Yeah, I wouldn't expect kids that age to like tea. Especially hot tea. Most kids dont drink hot drinks, besides the occasional hot cocoa. And everyone loves hot cocoa! And honey is also an acquired taste. Sorry you were disappointed. Did they like the snacks you made with them?

I am sorry it didn't work out as you wanted. I agree that tea is not something children seem to like. Even iced tea is not a drink they usually ask for come summer, either. Maybe you could try having them infuse water with fresh fruit next time and see what happens or make slushies with fresh fruitI hope they had fun with the snacks anyway!

How odd. Tea, both hot and iced, have been my favorite beverage since the age of 3 or 4. I liked coffee with lots of cream and sugar, too, as a little one. My aunt would pour a little hot beverage in a sauce and blow on it to cool it enough for me to drink it.

I think Camomile must be one of those things with the varying genetic ability to taste just how foul it is. I'm sorry I didn't follow your plan more closely and warn you. Ginger and mint are at least familiar flavors. If you try again, maybe start with room temperature to sample the flavors, and have actually warm in a thermos (not hot nor tepid, so no mouth burning but not bathwater either) for those who want to try. When I was a kid, people weren't worried much about caffeine. I assume you can't give the kids real tea. At that age, while I disliked standard Lipton, I loved Darjeeling and Oolong, gently dipped rather than steeped to a faretheewell.

If you want to try again, for the world cultures part, you might try making aguas frescas and other cool drinks and maybe work your way back up to warm. Just because the project wasn't totally gratifying doesn't mean it was a failure. They tried. They learned. And as they get used to trying new flavors and new ways of tasting them, they'll open up more to the whole concept.

I drank hot tea, (with milk and sugar) from a young age, and always loved it. It was part of my family tradition, afternoon tea. Interestingly, in contrast to the South, we almost never drank iced tea at our house, even in summer. As a result, I never acquired a taste for it until adulthood. Still don't drink it much because it is usually served with sugar and lemon. I like lemon but not the sugar. As an adult, I drank plain black tea, but after having visited Britain, I learned to like it with milk or cream, but still no sugar. Just a biscuit or two for a treat. Now I can't drink any of that stuff, only mild, sugarless herbal teas. That's why I said it is an acquired taste. How one acquires a taste in childhood is an interesting question. For years I ran a maple syrup program and most kids didn't like the taste of that on first try either, particularly when contrasted with what they were used to, corn syrup and sugar based flavored pancake toppings. I'm interested in conserving and promoting the cultural habit of afternoon tea, so not interested in other infusions, even though that is a very nice thing. I did not do snacks due to other folks bringing them. Snacks will be next on the horizon. Am starting with Japan.

Aww, that‘s too bad! My eight siblings and I grew up drinking tea, as our one grannie was from Scotland, and then Ontario, Canada, before moving to Michigan. They lived two houses down from us. Early on we kids drank cambric tea with them. Later, always Red Rose sweetened with sugar and, for some, milk. Pretty much every day. Our spouses still chuckle at our family reunions, as we all gather together every morning to have our tea and chat. Our spouses all drink coffee (LOL)!

Maybe try introducing an afternoon tea ritual, if not daily, maybe the same day every week? When I was in 4th, we built a Japanese tea house area in our classroom and did tea ceremonies, as authentically as an American elementary school of that time could. I, at least, learned a lot, and it was fun.

Researching the wagashi I can definitely see that they might be fun for kids to make, but the ingredients are confusing to me. I've seen rice flour and adzuki bean paste (the red kind) in some health food stores, but there's obviously more to making those doughs than that. Even though it is cheesy, I'm thinking just making some rice krispie treats and cutting them out in different shapes and decorating them might be a possible easy start. I've seen okoshi recipes that are made with a sugar syrup very similar to soft granola bars . . .

Edited to add that what you suggest Pllog is what I am working on, a selection of ideas for a series of teas that could be done maybe monthly or bi-montly with kids. I'm going to have to build my repertoire quite a bit to work up to monthly . . . But I want to start with Japan since I have many of the building blocks at home from my mother, that were part of my own childhood. I remember us even making fish kites as a little kid in honor of Children's Day when I was a little kid.

Edited to add that Doll Festival is coming up on March 3 so I'll probably start with that . . .

I don't like flavoured teas of any kind. Not even Earl Gray. Just plain old Tetley for me!

