Entertaining Children at Weddings

Having kids at a wedding can be lots of fun.  They often present great photo and video opportunities and help make great memories.  Kids are; however, very unpredictable.  It is best to make sure they have things to keep them busy during a wedding because it is probably more formal of an event then they are used to attending on a day to day basis.  Weddings are pretty adult oriented events so kids can quickly get bored and feel out of place.  Here are some kid friendly ideas to keep the little ones and teenagers entertained while the adults have fun.

Hire entertainment. A magician, a clown or even just a few babysitters can go a long way towards keeping the children occupied.  This way parents don’t have to follow their children around and the children feel more relaxed.  You can be a bit more relaxed with what you allow the children to play with when you know they are under constant supervision.  Sitters can play games, tell stories and do crafts with the children, as well as playing referee. Someone who can do some face painting would also be a welcome addition from the point of view of young children and sometimes even pre-teens and teenagers.

Give the adults on the dance floor a break and let the DJ play a game of limbo or musical chairs with the kids.  You can have the DJ award small toys, trophies, medals or blow up instruments as prizes. The hokey pokey and other organized dances can also be fun for kids as well as freeze dancing.  Who knows maybe a few adults will also join in the fun.

Stock the kids table with a variety of goodies.  Coloring books and crayons are a good start.  Glow sticks, puzzles, bubble wands and arts and crafts are also fun.  Some cheap hats, masks and other photo props can be paired with some disposable cameras allowing the older children to help the younger children create lots of fun memories and maybe even allowing you to make a special small wedding album of all the children, or set aside a few pages in your wedding album for these pictures.  Board games and hand held games can help keep children of all ages busy.  A deck of cards may be out to good use.   Try to avoid paints and clay that may cause damage to the bride’s dress, a rented tuxedo or the wedding facilities from an overzealous underage guest. Stickers can be lots of fun if the children are old enough to know where they shouldn’t stick them.

Use the great outdoors. If the reception hall has an outdoor area the children can use, some frisbees and jump ropes may do the trick.  Ask permission before allowing the children to use sidewalk chalk or any water. There are plenty of inexpensive outdoor toys available in the summer so stock up the summer before your wedding towards the middle or end of summer for some great deals.

Let them get comfy. Encourage your guests with children to bring a pair of sneakers or even a change of clothes for the children.  If the reception venue has a side room where you can set up their entertainment use it! Add some oversized pillows and bean bag chairs so they can relax.  You can even set up a television or game system if the venue will allow it.

Most of all realize that kids will be kids and they are often unpredictable.  They will get bored and hyper and will get into things.  When having children at a wedding, be prepared for them to get into something and if they don’t, you can be pleasantly surprised.