Teddy Bear Tea Party -3yr- Sherbert Punch

INVITATIONS: Found an image online of teddy bears at a table with a little girl serving tea and sent the following poem I made up- McKenzie Anne is turning three join us for a teddy bear tea, girls may wear a fancy dress and boys their fine attire, bring the bear you most admire.  We will have a light lunch, cake and tea, so bring your whole family.  Location: Our last name Den, RSVP: Mama Bear Tammy. 

DECORATIONS: I scouted out second hand shops for cute victorian dressed bears and found quite a few at only a few bucks each and placed them around inside and outside of our house in little tableau scenes having tea on different fabric blankets scraps I had in my sewing bin. 

I used my daughter's plastic tea set and placed the cups and teapots just so and little cups with flowers to look like the bears had their own flower arrangements.  Of course I used lots of streamers and balloons.  I cut out Happy Birthday letters and mounted them on large paper doilies to make a banner. 

FOOD: I made pb&j, turkey and cheddar, and ham and swiss sandwiches and cut them into little square tea sandwiches.  Deviled eggs, potato salad, salami, cheese, and crackers, sherbet punch in a punch bowl with the glass cups.  Strawberries, and apple slices with fruit dip. I also got scones from a bakery and lemon curd and clotted cream and jam. 

There were shortbread cookies and Swedish Ginger cookies.  I had coffee, and tea for the adults. We rented a large silver platter from the local hardware store for 5 bucks and stacked the sandwiches on that.

KIDS TABLE: I am a teacher so I used a kids height table and chairs and placed it outside beneath our shade awning.  We hung paper lantern lights over it and tulle.  I used teapots on the table in different shapes and sizes and had juice in them for the kids.  There was a place for each child and their bear. I placed sunscreen on the table for the moms to use. 

CAKE: I researched online and bought the wilton mini bear cake pan.  I made four bears with a bundt recipe and dusted them with hot chocolate mix.  The cake was two 9 inch rounds placed in the center of the bears.  I made the fondant from scratch and colored it to match the party colors of blue, purple and green.  I got a tiny porcelain teaset from a local giftshop and placed it on top of the round cakes so it looked the like the four bears were having a tea party.  I also made cupcakes. 

PARTY FAVORS: I made sugar cookies in the shape of teapots and teacups and frosted them in colors to match the party.  Each child had a matching pot and cup with their name on it to take home and eat. 

ACTIVITIES: We had a butterfly pinata with a ribbon release trapdoor for the candy because the guests were one, two and three year olds.  It was a huge hit with the kids.  We also did bean bags and threw them into a cardboard cutout of a teapot that I made out of old packing boxes.  Mostly we let them run around the play tea party with their bears and the decoration bears. 

VERDICT: My daughter absolutely had a great time with her little friends and the moms and relatives couldn't say enough about what a great time they had.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.