Children at weddings are wonderful – as long as they’re kept occupied. If you’re planning a wedding with young children, a wedding creche can be the easiest solution, but if you want to do it yourself, here’s our pick of the best children’s activity packs to make sure the little darlings have fun, and, more importantly, so do you.
Children’s Activity Packs by Age
The good news is it’s very easy and inexpensive to keep children of all ages entertained and quiet at your wedding, you just need to plan ahead. Here’s a general guide to what will keep children of all ages quiet at a wedding:
0-3 years old: For babies and toddlers age-appropriate soft toys and snacks may be all you need. Not all toys are designed for children under the age of 3 years as that age tends to put everything in their mouth so either go to Mothercare to be sure of safety or check with the parents beforehand. Don’t worry, most parents of very young children will bring along exactly what they need to ensure their child is quiet and kept occupied. Tiny box sets of books can be a winner for most small children too. Here are some of the best children’s activity packs for this age group: Axel Scheffler pocket library | Peter Rabbit my first little library
3-10 years old: Three year olds upwards love princes and princesses, superheroes and trains so they are often the easiest ages to buy for. Most younger children love colouring and from the age of 8 or so many will start to enjoy doing sticker books, word searches and puzzles which can keep them so quietly entertained you might even forget they are there! Over the age of 3 children love blowing bubbles too which is a silent actvity they will love. If they’re too young to be trusted with the bottle their parents can blow the bubbles for them to enjoy. They might even enjoy that too. Here are some of the best children’s activity packs for this age group: Frozen carry activity pack | Frozen sticker scenes pack | Usborne Sticker Dolly Dressing Weddings | Sticker Dolly Dressing Weddings and Bridesmaids| 12 children’s small wedding activity packs | Ginger Ray kids activity packs
10 years old plus: Puzzle books and fiction for older children can also be a good idea. Educational games and books such as Horrible Histories or comics and small arts and crafts packs will often be very gratefully received. Tiny children’s sewing kits are often a hit with the under 12s and teens should be able to keep themselves entertained by that age.
Wedding Bubbles and Balloons
If the children are outside then simple balloons can help to keep them happy for quite a while. Another quiet option for keeping children of all ages occupied indoors and out is wedding bubbles – tiny bottles of bubble mixure that can be used after the ceremony instead of throwing confetti or during the speeches after the wedding breakfast.
Wedding Nannies, Creches and Soft Play
If you still can’t relax about the thought of having small children at your wedding, we recommend booking a professional wedding nanny or creche – they’re the experts at entertaining children and will ensure everyone has the best day possible.
A wedding nanny will provide one-to-one care for babies and infants for the duration of the day, feeding and bottle feeding, nappy changing and ensuring naps while generally keeping the little one entertained. A wedding nanny should have some sort of childcare qualification and may have worked as a nursery nurse.
A wedding creche is slightly different. Their services can include activities with arts and crafts, organised storytime and singing, games and quiet time with portable sleep equipment for several children of different ages.
Another option is to hire soft play equipment for your wedding from Purcy’s Playroom for instance, and arrange for one or two of your guests to supervise. Most soft play equipment is designed for indoor and outdoor use with something for all children from baby to twelve years old. They will deliver the equipment to the wedding venue, set it all up and then collect after the wedding for your ultimate peace of mind.
Children at Weddings
Children at weddings is a controversial topic as some couples prefer to have an adult celebration without any risk of bored or overtired children making a sound. For most of us however, a wedding isn’t really a family event without the little people present and they do generally make your wedding photos look even more lovely.
Read more about the controversial views of children at weddings.
