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45 KIDS’ TEA PARTY FOOD IDEAS PLUS KIDS’ TEA PARTY MENU
Here is a list of delicious kids’ tea party food ideas, everything from finger sandwiches to tea cakes, tasty sweet and savoury recipes.
Whether the afternoon tea is for a birthday party or other celebration, these recipes and ideas will have all the kids asking for more!
I’ve put together a quick afternoon tea party menu to give you a framework from which you can plan your own menu.
After you’ve taken a look through the menu, scroll down to the roundup of sweet and savoury recipes that you can use for homemade afternoon tea party food.
KIDS TEA PARTY MENU
Use this list of food perfect for a tea party to put together a menu for your child’s birthday celebration.
A great way to make things fun and easy is to offer finger foods-small, easy-to-eat items that don’t require utensils or assistance for little ones.
With finger food firmly in mind, here is a list of food ideas for a children’s tea party:
1. FINGER SANDWICHES
Remove the crusts and slice sandwiches into fingers or triangles. Alternatively, use cookie cutters to create fun shapes.
Top with sprinkles or edible glitter for an added creative flourish.
2. MINI QUICHES
Mini quiches are perfect bite-sized food for afternoon tea parties.
3. PINWHEEL SANDWICHES
Pinwheel sandwiches made from wraps are great alternatives to traditional sandwiches.
4. SAUSAGE ROLLS
Sausage rolls – whether meat-based or vegetarian – are absolute retro-party staples. There are some scrumptious alternatives to the classic version around.
5. CLASSIC PARTY SNACKS
No kids’ tea party table is complete without some savoury snacks. They are the ballast that helps keep the sugar levels more manageable!!
Grazing bowls filled with crisps/potato chips of various varieties always go down as savoury snacks to balance out the sugar.
I also know many kids love cheese straws and breadsticks or grissini.
6. SCONES
Scones are well-known for afternoon tea parties served with jam and cream. Plus, they’re easy to make! Cheese scones are a great savoury addition to an afternoon tea menu.
7. COOKIES/BISCUITS
Use interesting-shaped cookie cutters for homebaked cookies or sprinkle them with decorations.
8. TEA CAKES
Tea cakes are the highlight of any tea gathering. A French Fondant Fancy is the perfect cake for a kids’ afternoon tea party. Mini Victoria sponge cakes are fun, and cupcakes are super easy to make.
Mini brownies decorated with sprinkles give extra visual appeal and are a great size for little hands to manage.
9. MACARONS
Macarons are a great way to create an elegant atmosphere at a tea party for tweens or teens. With many beautiful colours, they make the perfect centrepiece of a cake stand.
10. COLOURFUL CANDY
Adding small, colourful bowls of treats like M&Ms, and Skittles is a good way to make your party food look fun and appealing.
11. CHOCOLATE FONDUE OR CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN
Kids of all ages love melted chocolate, so make afternoon tea more interactive with chocolate fondue and assorted sweet treats like marshmallows or strawberries for dipping.
This mini chocolate fountain (holds 250ml) is perfect. It has three tiers and a keep-warm function, and I love that it has a tray for stacking dippers.
12. FRESH FRUIT
If you need to ensure something healthy, try making fruit skewers or placing chopped fruit in grazing bowls on the table for everyone to enjoy.
13. JELLY AND ICE-CREAM
Bring back the nostalgia of UK kids’ parties with a delicious and modern twist: Jelly and ice cream using Ben & Jerry’s and fruit-flavoured jelly.
Related: How to host a wonderful afternoon tea party for kids and teens
45 KIDS TEA PARTY FOOD IDEAS
Pick and choose a selection of sweet and savoury recipes and ideas from the list to create an afternoon tea that will delight kids.
SAVOURY AFTERNOON TEA IDEAS
This is a selection of recipes and ideas for afternoon tea party savoury food, finger foods, sandwiches, sandwich fillings, mini quiches, pinwheels, sausage rolls, savoury scones and sliders.
Cucumber Sandwiches
Cucumber Sandwiches are the quintessential tea party fair – the perfect little nibble.
