How Retro.com: A Child's Tea Set

One lump or two Mrs. Nesbit..?
Few things are as evocative of a female childhood as a children's tea set. It conjures up images of summery days under shady trees and old-fashioned tea parties with dolls and teddies. Children of course, love to emulate the adult world and imitative play is an important part of the learning process. What a pity that when we grow up the innocent pleasure of pouring out cups of tea and coffee has to wear off...especially if we work in a cafe.

Summer Bugs tin tea set

Delicious desert toys

Strangely, in the post-feminine world, adult tea parties have made a comeback. Perhaps it's a recognition of the civilizing influence of a cup of tea in a decorative china cup, a cake and polite conversation. There's something to be said for it.

For very young kids of course, the appeal of tea sets never went away. Little girls (and boys too occasionally) have been playing with miniature porcelain tea sets since the 1700s. Perhaps in the ancient world, little Mesopotamian and Egyptian children enacted a similar ritual with tiny clay drinking goblets. I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Tea party board book

Amazon Tea Sets...