Tea Party
There's just something about those little dinky cups and saucer that learners of all ages really like. We use tea parties to expand imagination and pretending skills in the following progression.
- Initial Target: Learner will participate in a real tea party with real food and drinks.
Put your table someplace special and different. Get out the itty bitty tea set. Pour out real juice and put real snacks on the plates (bite size or miniature snacks are really cool!). Enjoy your tea!
- Second Target: Learner will participate in a tea party with realistic toy food.
Using realistic looking equivalents to real food, set up your tea party and pretend to eat. Having your learner do the "pouring" and choosing the food will make it even more fun for them. Enjoy your pretend food with exaggerated eating and drinking noises. Remember to say "Excuse me" if you burp!
- Third Target: Learner will participate in a tea party with imaginary food.
Have your tea party, but now pretend that there is food on your plate, and beverage in your cup, when there isn't any. Enjoy your imaginary food with exaggerated eating and drinking noises. Remember to be polite!
- Fourth Target (Can be worked on at the same time as Second and Third targets): Learner will offer food and beverages to stuffed animals and dolls/action figures who participate in the tea party.
Set up extra chairs for play friends. Encourage your learner to feed the dolls or animals and treat them as if they were real.
- Final Target (Can be worked simulaneously with Second through Fourth targets): Learner will offer food and beverages to typical peers who participate in the tea party.
Set up extra chairs for real friends. Encourage your learner to offer food and be served by friends. Have a good time!