Tea Sandwiches {Perfect for an Afternoon Tea}
Here is a complete guide to creating perfect finger sandwiches, from the best bread to use to the best fillings to include.
Classic Egg Salad Recipe
Here is a classic egg salad sandwich recipe for afternoon tea finger sandwiches.
Veggie Pinwheels
These little vegetable pinwheels are perfect for a kids' afternoon tea party.
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels with Puff Pastry
These easy ham and cheese pinwheels are made with puff pastry and are a real kid-pleaser.
Smoked Turkey Pinwheels recipe
These pinwheels are made with fresh herb cream cheese, smoked turkey, baby spinach and some grated cheddar cheese.
Taco Pinwheels
Taco Pinwheels are going to steal the show at afternoon tea!
Mary Berry cheese scones | Easy recipe
This is a Mary Berry cheese scone recipe, it has to be the ultimate, savoury afternoon tea scone recipe.
Easy Savory Scones
This savoury scones recipe is with cheese and chives, and they have the most mouthwatering flavour.
Irish Cheddar Cheese Scones with Scallions
Irish Cheddar Cheese Scones are savoury buttermilk scones brimming with pockets of melty Irish cheddar cheese and fragrant fresh scallions.
Pizza Cupcakes
How about these pizza cupcakes for little handheld pizzas perfect for kid-sized hands?
Zucchini/Courgette Slice Recipe
This classic Aussie dish is easy to make, incredibly yummy and super versatile. It brings a little variety to an afternoon tea platter of savoury food.
Mini Bacon Cheese Phyllo Quiches
These mini bacon and cheese bites are tiny bites of deliciousness.
Delicious Tomato Tarts!
These tomato tarts are easy to make and look so pretty on your table. Perfectly sophisticated for teen afternoon tea parties.
Gruyere Cheese Puffs
French Gruyere cheese puffs (gougères) are perfect cheesy mouthfuls for afternoon tea.
Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
No afternoon tea party is complete without Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls. Crispy puff pastry surrounding spiced sausage, who could possibly resist?
Pigs in a Blanket
This classic pigs-in-a-blanket recipe is the perfect party food. Serve them with ketchup or mustard for dipping.
How Long to Air Fry Frozen Mozzarella Sticks
Everything you need to know about making and cooking delicious air fryer mozzarella sticks and the dips that go best with them.
17 AMAZING SNACK CHARCUTERIE BOARD IDEAS FOR KIDS' PARTIES (TWEENS AND TEENS)
Older kids, tweens and teens might appreciate a TikTok-inspired charcuterie snack board as part of their afternoon tea. Here is a roundup of some of the most delicious and visually fabulous sweet and savoury snack board ideas.
SWEET TEA PARTY MENU IDEAS
A selection of recipes, ideas and inspiration for sweet tea party food, sweet treats, scones, macarons, tea cakes, fruit skewers, chocolate fondue, cookies and more.
Butterfly Cupcakes (British Butterfly Cakes)
Butterfly cupcakes are a quintessential treat that was served at almost every child’s birthday party in the UK in the 1970s and 80s.
Fairy cakes with crushed raspberry cream: the only vanilla cupcake recipe you will ever need
These fairy cakes with crushed raspberry cream are so easy to make. At the same time, the raspberry cream and the vanilla elevate them from normal fairy cakes and make them something special that could grace any afternoon tea table.
Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes
These Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes are SO Good, You won't be able to Resist!
Fondant French Fancies
Fondant French Fancies are small delicate sponge cakes with a buttercream topping and covered in different coloured fondant toppings, then finished with a chocolate drizzle to complete. They are an afternoon tea classic.
Gluten Free French Fancies Recipe
This Fondant Fancy recipe is totally gluten-free and dairy-free, Mr. Kipling will be impressed.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes are made with the richest and fudgy chocolate, fresh strawberry frosting and topped with a chocolate-covered strawberry.
Mini Fairy Cakes Tea Party
These delicate little fairy cakes will sparkle magic on any afternoon tea party menu.
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
These are yummy chocolate peanut butter cupcakes with vegan peanut butter frosting.
Cosmic Brownies
These TikTok viral copycat Cosmic Brownies are rich, fudgy brownies topped with chocolate ganache and cosmic candy-coated chocolate bits.
