This ultimate list of easy and delicious tea party foods for kids will make any birthday party or celebration one to remember!
Tea parties are a super cute way to celebrate a child’s birthday or other milestones like a baptism or kindergarten graduation.
But, if you’re planning a tea party for kids, not just any party food will do!
You’ll need theme-appropriate finger foods and treats that are perfect for little hands.
To help you out, we’re sharing an ultimate list of the best tea party foods for kids.
From mini sandwiches and tea cakes to ideas for beverages and party favors, we’ve got you covered.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to plan the best birthday parties and celebrations with a tea party theme!
Menu Tips and Tricks
Before you plan your party menu, make sure you check with your guests to avoid any food allergies.
We also suggest selecting a variety of tea party foods so there’s something for everyone.
Little kids can be picky, so make sure there are a couple of different choices for the main course and more than one side.
If you’re serving finger sandwiches, for example, you can offer a sandwich featuring cream cheese and a sandwich with jam.
Because your food selections will be bite-sized, it will be easy to offer a wider variety.
You should also avoid spicy foods and strong seasonings like black pepper.
PRO TIP: Use cookie cutters to make foods with fun shapes!
The Best Tea Party Foods for Kids
Savory Foods
Here are some of our favorite savory snacks and main course options.
From egg salad tea sandwiches to pizza pinwheels with cheddar cheese and cucumber sandwiches with dill, you’re sure to find delicious options that even the most picky eaters will love!
With a soft homemade dough that doesn’t require any resting time, these pizza cups cooked in a muffin tin are an easy lunch box recipe that kids love – and are so useful for using up leftovers!
Mini sandwiches are a great snack not only for kids lunchboxes, but they are also perfect for brunch, party, baby shower or picnic. Ready in 10 minutes, these simple ham and cheese sandwiches are always a hit at any gathering!
This veggie dip is loaded with garlic and herb flavors and pairs perfectly with a variety of fresh vegetables. This vegetable dip takes just 5 minutes to make and is great for parties and potlucks!
Elegant, dainty, crustless tea sandwiches are quintessential pinkies-up party food for a beautiful light lunch garden party, a bridal shower, or a Mother’s Day brunch.
Does your family have one of those recipes that appears at every single holiday gathering? My mini cucumber sandwiches are one of those recipes. With only 4 ingredients, they are incredibly easy to put together and they taste so good! My family says they are a required holiday fixture.
These sliders are the party version of the popular sandwich made with turkey, ham, swiss, and powdered sugar. I've adjusted the recipe for maximum flavor to make these the best Monte Cristo Sliders ever!
This grape and apple chicken salad is a quick and easy meal that features a creamy dressing, delicious fruit, savory chicken, and an extra special crunch. It's the best chicken salad recipe ever!
Try this awesome twist on the classic egg salad: Avocado Egg Salad with Ham. The avocado adds a wonderful flavor to this salad, and the ham adds a nice texture. This will be the BEST egg salad you ever make!
Sweet Treats
Here are some of our favorite sweet options including mini cupcakes, jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit, and chocolate chip cookies.
Whether you want something super fancy like a tiered cake or something more simple like peanut butter balls, you’re sure to find the perfect sweet treat.
This yummy Frosted Circus Animal Cheesecake recipe is a perfect homemade dessert for a birthday party, baby shower or even a holiday like Valentine’s or Easter. The buttery pink animal cookie crust topped with soft creamy filling is perfection!
These chocolate chip scones are rich, buttery, and moist with hints of vanilla. They are slightly crispy on the outside and soft in the center and loaded with chocolate chips!
These itsy bitsy teeny weeny homemade churros bites – churros muffins are coated in cinnamon sugar and are kind of like a cross between a muffin and a donut hole. One huge difference is these are baked in Instant- pot and not fried. It's a perfect way to use the egg bite molds addon for Instant Pot.
