Tea Party Project
Care for a spot o’ tea? Our preschoolers here at Montessori Kids Universe in Mason Ohio can help you with that! We recently participated in a Tea Party project, where we learned a lot, and enjoyed ourselves along the way.
The Tea Party project was a chance for our students to shape their own learning experience by throwing a proper tea party for themselves! Blending the Montessori approach with Reggio Emilia-inspired project work in our Davinci Kids arts curriculum, this project was full of opportunities for independence and practical life skill development, all focused on a fun central theme.
Learning About Tea Parties
Our teachers at Montessori Kids Universe first introduced the idea of a tea party to the children with books and through conversations about mealtime manners. When they found out that they would be preparing their own tea party event, the excitement began to build. We used a paper chain to count down the days to the big event. In the meantime, we started to learn all about tea parties.
Montessori Practical Life Skills
Several Montessori practical life works needed to be mastered before the children could throw their own tea party.
Here’s what we worked on:
How to Properly Set a Table
This work cycle is often a favorite in Montessori daycare. Teachers provided a placemat with outlines showing the preschoolers where to place the napkin, plate, cup, and silverware for the children to practice setting the table.
How to Wash and Fold Cloth Napkins
Our students learned to washcloth napkins using a washboard and a bucket. We hung them to dry using clothespins (great for building up that finger strength) and then folded them neatly. Even if laundry feels like a drag to adults, little kids often love the process of handwashing napkins.
Making and Pouring Tea
There’s no tea party without the tea, so of course, we had to learn how to brew it. The kids mastered the art of measuring out dried tea leaves and letting them seep for three to five minutes.
Next, we practiced the traditional Montessori practical life work of water pouring. Pouring water develops concentration while also targeting precision and fine motor skills.
Snack Preparation
We worked on a few recipes to serve with our tea on the big day. We went with a few classics in both sweet and savory options: cucumber sandwiches, jelly, and cream cheese sandwiches, tea biscuits, broccoli and cheese bites, and sugar cookie bites.
Sensorial Learning: The Taste Test
Before the tea party, we did a taste test so our preschoolers would know which flavors they preferred on the big day.
Montessori early learning includes an entire school subject based on refining the senses. Maria Montessori knew that young children learn about the world through all their senses, and she also observed that they were in a sensitive period for classifying these sensory experiences. Thus, this sensorial curriculum was born, providing an opportunity for kids to do just that.
Our taste test was inspired by this philosophy, but since we related the tastings to a large project theme, our kids were even more interested in refining their sense of taste. That’s the magic of blending Montessori philosophy with the Reggio Emilia project-based approach.
The Big Day
When the day for our tea party finally arrived, our kids were ready to make it a success. We dressed in our fancy clothes and used our best manners while sipping tea and munching on snacks. Everyone enjoyed themselves!
Bringing It Home
Parents can build upon our students’ blossoming skills at home. We encourage you to involve your child in whatever housework and meal preparation you can. Let them fold napkins and small towels out of the wash, sort and put away clean utensils, and prepare their own simple snacks.
Table manners also translate well to the home environment. You will find that kids who attend Montessori daycare are very capable of behaving properly at the table, so long as you hold them to that expectation!
Montessori is for everyone. If you are on the search for a preschool near West Chester, Liberty Township, Warren County and Butler County, look no further than Montessori Kids Universe of Mason, where your young learner can enjoy fun and educational projects like this one!
Our professionally trained teachers blend Montessori and Reggio Emilia curricula to prepare your child to be an independent thinker, academic achiever, and thoughtful leader. We accept children from 6 weeks to 6 years old and are open from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM Monday-Friday.
Schedule a tour on our website https://montessorikidsuniverse.com/mason/ to see the MKU difference for yourself!
