There is nothing like a cup of tea. When I lived in England I looked forward to the time each day set aside for tea and conversation. It was such a nice time to pause and just be for a moment. Of course, being from the South I love a glass of iced tea more than a mug of hot tea on most days. The fall and winter is the exception though because a hot beverage hits the spot when its cold outside. Hot or cold I decided to share some wonderful tea varieties that you will want to try. I specifically chose teas that are not usually found in your grocery store because it is fun to branch out and try really good loose leaf tea.
These would be a wonderful addition to a tea and reading time in your homeschool day. My kids LOVE it when we do this and it always encourages me to set aside the time more often. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. A pot of tea, milk, lemon, sweetener and maybe a a special baked good or store bought treat is all you need. You can decorate the table if you want to but it isn’t a requirement. Often I put a few place mats down and add a candle to make things more special. We sometimes read poetry, sometimes a read aloud book, sometimes both! Julie Bogart at Brave Writer has some great resources for Poetry Tea Time if you are interested. I haven’t used any of them but I love her podcast so I am sure they are good.
If your children are new to the idea of a tea time here are a few suggestions to help ease them into the idea.
- Start small – Don’t expect your first tea time to be like a scene from Little Women with hours of glorious, uninterrupted reading time. You may end up being able to read for hours, but especially if it is new or you have smaller children you need to adjust your expectations. 10-15 minutes is a good start. You can build up from there.
- Talk about it – If this is the first time your students (young or old) have ever participated in something like this it is especially important that you explain the idea first. They don’t have to love the idea, though with enough treats it may be an easy favorite 🙂 but knowing what is coming can help set expectations and make for a smoother experience.
- It is not a one man show – As moms it is easy to think that we need to prepare everything perfectly, do everything required and be everything needed. This isn’t ever the case really but especially not with tea time. Let your children help set the table, make the tea, choose the poems or book, take turns reading etc. This doesn’t mean you have no say, of course you are the parent and if there are certain poems or books you have chosen or things you want to do, great. Just remember that it is a time to create a love of books and community in your children so give them a part.
- Simple is good – Don’t feel the need to create a British Afternoon Tea in order to have tea time with your kids. Sometimes it is fun to go all out and really make things special but I find that when our day is headed out of control and everyone is on edge, read aloud and tea (or hot chocolate) is just the thing. If I needed to set out a grand tea – it would never get done! Most days we don’t have a baked good during tea time because I don’t have one ready. That doesn’t stop me from enjoying the time! One thing I always do is allow the kids to use real tea cups or mugs. I have a little collection of pretty tea cups and mugs that I have found at estate sales, antique stores, thrift stores, TJ Max, Tuesday Morning and Homegoods. I find them all over! They add a touch of beauty in a really simple way and its special because the kids don’t get to use them at other times.
- Invite friends – In my home we have tea time and read aloud as a part of our day but you can make it whatever you want. If you want to make it a weekly get-together and invite friends – do it! This would be a great opportunity to talk about table manners. You and some friends could take turns hosting. You could do themes based on the time of year, historical time periods, the book you are reading, an artist…the sky is the limit!
On to the tea. I am focusing on Fall inspired teas only in this post. I plan to do a Winter Faves in the future. These are listed in no particular order.
Pumpkin Chai – Davids Tea is sold across the USA and Canada but I don’t have a store near me so I order online. Check and see if you have a store near you so you can go smell all the yummy tea. This Pumpkin Chai is a bestseller. It does contain black tea so it has a moderate amount of caffeine (that might be good for a tired mama!) Bonus – when you order you get FREE samples!!
Firefly Chai – An herbal (caffeine free) option from Mountain Rose Herbs, this Chai is yummy and just has fall written all over it. Just look at those cardamom pods! Bonus -Mountain Rose Teas are certified organic and Kosher.
S’mores Chai – How can I not mention a tea that is called s’mores chai!! This Davids tea is so clever. It does contain sugar and corns syrup however so if you have allergies to either of those this isn’t a good choice for you. If you don’t – I see so many fun themed tea times with this yummy beverage. This is also their #1 bestseller.
Pumpkin Pie Tea – This blend is a favorite in our home. It has a Red Rooibos base which makes it caffeine free – I don’t like giving my kiddos caffeine! Bulk Herb Store carries it online at a reasonable price. Certified Organic.
Gold Mountain Spiced Rooibos – I first tried this tea while visiting Tea Madame Tea Shop in Washington State. I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. After finishing my sample I bought some and have been saving it for fall. When I run out, I plan to order some more. You can place an order by phone or snail mail. Totally yummy!
Apple Pie Tea – Another Bulk Herb Store blend, this tea is already pre-sweetened with stevia leaf so be careful about adding too much honey. It is so delicious and definitely a favorite of my children. Certified Organic.
Harvest Tin – Fans of Republic of Tea will love this trio of fall options. You can purchase online and earn points if you join their club or maybe your local store will carry it. Either way it is a great option for trying several blends.
Harvest Apple Spice – This Rooibos blend is one of the top rated seasonal teas from Tea Forte. You can order it on its own or as part of a tea chest collection. If you sign up to be on their mailing list you get 15% off. Free shipping on orders $25+
Pumpkin Spice Gingerbread – This is a perfect tea to bridge the Fall to Winter gap. Adagio teas are only available to most of us (unless you live in Illinois) online but they are great quality and their samples are fantastic! Most samples make 3-5 cups of tea!
Let me know which ones you try!
I’m so excited about this post! I love tea time in our home and am wanting to incorporate it more intentionally. And I am glad for these tea recommendations!
Tea time is a sanity saver for me! It takes some adjustment but I bet your kids won’t take long at all to love it!