What does summer mean to you? Summer might remind you of running through the sprinklers on a hot July day, drinking lemonade by the pool, splashing up streams, making road trips across long flat farmland, or listening to the ceiling fan whirl and cicadas buzz in the night. Summer memories are so much fun to plan your teatime around. So today, why not celebrate the season with these ideas for a summer-themed poetry teatime.
To get the party started, here are a couple of lovely poems that capture the spirit of summer.
In July
by Evaleen Stein
Let us find a shady wady
Pretty little brook;
Let us have some candy handy,
And a picture book.
There all day we'll stay and play and
Never mind the heat,
While the water, gleaming, streaming,
Ripples round our feet.
And we'll gather curly pearly
Mussel shells while bright
Frightened minnows darting, parting,
Scurry out of sight.
What if, what if, - heigho! my oh! -
All the "ifs" were true,
And the little fishes wishes,
Now, what would you do?
The Swing
by Robert Lewis Stevenson
How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!
Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside—
Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown—
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!
Summery Ideas
Tea
Instead of making hot tea, why not serve some iced tea instead! Try this Southern sweet tea recipe from Love Bakes Good Cakes. Add lemon slices for some extra zest.
Other Variations
- Heather at Passion for Savings has an incredible and easy recipe for peach iced tea.
- Joy Love Food has made a wonderful blackberry mint green tea.
- Use the fruits and herbs you have on hand to create your own iced tea variation. If the teas don’t taste sweet, you may want to add honey or sugar to the mixture while it is boiling to ensure the sweetness dissolves. You can also cold brew your tea in ice water without using any boiling water. Just wait a few extra minutes for the tea to brew.
- Or serve lemonade instead! Mix it up by adding fruit such as oranges or strawberries.
Treats
Frozen fruit ice cubes: Before freezing your ice cubes, place small berries or pieces of fruit in the ice cube tray. Then, your frozen ice cubes will have fun-looking fruit to make your drink look even better! Tip: for clear ice cubes where you can see the fruit, try boiling your water before placing it in the tray.
Watermelon snow-cone: Carolyn at the Pleasantest Thing has concocted a delicious recipe using only watermelon, ice, and a blender. Prepare this recipe in advance, since it needs time to cool and be stirred.
Decorations
Take blankets and pillows or rugs outside and enjoy a picnic teatime!
For some extra shade, try attaching a light curtain or sheet to a hula hoop and hanging it from trees in your backyard. Inspiration: this post from Alanna George at the Craft Nest.
For an evening teatime (especially if you’d like to avoid being outside in the heat), string up twinkle lights along trees or place candles inside of mason jars as lighting. Make sure to use bug repellant!
Activities
Summer poem: Grab a piece of paper and a pencil. Across the top, write, “What is summer?” Then, use your five senses to describe summertime. What does summer smell like? Taste like? Look like? Feel like? Sound like? The more specific memories you use, the more vivid your poem will become!
Ice cream in a bag: Check out this fun and easy activity from Crystal Underwood at Growing a Jeweled Rose. All you need is whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar, along with some ice and salt. Be ready to play some games to shake up the bags of ice cream!
Mix up your poetry teatime by playing games in between poems! And what’s more fun than games outside? Giant games outside! Follow the links on this page for tutorials to make giant Yahtzee, bananagrams, jenga, and more.
Poetry Books
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Sea Star Wishes by Eric Ode
Sun, Sun: The Joy of a Summer Day at the Beach by Brad Gray
Flower Fairies of the Summer by Cicely Marie Barker
Summer Evening by Walter de la Mare
Lemonade Sun: And Other Summer Poems by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems by Kristine O’Connell George
From the Bellybutton of the Moon: And Other Summer Poems by Francisco X. Alarcon
What I Did on My Summer Vacation: Kids' Favorite Funny Summer Vacation Poems compiled by Bruce Lansky
Check out the Poetry.com list of summer poems. Scroll down for the section for kids.