Good for you, pinkmountain. Every year, we do a week or two where we introduce unusual, but healthy foods to our students to try to broaden their tastes and also just for fun. To get them to try, we go thru a sort of ritual where we first look at it, then smell it, rub a bit on our lips, put a bit on our tongues and, if all that goes well, they try a bite. Of course, they can stop at any stage of the game, but most get at least as far as putting it on their lips.

pillog, our 5th grade teachers do a tea ceremony at the end of every week. No idea what's involved (maybe just a time to decompress after a busy week?), but I know the kids enjoy it.

I love your experiment Pink! Do not be disheartened. I am sure some of the quiet ones, liked the tea but didnt say.

I am a tea lover, and I remember experimenting with herbal teas with my BFF when I was in 4th and 5th grade. How we loved Jasmine tea! My own sons were given tea at an early age. I would brew a pot and set it on the counter for them to help them selves at breakfast. They both, now 18 and 20, still drink tea and they also drink coffee, there are moments for both. I do think Chamomile is an aquired taste. I hated it as a kid and I love it now. One son loathes it, the other loves it.

You did a great experiment and who knows what the kids will carry forward. Thank you for this effort.

I did little tasting cups and each kid had maybe a tablespoon of tea to taste of each of the three types. I am happy that they at least tried it. Next time I'm going to get some groovy teapots to put the tea in. I was worried that the tea would cool off too much in transport, but apparently that isn't an issue . . .

I don't want to travel with my good teapots. But nice ones can be had at Goodwill for not too much dosh. Ironically I donated a few several years ago attempting to pare down. I might try out some teas at my house first, with friends kids or grandkids. I'm already seeing one come together around Japanese Girl's Day. Another one perhaps around my collection of Japanese wood block prints . . . that one would be more traditional. I have teapots for both, but would never let those ones leave my house . .

Edited to add that Jasdip's comment reminds my of my British friends who always complain that Americans have to always jazz up things and you can't get a decent cuppa here in the States. I am flexible, I like both plain and flavored kinds.

I love Earl Grey, Lady Grey etc. One of my current favourites, which contains no camellia sinensis is lime, lemongrass and ginger, which I also find is great for settling a stomach ache. I drank a lot when I had gall stone pain and it really helped. Now I just drink it because I like it. I’m also fond of rooibos tea.

Nothing but a plain old English style cuppa for me. The French drink revolting tea. They bring you a pot of warm water and a separate tea bag so it never infuses properly. Lipton dishwater is the norm. Eeuugghh.

But, we get great coffee.

OMG! The French serve American style tea!

I think Red Rose is a great staple tea. We drink the decaf variety iced all year long. It has been a staple on our dinner table for as long as I can recall. We drink it without sugar, sometimes with lemon. I never drink coffee, I find the taste and aroma too strong, even acrid. I like some of the flowery teas (tisanes), and have acquired a taste for chamomile since it is the most common decaf available in restaurants.

I think a tea that has milk and sugar will be an easier sell to kids, though it may not meet your other criteria. I wonder if they would find the process of using tea leaves and a strainer more interesting, or even reading tea leaves? Sometimes a little showmanship gets kids' interest.

Try rooibos tea. I find it very nice. Loved reading the Botswana lady detective series wherein she drank rooibos tea every day as she solved crimes.

It was a lovely idea to try the tea out with the kids, brings back good memories for me. We grew up with tea time my grandma’s house. Most of the time she served her favorite tea. Constant Comment with a bit of sugar for us kids. Always served with a couple of cookies, and sometimes a bit of fruit from her trees. Still love my tea.

We drank Constant Comment when I was growing up too. There are still times when nothing else will do. I also love the green tea they serve at my favorite Chinese restaurant but they won't tell me what brand it is :-( it is one of the few I like even unsweetened. Adagio Tea has some fruit herbals that are kid-friendly like Strawberry or Watermelon Cooler and they even have a Rose tea! Not a fan of grocery-store teas, Lipton etc are just - blech. Although I will make iced tea with them, double strength with lime and lemon slices in the pitcher.

I think getting some Goodwill teapots is a great idea. That alone makes it more of a "ceremony." I just think it's wonderful that you are helping expand these children's horizons. You never know down the road how it might impact them. But you are planting the seeds!

I grew up drinking tea as well, since my dad's family was British.

Chamomile tea is actually rather bitter, and kids' palates are more sensitive than adults, I believe.

