13 things about afternoon tea with children that you can learn from Alice in Wonderland, Pippi Långstrump and other literary heroes - Kidealo

13 things about afternoon tea with children that you can learn from Alice in Wonderland, Pippi Långstrump and other literary heroes

November 16, 2023
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Want to introduce your child to the secrets of preparing meals, setting the table and inviting friends over for a treat? Children's books and their characters serve as positive examples. Inspired by their adventures, we show how to have fun while serving up a treat for seemingly and seriously. Get ready for a no-holds-barred ride where only fantasy sets the limits.

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A little something for beginners, or a dry treat

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Remember serving tea to teddy bears... you can go back to the land of childhood with the kids. It's great fun developing imagination and small motor skills. Kids learn by recreating everyday activities they observe in adults.

The inspiration for the game comes from characters from (not only) children's books, each of which teaches something about food and being in or receiving guests.

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1. Why do Swedish brands make coffee makers and cookies?

While making coffee, it's easy to move to Sweden in your imagination Have you ever wondered why? In many Swedish fairy tales and books, it's easy to find baked goods there like cinnamon and cardamom buns. In Sweden, people love to go to cafes and often take a coffee and cookie break and invite people over for afternoon tea. Children are then served juice and buns. Until recently, they mainly drank coffee and treated tea as medicine.

This attitude is a thing of the past, but coffee is a staple drink at parties, breaks at work or as a complement to something sweet. So don't be surprised to find that the brand Kid's Concept has items you'll recognize from stories about the children of Bullerbyn, Pippi, Lasse and Maia Detective Bureau, Ture Sventon or Albert.

Something smells familiar about this Kid's Concept. That's surely because such cookies are eaten by famous characters from Swedish books - the carnival and sweet semla was loved by Detective Ture Sventon. This gentleman, created by Swedish writer Åke Holmberg, could not pronounce "s" and called it "temla". You can play with the wooden seml in Kid's Concept: wooden Swedish cookies Kid's Bistroand playing with the wooden puzzle Kid's Concept: wooden puzzle Cookies Bistro. Note: Because this is a case for a real detective - why are there no semla in the puzzle? Instead, there are: a cinnamon, a muffin, a piece of cake, a shortbread cookie with raspberry marmalade, a roll with punch, or so-called vacuum cleaner, and a checkerboard cookie.

What does the unconventional Swedish detective Ture from Åke Holmberg's books teach?

After reading these books, you will easily recognize what is in a set of wooden desserts. When it comes to dealing with people, Ture teaches, for example, to serve well, especially semls and especially when you really want to buy a certain flying carpet. Ture decided to be more courteous and treat the salesman Omar with a new semla every now and then in order to get him to resell the carpet. Eventually he succeeded.

Incidentally, Ture Sventon sets an example of not giving up and not letting a little difficulty take away your taste for life. Even without pronouncing a single voice, you can be a great detective and wonderfully enjoy good sweet buns, even if their name is a little difficult for us. Ture is also Sweden's cleverest detective!

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2. Why are there exactly seven cookies in the Kid's Concept dessert set?

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If you need something on which to arrange imaginary or toy cookies then take a peek at this Swedish the Kid's Bistro wooden platterby Kid's Concept. You can get a set of seven Swedish cookies right away - Kid's Concept: Kid's Bistro Swedish cookies. Do these cookies remind you of anything? Here's an interesting fact - traditionally in Sweden, at least seven types of shortbread coffee cookies were served (you can still encounter this if you're lucky). There is even a special expression for this, namely "sju sorters kakor". This is the minimum amount. There could have been more cookies, but the types had to be at least as many as the days of the week. They did not include buns or cakes or pies. That's why there are seven rather than eight or six or nine wooden treats in the set.

And if your child wants to bake wooden goodies himself, the beautiful wooden mixer will certainly come in handy Kid's Concept: Kid's Bistro wooden mixer. It comes with eggs, milk, flour and sugar in pouches right away, plus a bowl and spoon. Great practice before real baking!

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We especially recommend wooden coffee makers:

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Children of Bullerbyn

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3. You won't even look at it, and your child already knows how to bake a pie by himself!

