Poetry Valenteatime

Prepare for a little poetry teatime in February!

Hello Friends of February!

It’s nearly Valentine’s Day. If you want to shift the energy in your home from recalcitrance and curmudgeonliness (I’m picturing grumpy faces, in other words), the surefire breathe-life-into-kids mechanism is…. Poetry Teatime! Pair it with pink and red hearts (and maybe an igloo) and watch the life come roaring back into your homeschool.

I know, I know.

Most of you (nearly all?) have put together poetry teatimes over the years. But when was the last time you indulged? Has it fallen to the back burner? Let’s turn that right around!

Poetry Teatime is delight-driven and leads to two key experiences that help you sustain your homeschool commitment and joy.

1. Your kids love it because: treats. They want the snacks, the candles, the center piece, the table cloth, the tea cups. They’re interested because of the accessories.

2. You love it because: poetry. Poetry is one of those prestige subjects that makes you feel better about your homeschooling efforts. If you read poetry with your children, you know you got something educational done that day.

As you enter February, now’s the time to turn your kids loose to prepare a poetry teatime themed with love for you! Rather than tasking yourself with throwing the party, put your kids in charge (even tiny ones can help).

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Quick Directions for Poetry Teatime

• Gather a stack of poetry books (the library has lots!).

• Decorate a table for tea, including a teapot (whatever liquid you choose, serve it from the teapot because that’s what makes it magical).

• Prepare a yummy snack.

• Read poems to each other while you sip and munch! (Let littles pick poems by illustration and you can read their choices aloud for them.)

• Enjoy the time—no analysis needed. See other ideas below.

Books and Poetry about Valentine’s Day

Here’s a list of Valentine’s Day poetry books for young children that you might enjoy:

• Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman

• The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson

• I Love You Bushel and a Peck by Frank Loesser

• My Heart Is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

• It’s Valentine’s Day by Jack Prelutsky

• If You'll Be My Valentine by Cynthia Rylant

• The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh and Judi Abbot

• Mouse’s First Valentine by Lauren Thompson

• Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

• Woof: A Love Story by Sarah Weeks

Write a Poem

One of the easiest poetic forms is the acrostic poem. Pick one of the following words, write it letter by letter down the lefthand side of the page, and then fill it in with single words that either form a sentence or simply describe Valentine’s Day or the word itself.

• LOVE

• VALENTINE

• HEART

Treats

• Make your favorite sugar cookies, cut them into heart shapes, and let the kids decorate them with red, pink, and white sprinkles.

• Fill a teacup or two with Valentine's Day candies.

• Steep cranberry, pomegranate, cherry, or other pink-tinted teas. These will make your teatime look especially festive!

• Use sugar cubes and tongs to sweeten the tea. Pure delight!

• If you don’t want to go to the work of making a batch of cookies, you can use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut mini-sandwiches in the shape of hearts.

• Red, white, and pink candles and napkins complete the look!

Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

Happy Valentines Day!

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We love to see it!

The power of Poetry Teatime (Tuesday Tea Time!) came home to me earlier this week when Suzanne shared her story.

Hello Julie,

I just want you to know what an inspiration Brave Writer was to my homeschooling adventures. I homeschooled for 12 years and used probably all the Brave Writer curriculum. One favorite part of their schooling was Tea Time Tuesday.

Religiously, I would brew tea, make cookies and everyone would gather around the table to read poetry that they had either wrote or found in my poetry books. I would also end the time with a reading of Shakespeare. It was some of the sweetest time of our homeschooling journey.

Fast forward today, and one of my daughters graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Secondary English Education with an Endorsement in English as a Second Language and a TESOL Certificate. She has started a poetry club at school and you guessed it, it’s called Tea Time Tuesday. She brews tea for the kids, has snacks, and they study a certain genre of poetry each week. Even though my days of homeschooling are over, Tea Time Tuesday lives on!

Thank you for your curriculum, your classes and the vast knowledge of writing that Brave Writer brings to families.

Sincerely,

Suzanne

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