Cake Pop Maker Brownie Bites
These brownie cake pops are a fun alternative to a traditional chocolate cupcake, and they’re easy to make.
Foolproof French Macarons
This easy french macaron recipe includes a step-by-step tutorial and guide to making perfect french macarons.
Macaron Masterclass - How to Make Perfect Macarons | Cupcake Jemma
This step-by-step macaron-making video is super useful.
Chocolate French Macaron Recipe with Toffee
Anyone for chocolate macarons dipped in toffee? Well here you go...
S'mores Macarons
These s’mores macarons are a blend of graham cracker cookies (use digestive biscuits if you're in the UK) filled with marshmallows and chocolate.
Chocolate Tiffin | Easy Scottish Dessert
Chocolate tiffin is a yummy alternative sweet treat perfect for a kids' afternoon tea party and especially for cool teens.
Strawberry Tarts (British style)
Strawberry tarts are a classic summer pastry that makes a cake stand look oh-so pretty.
Cream Cheese Fruit Tarts
These lovely tarts incorporate cream cheese and fresh berries.
Afternoon tea scones
Afternoon tea scones are quintessentially British. Learn how to make the best scones using this tried and tested scone recipe.
Easy Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites Recipe
The traditional flavours of the Boston Cream Pie are transformed into this fun cookie cup that is super simple because it is made with a cake mix.
Fairy Bread Lamingtons
These rainbow fairy bread lamingtons are a marriage between two classic Aussie desserts.
Delightfully Posh Jammy Dodger Recipe
For every UK parent who was a kid in the later part of the 1900s, this Black Cherry Jammy Dodger Recipe is the most delicious riff on a classic Jammy Dodger.
Wafeltjes: Belgian Waffle Cookies
Wafeltjes are Belgian waffle cookies that you will absolutely love. Here is how to make them. Drizzle them with maple syrup or cover them in fruit and squirty cream.
Biscoff Stuffed Cookies
Check out these delicious cookies stuffed with Biscoff spread! They’re gooey, moist and filled with Biscoff in every bite.
Baci di Dama Mini Italian Chocolate Filled Sandwich Cookies
These buttery vanilla cookies are sandwiched with chocolate so you can enjoy both flavours in every bite. This version of these chocolate-filled cookies is made without hazelnuts.
Chocolate Fondue (for Two)
Chocolate fondue is a decadent addition to any afternoon tea table. Provide berries, pretzels and marshmallows for kids to dip.
Fruit Kebabs - Healthy Little Foodies
Fruit Kebabs are a fun, refreshing and healthy treat to add to an afternoon tea party table, they also add a lovely splash of colour.
HOW TO MAKE A KIDS’ BIRTHDAY TEA EXTRA SPECIAL
There are a few things you can do to make a birthday tea party extra special for the birthday boy or girl and their guests.
- Give the tea party a theme – go with a classic like a teddy bear tea party, or give the party a colour theme for older kids.
- Include a DIY activity as part of the tea party fun – set up a cupcake decorating station or have the kids bake their own cupcakes or scones.
- Serve finger sandwiches with fun fillings rather than traditional fillings; think Nutella and banana, sprinkles and cream cheese. Cut finger sandwiches with fun-shaped cookie cutters for added creativity.
- Use fancy cake stands and afternoon tea stands to create a visual feast.
- Make a homemade fruity mocktail and serve it from a fancy jug into fancy party cups or glasses.
Related: Free PDF printable tea party colouring booklet for toddlers and preschoolers
OVER TO YOU
No matter what food you choose for your kids’ tea party, make sure to include something for everyone. With creativity and imagination, you can create a fun and memorable afternoon tea experience that your kids and their friends will love.
Don’t forget to read my post on hosting a wonderful afternoon tea party for kids and teens for even more ideas and inspiration.
Luci is the founder of Mums Make Lists (Est. 2011). Over the last decade or so, she has used her experience as a mum to create useful guides to organising family life. During that time, she has found the most joy in creating lists of ideas and inspiration to make it easier for busy parents to plan and host kids’ parties and find great gifts. Read more.