With these adorable Chocolate Chess Pie Tartlets, you can enjoy Southern classic chess pie in bite-sized form. Perfect for an Easter, Mother's Day, or Christmas dessert buffet, a party food tray, or even for brunch!
Without steering too far away from a scone texture, these birthday cake scones have some cake-like elements. Including, but not limited to, tender and buttery bites, lots of vanilla flavor in the dough and icing plus bright sprinkles.
Bite into chewy, fruity bliss with our easy-to-bake Cherry Chip Cake Mix Cookies. These fun cookies are bursting with cherry flavor and chocolatey goodness. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth in a snap!
3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls are an easy, no bake snack that are filled with fiber, protein and healthy fats! Made with simple ingredients and requiring less than 15 minutes prep time, these yummy peanut butter oat balls are the perfect make-ahead snack for busy weekdays!
If you love mini desserts as much as I do, these fairy shortbread bites are for you. This easy recipe for shortbread bites calls for just a few simple ingredients. These tiny cookies are packed with flavor and charm, and are perfect for your next magical party or event.
Mini cakes that we shall call fairy cakes make the perfect addition to our magical treats section. Tiny foods are tons of fun. Not only do they give you that magical vibe, but mini treats and food on a stick are excellent for parties.
Up your Rice Krispies treat game & make Fruity Pebbles cereal bars instead. The brightly colored treats are that perfect combination of chewy gooey marshmallow & crunchy puffed rice cereal with that intense fruit flavor we all love.
If you're looking for a tiny bitesize chocolate cheesecake, creamy, rich and full of chocolate in every layer – then you've come to the right place! This easy recipe for mini chocolate cheesecakes with Oreo crust and chocolate whipped cream on top are the ultimate chocolate cheesecake bites.
This easy and adorable Cakesicles Recipe is the perfect treat to celebrate a birthday or any special occasion! This is an easy cake pop recipe that's ultra-customizable and great to make with kids.
Craving something sweet but don't feel like baking? These edible no-bake cookie dough bites are the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! They only take 5 minutes to whip up in one bowl and taste better than Betty Crocker. Make them dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan with only 6 simple ingredients.
Indulge in the deliciousness of birthday cake cookies! These cookies are bursting with the nostalgic flavors of vanilla, butter, and confetti sprinkles, making them a perfect treat for any celebration.
If you love the combination of sweet & salty, you are going to love these Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies. These are the perfect chewy, gooey chocolate chip cookie with a bonus crunch of salty pretzels.
Everyone's childhood favorite sandwich baked into a delicious gluten-free and vegan bar! Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumble Bars that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, as a snack, or dessert! This healthy bar recipe will have you ditching the bread!
Pink Raspberry Macarons are a beautiful treat, just perfect to make for a Valentine's or Galentine's Party! These raspberry flavored macaron shells are airy and crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. A combination of white chocolate ganache and raspberry jam makes these pink macarons the perfect sweet dessert for any spring or summer occasion!
Cookie Truffles are a cake pop, cookie, and candy – all in one! In 30 minutes, pre-made sugar cookies are mixed together with cream cheese, then covered in a silky white chocolate coating. When you need a last minute sweet treat, these sugar cookie truffles fit the bill perfectly.
These sandwiches for afternoon tea are great fun as they're decorated like playing cards. Best served as part of a Mad Hatter themed tea party, packed lunch or picnic spread!
S'more Cookie Dough Truffles are an easy no-bake dessert candy. These have cookie dough studded with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Then rolled in crushed graham crackers and a dip into melted chocolate.
These PB&J Pinwheel Sandwich Kabobs are such a cute kids’ lunch idea! Classic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are reinvented as easy roll-ups, then skewered together with gorgeous fresh fruit. A creative school lunch box recipe they’ll love.
These sweet and creamy strawberry shortcake truffles are a delicious addition to any dessert tray! Made with real bits of strawberry, flavored cream cheese and Golden Oreos, these truffles are wrapped in chocolate before they burst with flavor and creamy cheesecake when you take a bite!
