When we were in college, some of our guy friends began calling our bff, Fancy Nancy.  And it was ever fitting…still is.  🙂  So when the Fancy Nancy books by Jane O’Conner, illustrated by Robin Preiss-Glasser, first came out I was immediately intrigued.  Our kiddos, even the boys, truly enjoy the stories and illustrations.  Perhaps it is Nancy’s imagination, or maybe it is the intriguing French words they are learning, but Fancy Nancy is a favorite in our home.

A couple years ago, when the kiddos were showing some real desire to cook, learn to cook, dramatic-play cook, and everything associated with eating, serving, and organizing, I bought Fancy Nancy: Tea Parties for the dancer’s birthday.  It is more of a how-to book, but that didn’t decrease our fun.  Here is an old post where we began using the book.  They still love to pour over the ideas, finding much inspiration for their play.

One afternoon, while the builder was at school, the explorer asleep, and I was painting, the dancer created her own literacy-based activity.  We’d recently read the book, so she pulled it out, carefully looked through to find ideas, and began setting up her own tea party.

When she was done she invited me to her party and then included the builder when he came home as well.  Last year, all summer long the three were busy on our front porch nearly every day having tea parties with lots and lots of water.  Their parties were full of laughter and excitement.  This particular afternoon, however, I noticed that the dancer was pondering and really planning what she was to serve, how she would serve it, and where to accomplish it all.  It seems with all three of them so close in age that it is always a party going on at our house.  This year, the dancer has had a rare chance to spend her afternoons with me and at times alone.  It has been a special and important time.

Monday, the designer and I decided that naps have come to an end for the explorer.  Yesterday was his first official nap-free afternoon.  🙂  He and the dancer had a wonderful afternoon filled with dramatic-play.

Back to the dancer and her tea parties.  Just after her solo tea party, the dancer was invited to her friend’s birthday party.  She had missed the party last year because she was sick.  We were going to be gone, and I knew she would be devastated to miss again, so we invited her friend over for a princess tea party.  We set up the little table in her room, I gave the girls one of my fancy table cloths, painted their nails, made muffins, and left them to create their party.  They had a wonderful time!  Thank you Fancy Nancy for your endless inspiration and fun!

What are your favorite tea party memories?  Pinkies up, and xoxo from all of us!