I am so excited to add a tea class for young people—ages 10 to 14. When I first contemplated the Studio I didn’t imagine tea would appeal so much to the under-15 crowd, but I’m amazed at how eager this age group is to learn tea. Often, they are leading the way into the Studio, pulling a parent in after them. I’m really interested in hearing more from the participants about what they find appealing about tea.
Thinking about it, ritual and tradition of tea is introduced to children through many stories—one of the most notable, being Alice in Wonderland…and doesn’t Peter Rabbit get tea after his adventure in Mr. McGregor’s garden? As kids grow, tea becomes an adult experience in which they can participate—whether it is enjoying true tea or tisanes. The preparation, inclusiveness and comfort of tea all contribute to the enduring appeal. Because tea has so many different tastes and cultural connections, it offers an exploration of the world.
The class I’m offering will focus on both true tea—white, green, oolong, black and pu’erh; and some of the popular tisanes such as rooibos and honeybush. They’ll get a little caffeine, but they will also get introduced to the tastes and benefits of some of the non-caffeinated alternatives. Additionally, they’ll get reinforcement of some geography and history lessons, and, maybe become intrigued enough to add tea as a meaningful part of their life journey.