You’re planning the cutest tea party for your little one and her friends. The fancy cups are ready, the treats are baked, and then it hits you: what are these kids actually going to DO for two hours besides sip juice?
I’ve been there! After throwing more tea parties than I can count (my daughter went through a serious “fancy phase”), I learned that the magic isn’t just in the pretty setup. It’s in having games that feel special but don’t require a Pinterest-perfect craft room to pull off.
Tea party games for kids need to hit that sweet spot—elegant enough to feel like a real tea party, but fun enough that kids don’t just sit there awkwardly. What you’ll find here are 18 games I’ve actually used (and watched kids genuinely enjoy), organized so you can grab what works for your crew. Others use stuff already in your house.
By the end, you’ll have a solid game plan that keeps kids engaged while you refill teacups and snap photos. No fancy supplies required—though I’ll tell you which games work best if you want to go all out.
Classic Tea Party Games (The Ones That Never Fail)
1. Tea Party Bingo
This one’s a lifesaver. I print off bingo cards with tea party items—teacups, cookies, fancy hats, sugar cubes. Instead of numbers, kids look for pictures. You call out items, and they mark their cards. First to get five in a row wins a small prize (I use hair clips or stickers).
What makes it work: Zero skill required. Even shy kids can play without feeling put on the spot.
2. Musical Teacups
Think musical chairs, but fancier. Set up teacups (or printed paper cup pictures) in a circle. Play classical music or instrumental versions of Disney songs. When the music stops, kids sit by the nearest cup. Remove one cup each round.
Pro tip: Use plastic cups. I learned this the hard way when my daughter’s friend knocked over my actual china teacup during round three.
3. Guess the Tea Flavor
Fill small cups with different flavored drinks (apple juice for “apple tea,” grape juice, and chocolate milk as “chocolate tea”). Blindfold kids one at a time and have them guess flavors. The competitive kids go nuts trying to get them all right.
Printable Games (Because We Love Easy)
4. Tea Party Word Search
Download a tea party-themed word search. Kids hunt for words like “scones,” “sugar,” “fancy,” and “saucer.” It’s quiet, it takes 10 minutes, and parents love anything that involves kids sitting still.
Where to find them: A quick search for “free tea party word search printable” gives you dozens of options. Print enough for each kid plus a few extras.
5. Color the Teacup Pages
Printable coloring sheets with fancy teacup designs. I set these out with markers and let kids color while they wait for the party to start. Some kids will spend the entire party coloring, and honestly? That’s fine. They’re happy.
6. Tea Party I Spy Game
Print sheets with tiny tea party illustrations. Kids search for specific items—”Can you find 3 tea bags? 2 sugar cubes?” This one’s gold for kids who finish other activities early.
7. Tea Party Scavenger Hunt List
Give kids a printable checklist: “Find something pink. Find something that smells good. Find something round.” They run around collecting items to bring back to the tea table. The chaos is part of the fun.
Active Games (For When They Get Wiggly)
8. Pass the Teapot
Like hot potato, but with a toy teapot. Kids sit in a circle, pass the teapot while music plays. When music stops, whoever’s holding it is “out” (or wins a point—I don’t love elimination games for young kids).
9. Freeze Tea Dance
Play music. Kids dance like they’re at a fancy ball (encourage twirls and curtsy moves). When music stops, everyone freezes in a “fancy” pose. Anyone who moves is out.
My kids went absolutely wild for this one. The poses they come up with are hilarious.
10. Teacup Stack Relay
Divide kids into teams. Each team gets plastic teacups. They race to stack them in a pyramid, then unstack them without knocking them over. First team done wins.
Fair warning: This gets LOUD. Save it for outdoor parties or when you don’t care about noise.
Creative & Crafty Games
11. Decorate Your Own Cookie
Set out sugar cookies, frosting, and sprinkles. Let kids decorate their own treats. It’s technically an activity, but they’re SO focused that it counts as a game in my book.
12. Design a Tea Party Hat
Give kids plain paper crowns or small straw hats. Provide stickers, fake flowers, ribbons, and glue. They decorate their hats and wear them during the party. This doubles as both activity and costume.
13. Tea Party Mad Libs
Print tea party-themed Mad Libs. Kids take turns calling out nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Then you read the hilarious results. Older kids (7+) think this is hysterical.
Quiet Games (For Wind-Down Time)
14. Tea Party Memory Game
Print two sets of tea party pictures (teacups, teapots, cookies). Place face down. Kids take turns flipping two cards to find matches. Classic game, tea party twist.
15. Storytelling Circle
Kids sit in a circle. Start a tea party story: “Once upon a time, a princess invited everyone to tea…” Each kid adds one sentence. Stories get weird. Kids find it funny.
16. Tea Party Etiquette Challenge
Teach kids “fancy” manners (pinky up, small sips, saying “please pass the sugar”). Then quiz them gently while serving snacks. Make it playful, not preachy. Award stickers for “fanciest manners.”
Extra Fun Ideas
17. Pin the Tea Bag on the Teacup
Like pin the tail on the donkey, but tea party themed. Draw a large teacup on poster board. Blindfold kids and have them try to place a paper tea bag in the cup.
18. Tea Party Trivia
Ask simple questions: “What do you put in tea to make it sweet?” “What country is known for tea time?” Kids raise their hands to answer. Keep questions easy enough that everyone feels smart.
Quick Setup Tips (Because Real Talk)
Here’s what I wish someone had told me before my first tea party:
You don’t need ALL these games. Pick 4-5. Any more and you’ll be stressed trying to transition kids between activities.
Have one printable game ready when kids arrive. It gives early-arrivers something to do and saves you from entertaining one kid while waiting for everyone else.
Keep prizes simple and equal. Hair clips, stickers, or small candy work. Fancy prizes create drama.
The games that require the least instruction are the most successful. Bingo? Everyone gets it. Complicated rules? Kids zone out.
Set up a “free play” tea station where kids can pour water into cups, arrange cookies on plates, and play tea party naturally. Sometimes the best “game” is just letting them pretend.
Making It Work for Your Crew
If your kids are under 5: Stick to simple games like musical teacups, coloring, and cookie decorating. Skip anything with complex rules.
If they’re 6-8: They can handle bingo, word searches, trivia, and creative games. Throw in one competitive game like the teacup relay.
If you’re mixing ages, have a main game everyone plays (like bingo), then offer coloring and free play for younger kids who finish early.
The Games I Actually Use Every Time
Real talk? I default to three games at every party: Tea party bingo (always a hit), cookie decorating (keeps them busy for 20 minutes), and pass the teapot (burns energy before they sit down to eat).
Everything else is backup in case you misjudged your timing or the kids finish early. Which they will. Kids are faster than you think.
The goal isn’t a perfectly planned schedule. It’s keeping them happy, engaged, and NOT running through your house destroying things while wearing fancy dresses. If you manage that? You’ve succeeded.
Print your bingo cards, grab some juice boxes, and you’re set. Your tiny guests will have a blast, and you’ll have time to actually enjoy watching them play instead of frantically googling “tea party activities” mid-party.
Have fun!