A mini chocolate cake sandwich in cookie form! These gluten free whoopie pies are soft and fluffy, and filled with a luscious vanilla buttercream. The perfect handheld treat that’s incredibly easy to make!
These tasty and safe-to-eat No Bake Cookie Dough Bars come with a decadent chocolate glaze! They’re so easy to make and perfect for preparing ahead and freezing for later.
Strawberry shortcake is a fresh and flavorful, and this strawberry shortcake cupcakes recipe doesn’t disappoint. These delicious vanilla cupcakes are swirled with a sweet cream cheese frosting. Then diced fresh strawberries are added for a delicious twist on a classic strawberry shortcake.
Bright green vanilla cupcakes are topped with a Kool-Aid infused watermelon frosting and topped with mini chocolate chips. These fun Watermelon Cupcakes are perfect for summer celebrations!
Celebrate the sweetness of love with these delicious Valentine's Day Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts. The fluffy and buttery biscuits are cooked in the air fryer and topped with a delightful sugar glaze, making them a breeze to prepare and the perfect treat to share with your loved one!
Drinks
Younger children may not enjoy drinks like herbal teas or iced tea, so we’ve included a variety of beverage choices for your tea party, including hot chocolate and pink lemonade.
If you do serve tea, be sure to offer a decorative sugar bowl filled with sugar cubes to complete your décor!
If you love hibiscus iced tea (also known as agua de Jamaica in many Mexican restaurants) and love fresh squeezed lemonade, then you're going to LOVE this easy Hibiscus Lemonade!
Cool off with a tall ice-cold glass of Mulberry Iced Tea made with green tea, fresh mulberries, and fresh mint leaves. If you can't find mulberries, make this with blackberries or blueberries instead.
If you've never had lemonade made from Meyer lemons, you're missing out! This recipe for Meyer Lemonade is the best out there and makes the perfect drink for a hot summer day.
This Salted Caramel Cider features warm cider, flavored with spices and syrup and topped with whipped cream. It's the ultimate cozy drink, perfect for any fall night!
This White Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips recipe is perfectly creamy with a touch of cinnamon, vanilla, and almond. Ready in 10 minutes, your family will love this quick holiday treat!
More Fun Tea Party Ideas
Now that we’ve shared our favorite tea party foods for kids, here are some other fun ways to make your kid’s tea party one to remember!
Ideas for Party Favors
Send your little guests home with one of these cute gifts:
Mini tea cups with candy inside
Floral headbands
Rock candy sticks
Elegant spoons
Tea-themed notepads or bookmarks
Macarons or tea cookies
Fun Games and Activities
After you’ve filled up on your delicious tea party foods, try these fun games and activities for kids.
1. Tea Tasting
Set up a tea tasting station with a variety of teas.
Provide scorecards for guests to rate and rank their favorites.
2. Tea Cup Relay
Set up a relay race using teacups and saucers.
Guests must balance a teacup on a saucer while racing to a designated point and back.
The team with the most successfully completed relays wins.
3. Tea-themed Pictionary
Prepare a list of tea-related words or phrases.
Divide guests into teams and have them take turns drawing and guessing the tea-themed clues within a time limit.
The team with the most correctly guessed words wins.
4. Tea Bag Toss
Set up a target board with different point values.
Guests take turns tossing tea bags onto the board, trying to score points.
The person with the highest total score after a certain number of rounds wins.
5. Mad Hatter’s Hat Decorating
Provide plain hats or headbands and a variety of decorative materials like ribbons, feathers, flowers, and fabric paints.
Guests can let their creativity flow and design their own “mad” hat or headpiece.
Award a prize for the most imaginative or elaborate design.
6. Tea Party Fashion Show
Encourage guests to dress up in their most fashionable tea party attire.
