift shopping for some special mugs, some serving trays and also found a cute little vase for some flowers. Now to dig up a tea pot and tablecloth!

I checked out the pinterest board... yum! I am off to look for some recipes now.
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nothingwithoutjoy 09:39 AM 04-26-2016
Originally Posted by childcaremom:
Thank you all for the book suggestions. I put what I could find on hold and just got notice that they are in.

I spilled the beans to my big kids and they are so excited for Friday! I went thrift shopping for some special mugs, some serving trays and also found a cute little vase for some flowers. Now to dig up a tea pot and tablecloth!

I checked out the pinterest board... yum! I am off to look for some recipes now.
Yay! I hope you love it! :-)

My daughter especially loves it when I send her out to the garden to choose the bouquet.
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childcaremom 05:13 PM 04-29-2016
Update: We loved it! I set everything up during rest time so it was ready when the dcks woke up and my own came home from school.

We ate our snack and treat, drank tea, and read! I have a 4 yo dcb who was completely taken in by the fact that he got to drink out of a mug!

Thanks so much for sharing this idea. Can't wait until next Friday!
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nothingwithoutjoy 08:00 PM 04-29-2016
Originally Posted by childcaremom:
Update: We loved it!
Oh, I'm so glad! :-)
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