If you are going to have a few littler guests at your upcoming wedding and are worried about keeping them relaxed while also giving them a great day out, the good news is that kids are pretty easily entertained (piece of cardboard anybody?) There are many ways to keep children amused on your wedding day, whether during the speeches, the meal, or even during the first few dances.
During the ceremony, the onus really falls on the parents to keep their children from running riot, so you needn’t worry too much about that part of the day. When it comes to the afters however, it would be nice to provide something the kids will enjoy and that will keep their parents from being on tenterhooks while they try to enjoy their big day out!
Activity Packs
One way that is popular for keeping kids entertained on a budget is to provide little activity packs. Activity packs can be made up of bits and pieces from your local pound store, including colouring books and crayons (which won’t mark your table cloths preferably!), mini pinball-type games, action figures or bracelets and slides. Try to put an even number of equal toys into each bag to avoid any “but he got”s (easier said than done, we know!) These bags can be given out to the tables of children as everyone is seated for the speeches. Get more children’s activity pack ideas from the girls on the Confetti forums.
Children’s Entertainers
If there will be more than 15/20 children at your wedding, and you have the budget for it, consider hiring a children’s entertainer for an hour or two. Discuss the idea of ‘borrowing’ another small room beside your reception at the hotel where you can provide a little area for the kids, and give the parents some time to chat to other guests or to have a dance. Children’s entertainers range from magicians and caricaturists and face painters to individuals or groups who arrange games or have a sing along to include everyone.
Many hotels provide babysitters and a room for kids at weddings, sometimes for free, sometimes at an extra cost. For example, the Crieff Hydro in Perthshire, Scotland, provides a free Kids Club for their weddings. Some others around the country plan treasure hunts to entertain the kids. When booking your venue, you could request that they provide a room with a TV where you can screen children’s films, or install a Wii, or set out some board games. The kids could enjoy popcorn and soft drinks under the watchful eye of a certified babysitter.
Edible Fun
Sweet companies like Boozy Fruity Chocolaty Affairs are a perfect way to make sure both children and adults have a fun and memorable day at the same time! They provide chocolate fountains with fruit or marshmallows, candy floss machines, hot dog machines and lots of other sweet treats. Another nice way to make the children feel special is to decorate their table a little differently to the adults’. Create a ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ feel (while still making your room look classy and elegant!) with gorgeous colourful candy trees by Sweet Trees by Rivera.
Make sure you check out the Confetti Shop for wedding favours for children – We have lots of gorgeous prezzies for little ones on your special day including Animal Hands Temporary Tattoos, Wild World Kids Trivia Cards and lots more.
Join the Confetti Forums to chat about your wedding dilemmas