IMPE, one way to get usually picky, or less sophisticated kids to try something different is to allow them to prepare it themselves, or at least help. Even selecting a couple of volunteers will often encourage the other kids to be more engaged. I never pressured or shamed anyone to finish anything they didn't like, but when we as a group were all preparing and then consuming something unfamiliar, most of the picky ones would often at least try it too, and then if they didn't like it, I'd tell them that was OK and they could just throw it out with no guilt involved.

Another trick I learned is that there is no such thing as too much sweetness, when it comes to kids' palates.

But I wouldn't let the negatives discourage me. The fact that you're introducing something different and probably strange to kids is a real positive, IMO.

I admire you for even trying to introduce this with kids and hope at least the majority were receptive to trying it.

I drink tea occasionally, more now that I am retired and have time to really enjoy it, and agree some sugar (or simple syrup) and milk might be offered next time. Given the choice of 3 let them decide which one they like best. Make it a game.

I don’t know what type cups you used, but perhaps the small cups as used in Japanese tea rooms might be used for small hands and smaller portions. Who knows, you might have changed a few minds but at least you opened up some possibilities to those who tried. There will always be some who won’t like any of it.

So for cups I had these nice 6 oz. hot/cold cups in solid colors, lots of different ones like a rainbow, no handles so like they use in Japan. Left over from our wedding reception. They were great, perfect for this application. I could also at some point get some plain white ones and have the kids decorate them, but that wasn't that important for the experience this time.

I brought the tea already brewed because I was doing the activity as a station in a gym so couldn't figure out how to easily and safely heat the water. Now I'm thinking that my activity kit for this could include a large colorful electric tea kettle to be used for heating water and then some colorful teapots.

I was doing an herb theme this time, but long term I'm thinking that regular ol' tea might go over better. I put a healthy amount of sugar in all the tea choices. Maybe next time if they brew it, I can give them some individual tastes and they can make their own mixed tissane bag to take home. Some of the kids already wanted to try and mix a combo of the three I had available. I'm going to keep experimenting to find the most kid-friendly herbal mixes. I grew up on black tea with sugar and cream and loved it. Took me a while as an adult to adjust to tea without sugar and milk. I love almost any type of tea now. My folks did not worry about the caffeine, but then I only drank one teacup back as a kid, and no later than afternoon. As a kid growing up in the 60s, I also visited homes of many friends who drank caffeinated iced tea with dinner. However, if I did this for a public group I would use decaffeinated.

lpink, i LOVE this idea. I drank tea as a kid, not sure at what age I began. Coffee was an acquired taste and now I love it dark and strong. I also like teas. Mint and chamomile were lately acquired tastes. But agreed that roobois and Constant Comment are excellent choices. I also love the Good Earth Sweet and Spicy teas, although they may be too spiced for kid's palates.

I also like both coffee and tea, and I grew up drinking tea. I was told that coffee would "stunt my growth", LOL, so I wasn't allowed to drink it. Still only grew to be 5 foot nothing, so I don't think it was the coffee.

My favorite is Twining's Irish Breakfast, and like Edie I really enjoy a cup of Constant Comment. I also enjoy mint tea and I recently got some turmeric tea, supposed to be good for digestion, and I liked that too. I drink both coffee and tea just plain and black, no cream/sugar/lemon/etc.

L, you experiment reminded me of one that my grandson's class participated in a few years ago, although they were making smoothies. The presenter had set up a bicycle to turn the blades of a blender, and they made strawberry/spinach smoothies by taking turns pedaling. The kids loved the bike, hated the smoothies, even with the berries in there not a single kid drank more than a taste of the smoothies.

Maybe they'd like a chai type, sweeter and spicy?

Annie

The "fruitier" types of teas might go over better. My daughter likes hibiscus, orange blossom, and raspberry for example and I'm the mom who doesn't add sugar when she tries something. She does not like the taste of honey at all. It is interesting though as she doesn't like any juices, but any other teas are not something she likes either. She really wanted to try coffee as she has a friend that likes it so I gave her a cup of black coffee when we were staying at a hotel (none in our house drinks it). She said it was horrible - I told her next time she can add some sugar and see what she thinks. She doesn't like milk so didn't want that in it.

I think the idea of allowing the kids to add sweetner/milk themselves would be good. Encourage them to try without and then see what happens when they add a sweetener and/or milk. A bit of experimenting as well.

Raspberry Zinger tea from Celestial Seasonings smells like raspberry Jello to me, but is a hit with children. Mine drink all manner of teas, including green, which I don't, and they like the bright red tea.