With so much going on in our daily lives nowadays, sometimes thoughts of what you were up to at ten years old may seem like a distant dream.  

But we think there’s a lot to learn from our younger days, of times spent sipping invisible tea and crunching into a cucumber sandwich drifting somewhere between your parted thumb and fingers.  

Company would come in the form of favourite toys and teddies, hungrily waiting to be served a lavish slice of the best Victoria sponge cake in the land.  

The magic of afternoon tea

Some things change as you get older, yet the charm of an afternoon tea surrounded with good company will live long in our hearts.  

And now as a grown-up, perhaps you’re watching your little ones play out the art of afternoon tea you once enacted yourself. Or do you just want to inspire in them the same love a slice of cake and cup of tea can bring? Well, London is the place to be.

One Aldwych

Located just off the Strand, in Covent Garden, you’ll find One Aldwych.   

The hotel’s modern, eclectic interior is somewhat different to Willy Wonka’s chocolate waterfalls and edible flowers, but when you sit down and discover snozzberry jam on the menu, you know you’re in for a slightly different kind of afternoon tea.  

From Wednesday to Sunday, the hotel hosts their Charlie & the Charlie Factory inspired afternoon tea.  

You’ve more than likely had your fair share of dreams about rooms made of sweets and rivers of chocolate, and if you’ve ever watched the film or read the book to your little one, they most likely have to.  

Well with chocolate tea, snozzberry jam to spread on scones, and other inspired treats from the tale, you get to experience a little taste of Roald Dahl’s amazing world. 

While the little ones are tucking into all the incredible food, why not order yourself a fun cocktail – The Juicing Room Mix perhaps, gin-based with pink grapefruit juice?  

Or how about the Chocolatier, where whisky and cherry liqueur are mixed with chocolate bitters to create a glass of pure decadence?   

The choice is delightfully yours. 

The Sanderson

With cocktails like Off With Your Head, and sweet treats such as chocolate and raspberry Blue Caterpillars or Mad Hatters lost carrot meringues, when you sit down to your afternoon tea at the Sanderson – you’re stepping into the world of Alice in Wonderland.  

Located at 50 Berners St, the hotel is surrounded by the exciting West End, yet the moment you step into the place, the whirlwind and excitement of the city is replaced by a “world of fantasy and well-being”. 

With a child’s menu to match, your little ones will adore copying you as they run their finger down the menu trying to decide what to tuck into first when the food arrives. 

And when it finally does, teapots decorated in kings and queens; potions with “Drink Me” labels swinging to and fro – plans suddenly go out the window as they make a move for whatever delicious looking treat is closest to them. 

Hosting your own

But sometimes, just as special as treating you and your little ones to an afternoon tea out in the city can be hosting one yourself.  

Spend your morning whipping up some delightful bakes with your mini assistant chef, pack them all in a bag with drinks and head to your favourite quieter spot in the city.  

Throw down the picnic blanket, spread out all your homemade treats, and enjoy your afternoon spending some dedicated time to just you and the youngsters. 

Plus, there’s the added benefit that any of your slightly more peculiar tastes can be satisfied. Whether that be an inability to eat anything without a healthy dose of sriracha or spreading peanut butter on everything in sight – you can get your fix if you’re the host.  

Savour the memories

Our time is so valuable that when we do get a spare minute, why not create moments that are worth cherishing? Sometimes that might mean sticking on a film and having a lazy day, but making time to bond with your little ones over something they adore will be a memory that stays with you for life.   

And afternoon tea is something we can all share an appreciation for.