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One of my favorite children's books also at times deals with cooking and inviting children in. Maybe you can guess who it's about? One day Lisa, the main character of "The Children of Bullerbyn" by Astrid Lindgren, complained to her mother that she was very bored. Mom said that if she were her, she would bake a pie. Lisa had never made one before, but following her mother's instructions, she beat eggs with sugar, combined the mixture with melted butter and lemon zest. This way she had her first ever hand-baked cake in no time! Mom advised her to invite Bossy and Lasse over for tea, and then Lisa offered the cake and juice to Britta and Anna. In this way she neatly and sympathetically ended a small conflict with the girls.

Not only Lisa, but also the reader had a chance to see that sometimes you just need to be brave, follow your mother's instructions and start preparing your first baked goods. Lisa also broke the ice after a little argument with Britta and Anna, inviting them over for a homemade dessert. Truly great deeds by little people! At the same time, this is an example of a classic Swedish fika for children - sweet baked goods and fruit juice.

You can read more about it in The Children of Bullerbyn. Ndon't miss the color edition of The Children of Bullerbynbeautifully illustrated by Magdalena Kozieł-Nowak) in translationsby Irena Szuch-Wyszomirska and Anna Węgleńska.

4. What is this tea actually

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This is best taught by the heroines of Louisa May Alcott's iconic book Little Women . The heroines of this book for young teenage girls, Meg, Jo, beth and Amy, grow up in North America in the1960s. At their house, the sound of a bell signals that it's time for tea. What is it? It's both afternoon tea and supper, a smaller afternoon and evening meal. The custom at the time was lighter meals served with tea, such as bread, light baked goods, sandwiches, toast, less sumptuous cake, etc. The most important thing, however, was a good atmosphere, which the author emphasized several times. Regardless of the wealth of those invited to the tea party, a cheerful mood was taken care of.

You will learn a lot about the circumstances around tea parties from this still fascinating novel about growing up and becoming a young woman novel by Louisa May Alcott and the movies of the same title. If you want to learn how to prepare such tea and afternoon tea for your children, or test the novel recipes you associate with the pages of the book yourself, we have good news - Znak publishing house has released Little Women Cook. Recipes for a whole year from Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Wini Moranville's book, translated by Hanna de Broekere, contains a large portion of knowledge, a whole lot of appetizing photos, recipes and anecdotes from the novelist's life. The recipes are simple, just right for children and younger teens, and very satisfying. Well, and you will already know perfectly a hundred ways to arrange a tea party and an invitation to a birthday party.

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5. What not to do when you're a guest?

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Since we're already at afternoon tea and coffee requests let's move on to another treat. As we mentioned above, Pippi messed up a bit with the guests. Once upon a time, the mother of Tommy and Annika, friends of Pippi Longstocking, threw a small afternoon party for some ladies she knew. Annika also invited her friend Pippi. The girl, on the other hand, behaved uncharacteristically, to say the least. We love wild children and may look at the scene very differently now, but in 1950s Sweden... believe it, it was no small literary scandal. Being guests, Pippi deliberately spilled sugar from the sugar bowl on the table, the carpet and all over the living room, and on top of that she dunked her face in the cream cake standing on the table, and that's not all!

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And if you feel like reading toddlers more about Pippi's adventures, we recommend the classic items by Astrid Lindgren:

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A scene with Pippi or your own with your dolls can be acted out with this Kid's Concept toy set: Doodle Swedish Cookies Kid's Bistro. In this way, Pippi can teach readers a little bit-what is served to a traditional Swedish fika and how things can go wrong for guests.

We recommend Swedish accessories for cooking fun, such as the little chef set Kid's Concept: Kid's Bistro little chef set, in which you'll also find a chef's hat and potholder. For maximalists, we have an entire large cooker Kids Concept: Bistro Kitchen for Kidsavailable in three colors. For lovers of salty dinners, we have a colorful salad with egg will prepare with set Kid's Concept: Kid's Hub salad set.

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5. What about frequenting and behavior can teach Crazy Tea at the Hatter's?.

If, on the other hand, you and your children want to invite dolls, teddy bears and friends to a tea party, as the Hatter did in Alice in Wonderlandthen everything must run like clockwork. Or at least no one can be late. Cookies should be punched with care. To begin with, we suggest practicing dry. While in Sweden we have been to coffee with cookies, in England we will treat ourselves to tea with additions.

Famous in pop culture, the five o'clock meetings at the Hatter's house from Lewis Carroll's book strongly stimulate the imagination of children and adults. Numerous film adaptations of his novels and the party theme itself are ever-present and encourage imaginative play.