Set up a “runway” area where guests can showcase their outfits.
Have a mini fashion show where guests can walk the runway and strike poses.
7. Tea Cup and Saucer Stacking
Give guests a stack of teacups and saucers and a timed challenge.
The goal is to create the tallest tower using only the cups and saucers within the given time.
The person or team with the highest tower wins.
8. Guess the Tea Flavor
Blindfold guests and have them taste different teas.
Guests must guess the flavor or type of tea they are tasting.
Keep score and reward the person with the most correct guesses.
Decoration Ideas
Along with your tea party foods, you’ll need some festive decorations that your kids will love.
Whether you’re planning a birthday party or another gathering, these decoration ideas are sure to impress.
Vintage Theme:
Use vintage teacups, saucers, and teapots as centerpieces.
Decorate the tables with lace doilies or vintage-inspired tablecloths.
Hang vintage teacups or teapot-shaped garlands as wall decorations.
Incorporate vintage-inspired floral patterns in your napkins, plates, and banners.
Garden Party:
Set up an outdoor tea party in a lush garden or park.
Use pastel-colored tablecloths and chair covers for a soft, garden-like feel.
Decorate the tables with flower arrangements in teapots or mason jars.
Hang strings of fairy lights or lanterns from trees or overhead structures.
Scatter flower petals or fresh blooms on the tables for an added touch.
Alice in Wonderland:
Incorporate elements inspired by the famous storybook into your decorations.
Use oversized teacups, teapots, and playing cards as centerpieces.
Hang vintage keys or pocket watches from the ceiling or as wall decor.
Place “Eat Me” and “Drink Me” labels on the treats and drink containers.
Set up a whimsical, mismatched table setting with colorful teacups and plates.
FAQs
What kind of tea do you serve at a kid’s tea party?
At a kid’s tea party, you’ll want to choose drinks that are appropriate for a younger crowd. Try options like:
1. Herbal Fruit Infusions: Herbal teas made from dried fruits, flowers, and herbs are caffeine-free and have a naturally sweet flavor. Some kid-friendly options include:
– Berry Blend: A mix of dried berries like strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry. – Apple Cinnamon: A comforting blend of apple pieces and cinnamon. – Chamomile: A calming herbal tea that is caffeine-free and has a mild, floral taste.
2. Rooibos Tea: Rooibos is a South African herbal tea that is naturally caffeine-free and has a mild, sweet flavor. It can be enjoyed plain or infused with fruit flavors like strawberry or peach.
3. Decaffeinated Black or Green Tea: If you prefer to serve traditional tea, opt for decaffeinated versions of black or green tea. These teas have a milder flavor and reduced caffeine content compared to their regular counterparts. Be sure to check the labels to ensure they are caffeine-free.
4. Iced Tea: Kids often enjoy refreshing iced tea. Brew a batch of herbal iced tea using fruit infusions or blend herbal teas with fruit juices to create flavorful and caffeine-free iced tea options.
5. Tea Punches or Mocktails: Create fun tea-based mocktails by combining herbal teas with fruit juices and soda. You can garnish them with fresh fruit slices and serve them in fancy glasses with colorful straws.
What are the main foods served at afternoon tea?
For afternoon tea, offer a variety of sweet and savory finger foods.
Here are some of the most common choices:
– Finger sandwiches (egg salad sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, etc.) – Scones – Pastries and cakes (macarons, tarts, mini eclairs, etc.)
What’s some store-bought tea party food?
If you prefer store-bought tea party food, you can find plenty of options in the deli and bakery section of most grocery stores.
You may also find options in the frozen food section.
Here are some of the best store-bought tea party foods:
– Pre-made mini sandwiches – Bakery scones and pastries – Tea biscuits and cookies – Mini quiches and pies – Cheese and crackers – Assorted crackers and dips
We hope you found some delicious tea party food ideas for your next party. If you make one of these festive recipes, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
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