To take 14 month old for naice afternoon tea?

[Happycow]

Just that really - it's my mums 60th coming up and we are trying to sort something nice to do on the day, probably in London. Afternoon tea at one of the good hotels (or oxo tower etc) would be perfect but I will have my 14month old with me who is obviously a messy eater and doesn't sit still for long once he has finished eating.
I'm obviously conscious of the potential impact on other diners but am also stuck for equivalent but child-friendly 'naice' things to do.
Wwyd?

Dbro and dsil took their 2 year ild to a posh afternoon tea for their dds birthday. Its just happened to be somewhere dbro and dsil had wanted to go for a while. So not really for a 2 year olds birthday.

It was a nightmarr by all accounts. She got bored. They couldnt relax and people complained that they couldnt relax either.

We took our 14 month old to barbecoa in picadilly for afternoon tea recently. It was delicious and buzzy enough that it didn't feel too formal and they were happy to have dd there. What about something like that rather than hotel. (She is good eating out though and happy to sit and eat lots!)

Have you been somewhere nice for afternoon tea before?

I'm guessing not (or at least giving you the benefit of the doubt), because that is a ridiculous suggestion! No one wines. Not you. Not other diners. Not your child.

Was that just you and your partner Disney?

Totally different. You can just focus on your child and make it a fairly quick in and out job. (Still a bit risky though.)

Whereas a birthday celebration is very different

It was just us but we've taken her for local nice afternoon teas for celebrations too and it's always been fine. But then we eat out at least once a week so she's used to it. some of the outdoor suggestions are good but maybe a trial run somewhere local first?

I took DS to a naice-ish afternoon tea at 12 months - it was my grandmother's 80th and was important to her that we were all there, first-great-grandchild and all.

It was absolutely fine even though he was usually a bit of a grumpy thing at that age. He sat contentedly (and quietly!) in the high chair for much longer than usual (scone way more fascinating than his usual earnest veg-and-pulses type meal!), and since he'd had half a year of feeding himself by that point he wasn't especially messy either. BUT there was ready access to the grassy garden (naice hotel in the suburbs, not central London) and after a while my sister, my uncle and I were all taking turns to let him stretch his legs out there.

I'd be hugely alert to the prospect of spoiling the experience of other diners, but personally at that stage I'd be way less swayed by the 'get a babysitter so you can enjoy yourself' advice I often see on here, and which clearly is true for many others. I liked being with him, I was accustomed to meal time interruptions, I liked him being part of the family. The space of an afternoon tea would have been too long for me back then - I'd have missed him after 20 mins. He was probably 3ish by the time I could relax and enjoy that kind of indulgent prolonged separation.

14 months was our cut off for sit down meals/lunches. Too much effort. We just decline now after he ended up in hospital with a cut head after falling on glass. It's soft play or babysitter now if we need to eat out.

Ds1 I could have taken no problem. He would have sat there beautifully eating his scone nicely and then play with toys or books. He'd actually be less well behaved now at 4.5...

Ds2 - no way. He'd probably be throwing food, screeching and crying to get down after 15 minutes. If I let him down he'd be trying to cruise over to other guests, grabbing waiter's leg etc.

Sounds like your DD is in the second camp!

We took DD for a 'naice' afternoon tea for my DMs birthday when she was 4 months old and she was no bother at all. A mobile 14 month old may be a little different but I have seen toddlers at afternoon tea before and we go multiple times a year to Browns and the golf club near us. If your dc is food motivated it is easy enough to keep them quiet with all the little sandwiches and scones. It may be more enjoyable for the adults if you have her babysat though.

I took DS when he was a similar age. The little finger sandwiches kept him busy for quite a while, then cake kept him quiet. We couldn't linger but it worked out really well.

The Orangery in Kensington Gardens is lovely and slightly less formal than hotels.

Look at it from your mother's point of view. Does posh tea in the company of a 14-month-old acting in the way that 14-month-olds have always acted actually sound like fun for her?

I wouldn't be happy if I'd paid all that money. Why not go somewhere different and child friendly like rain forest cafe etc

It won't work because to get the most out of afternoon tea it is a leisurely occasion where you want to sit and chat and enjoy the food for an hour or two and unless it coincides with your DCs naptime he's going to want to do anything but sit nicely for an extended period.

My nephew is around that age and he is walking now and he's all over the place. Also witness the devastation when he throws 90% of the food presented to him on the floor or rubs it in his hair eats.

I've had a look at the places that also offer toddler afternoon tea... look fab but I think I'd still be worried. Maybe in a couple of years. I like the Chelsea physic garden and the idea of Fortnums picnic hamper in the park are both great, will speak to my sis!
Thanks for all the ideas ladies, will leave the tea for when we can all enjoy and stuff our faces in peace!

Betty's Fat Rascals so gorgeous. Our nearest branches are Ilkley/Harrogate (live north Manchester) so when we get a chance for a day out we buy 6 or 8 at a time, cut them in half and then freeze for enjoying later.

I know precisely fuck all about posh teas, but I just wanted to barge on your thread and say thanks to all the posters who have given me a genius idea for my birthday.

With an active 5 yr old I wanted to go to the science museum, but also have a naice meal, and knew that posh places aren't for me.

But then loads mentioned hampers in the park, and I am sold!

That's my birthday treat sorted!

Hope your mum enjoys hers, OP!

Dbro and dsil took their 2 year ild to a posh afternoon tea for their dds birthday. Its just happened to be somewhere dbro and dsil had wanted to go for a while. So not really for a 2 year olds birthday.

Why do people do that?! It's the 2 YEAR OLD'S birthday, not yours!
How bloody boring for the dd.
Give her cake, balloons, and somewhere she can thoroughly run about and enjoy herself!