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The parties, which start at five o'clock in the afternoon, show that you should come in guests on time, right? Alice ran after the white rabbit, who baaaally didn't want to be late. To act out this scene, you may need a watch with a devise. To always be on time you can get yourself this cute lamp wake-up light Bunnyfrom Rabbit and Friends Rabbit & Friends. With this white rabbit, getting up is a pleasure. But is it perhaps a lamp from the one from Rabbit with relatives and friends from the Hundred Acre Wood? It already depends only on the imagination of the child.

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And dothey teach something else? Is there something to be learned by reading to a child about this bizarre sitting with colorful characters and turning the scene into a great tea party game? And how!"

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If you remember that the March Hare said that you shouldn't come without an invitation, you can include this element in your scene. On the other hand, Alice responded to prying curiosity by saying that asking about personal matters is very rude. This is a good lesson in assertiveness not only for girls. Alicia expressed her surprise out loud, so she didn't sit quietly while others behaved strangely and rudely toward her. Alice also followed her own curiosity and was open and brave. However, she was instructed not to interrupt, and with this we can agree.

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6. How to prepare a wonderful party or a delectable afternoon tea according to the Hatter?

While Joe and his sisters show a good traditional version of the tea party, this one will be decidedly less conservative. P you need the following:

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Replaying this scene with your children, you can pay attention to some additional elements, such as different sizes of cakes, places at the table, and so on. We also remember what Mouse said, that everyone should be rewarded. You can eat a slice of bread with butter during the tea (that's what Alice did).

This kind of play or children interact, develop speech and imagination, and tame the absurd. Not all social behavior here is traditionally understood as good, but after all, it's just absurd fun. Everyone, especially the youngest, happens to spill something, and in this piece the March Hare does it. He spills milk on the plate, however, no attention is paid to him, and he is silent politely.

Finally, remember: don't tell riddles for which there is no answer ;)

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Unparalleled in the practice of pouring tea can be lovely and ecological wooden crockery. They will tame the beautiful aesthetics and safely teach how to make drinks and stir imaginary sugar until it dissolves.

For preparing delicious tea with children we especially recommend:

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If you're looking for something both for tea and coffee, we know a proven set: Tender Leaf Toys: wooden Bird's Nest Café.

7. What about the food in Harry Potter?"

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I wonder if it's possible to throw a fun birthday party or a party along the lines of the one at Hogwarts? Here you either need a huge spread or a lot of magic. And what about the food closer to Harry's? After all, there's a whole lot of it out there, from gins, cubes, and assorted pub drinks to Ron and Ginny's mom's home-cooked dinners to... a Christmas feast at Hogwarts. The thought of cooking immediately brings to mind Mrs. Weasley, who took care of the whole family and still friends. The lady of the Weasley house also baked homemade peppermint cookies, at the very thought of which you will feel the mint for the fun of cooking. Her homemade plum cake, homemade strawberry ice cream, homemade apricot and nut cake, homemade toffee also appeared in some volume, and it's nothing complicated, but you have to put your heart into it. Yum!

Another memorable dish is the typically Anglo-Saxon pumpkin pie, which you can easily bake in season with pumpkin, and always with fondant. The Little Wizards series suggests comforting names, a humorous approach and will help you come up with something of your own when traditional baked goods get boring.

One interesting way to have fun and eat is to guess flavors. Beans of all flavors can serve as inspiration. You can play with beans (cooked), or jelly beans, or fruits, especially berries. How about dipping berries in different spices or sprinkles and guessing the flavors? E.g., strawberry in cinnamon or currant in paprika. Phew? Well, it's exactly like the J.K. Rowling series. You never know what you'll run into, but it's always fun!

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8. If you cook, cook with love!

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Mrs. Weasley, as you know, had to reckon with money, but she never spared good food, home warmth and heart. She put her whole heart into every dish she prepared. The huge number of people passing through the Weasley house placed high demands on the mistress of the house. More than once she was slightly irritated, the twins played pranks and pranks on her, but she accommodated everyone. Without setting such exorbitant ones, it is worth remembering that the most important thing in cooking is the heart.

9. To host friends, tea, cookies and openness are enough

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This is what the said Hagrid taught us. Very often, when Harry, Ron and Hermione dropped by his cottage, the school usher would treat them to tea and put cookies on a plate on the table. Sometimes he tried to serve something more, baking buns, for example, but it worked out moderately well. This didn't stop him from being a best friend one bit. In addition, Hagrid was unable to use spells and charms, and was a so-called charlatan, because of which he was often teased. This also made him have to rely on his non-magical skills.

