Tag Archives: entertain kids

9 Ideas for Keeping Children Entertained at Your Wedding!

To have children at your wedding or not? That is the question on many brides’ lips as they plan their guest lists this year. Here at 123Print UK we’re a massive fan of children at weddings. They can offer hours of entertainment and really get dance floors going as they pull the old ‘worm’ out in front of 30 laughing guests. Yet not all parts of your wedding are appropriate for this boisterous behaviour, and finding a mixture of calm and exhilaration is crucial when inviting little ones to your wedding. Take a look at our tips on keeping them entertained and pass on your advice to other Brides, as we tackle this difficult subject in wedding planning.

Run around, Joey!

kid helping the brideGetting kids involved with your wedding is a really great idea when keeping them entertained. You’ll most likely have a chosen niece or nephew for ring bearer or flower girl, but think up other tasks such as helping people find their seats. This is a great chance for you to emphasise that they’re important to the wedding, whilst also saving them from having to sit down for long periods of time.

Depending on how you try to involve kids in your wedding, you may want to make the activities fun or challenging. An example of this would be who can seat the most guests or take the most coats to the cloak room, as this will really keep kids entertained, but it is important to remember it would be wise to appoint an adult to oversee these tasks, in order to prevent them from declining into chaos.

 

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Kids Wedding food

Kids are very fussy eaters and having a hungry child on the verge of a tantrum before speeches is never going to end well. It’s also unfair on parents to try and get kids to eat your delicious Leek and Pea soup. Start thinking Pizza, Chips and Ketchup. A great and popular trend we’ve seen recently is the ‘make your own sundaes’ bars at weddings. If you don’t want to start ordering in chicken nuggets for their meal then think about getting something kids can really look forward to (and behave for). Ask parents for advice, as they may think of something creative, affordable and delicious that you may not have!

Ring The Nanny… Kids Only Sign

The main problem with allowing kids at your wedding is that, some parents will feel they have to constantly keep an eye on their children instead of enjoying your day and having fun. Keeping kids quiet during the ceremony, getting them to eat during the reception and keeping them away from alcohol is no easy task. Think about investing in a kids only centre for your wedding. It’ll keep parents happy during moments when silence is crucial but will also keep the kids entertained during the less fun kid moments (speeches, vows) of your wedding.

Kids den!

It’s not just young kids who can be troublesome at weddings; older kids and teenagers can be equally disruptive on your big day. They may think they’re just too cool to ‘jig on down’ with Grandma and may find unruly ways of entertaining themselves. Circumvent this, if you can, by investing in entertainment rooms. The cost doesn’t have to be large, just ask one of the groomsmen to bring an Xbox and a TV, with a selection of DVD’s. The kids will love having their own special room and it’s easy for the parents to know where their children are at all times.

Face paint and photos

kids painting at a weddingThere will be times during your wedding when you may find it best to get children out of the room all together. Speeches for example, are a really important moment during your wedding and the last thing you want is a child demanding to go to the toilet or crying. Hire a face painter or photo booth! Tell the kids you want a really special photo with all kids painted as different animals or wearing funny props. This proven method will work in getting children out of the room but also make them feel important as they get to have a ‘special’ moment with the bride and groom.

Go, Go, Go DJ!

Go kid friendly by asking your DJ to play contemporary music during the first few hours of your reception. They’ll act like magnets when trying to get people on the dance floor and really get your party going. Leave your old, smoochy favourites until later on in the wedding.

Personal PaparazziKids with Camera

Whilst setting up rooms for the kids to call their own, or sending them off for a face painting session may seem like a good idea, it’s also quite important to get the kids involved with the wedding and let them feel all grown up. Get the kids special disposable cameras and ask them to photograph every part of your wedding. You’ll have your very own paparazzi for the day and feel like a star, as 20 kid’s line up shots during your first dance.

Quiz Time!

A great idea for entertaining kids throughout the wedding is by giving them a quiz to complete that will require their full attention the whole day. The questions need to be about your wedding. For example, ‘What colours are the Bridesmaid dresses?’, ‘What song was played during our first dance?’ and ‘What is the best man’s name?’. These questions will need to all be answered and handed in at the end of the wedding for a big prize (Choccie)!

What Did The Bride Say?

Building on the make a quiz idea, if you’re feeling extra creative then you may want to make whole activity packs. These can include an array of games, colouring books, confetti and rubber stamps. These will definitely help create a wonderful memento for the children at your wedding and also keep them thoroughly entertained. The result is happy, entertained children and content parents!

Are you having kids at your wedding? Let us know below, or post on our Facebook Page!