And if you want to make Hagrid cookies, a little ingenuity and something to mold the cookies will come in handy. Practice dry first. It may help to Our Generation: Master Baker Setbake accessories. The utensils are essential. Remember that Hagrid was not an outstanding cook and the cakes were hard and compact. Let your imagination tell you what can make them puffy. And what did it teach us? That a best friend is not recognized by cookies, but in poverty! After all, Hagrid could always be counted on, more than once he saved Harry, Ron and Hermione from trouble. Oh, and then there's the fact that you don't necessarily have to tell a friend that the cookies failed. The kids pretended that the squishies were tasty. Let the enthusiasm remain, and next time they will surely succeed.

Great fun can be had inventing Hagrid's cookies. You can certainly bake them in many ways! For toy baking, a mixer will certainly come in handy. A great set they haveMelissa and Doug: Wooden Mixerwhich includes a mixer with bowl, spoon, egg, butter cubes, box of flour, mold, dough, recipe card. By turning the crank you can set the mixer in motion and bah, bah -the dough is ready! Another lovely wooden mixer that we also recommend is Tender Leaf Toys: wooden Home Baking Set mixer - here, too, there is already a ready-made dough in a mold, if you prefer this solution.

10 Slowly reach for some magic if the cake melts too much

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We'll be brief: yes, it's allowed to do that! Sometimes birthdays and guests are just around the corner, and everything is still in the broth at home. Remember what the good fairy godmother conjured up for Cinderella? After all, it's magic, and with a magic wand anything can be conjured. Or what delicious cake the good fairy baked for Disney's Sleeping Beauty? And that's just with the help of magic or just imagination. And if you missed Sleeping Beauty, a fantastic book with moving illustrations awaits you: Entitled: pop-up Sleeping Beauty.

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Some Meri Meri branded goodies that might come in handy:

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11. Sometimes you need a big kitchen, even a toy kitchen

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especially if the whole family wants to cook. If you want to go all the way and let your child spread their wings, you can stock up on something as big as a Hagrid. Well, almost.

Are you familiar with Margaret Musierowicz's novel The Little Man and the Family? The heroes lived in Smietankov! And besides, they cooked quite a bit, so they would probably also need a big kitchen. The heroeshad lots of adventures, experienced holiday love, moments of horror, but most importantly a happy ending and a great victory of good over evil! Yes, children's books should end well. And when they cooked, they cooked all the way. This book abounds with tasty snacks.

Present some toy cooks for kids: .

Tender Leaf Toys' tiny but gorgeous kitchens that even the smallest book characters would enjoy are:

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12 How Filifion saved leftover food

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You will surely associate this peculiar character from the series about MummiesFinnish author Tove Jansson. Filifion didn't like being peeked at in the kitchen, so in her case, there's no getting to know the theater from behind the scenes. What this literary figure taught us is to approach cooking creatively. The various failed results of her culinary art, or slightly stale products, she tried to salvage in every way possible. Lonely vegetables and other leftovers she efficiently incorporated into new dishes. What is the conclusion from this? Well, it's worth letting your imagination run wild and experimenting at play and in the kitchen.

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Well, how about something crazy? Hagrid's hard and failed cookies can be eaten after soaking them in smoothie. You'll make a great and colorful toy smoothie with Melissa and Doug: Smoothie Maker play blender. Wooden fruits and leaves in rainbow colors until they invite you to play. Another interesting dish that allows for many different solutions isMelissa and Doug: Fill & Fold Taco and Tortilla Set for a change, you can always wrap something new - in a tortilla, of course.

13 It's always time for a little something

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This is what Winnie the Pooh taught us - if experimenting isn't quite for you or it's just time for a break, by all means reach for the honey. Pooh's little Coniecowill help us find a reason for a break, even quite early, because this friendly bear "liked to snack his little Coniecoat eleven in the morning."

Once again, Pooh also adhered to the rule that after cooking, gymnastics, cleaning, cutting and reaching, it was time for a rest, or at least a little snack.

After eating, at bedtime we recommend reading aloud to your child about the beloved teddy bear in the classic translation by Irena Tuwim Our Bookstore: Winnie the Pooh. Again, the theme of love returns. The teddy bear with a very small mind had a very big heart, and this is the most important thing when arranging a treat, whether for teddy bears, dolls or flesh-and-blood friends.

We wish you a great time cooking! Also discover our collection Toy Kitchen.

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