Are you inviting families with small children to your wedding? Maybe you have godchildren, nieces and nephews who will be ring bearers and flower girls. Or perhaps you have many friends with little ones.
I love seeing families with children at weddings. Kids at a wedding add an extra element of joy to the family occasion, and I enjoy being able to snap sweet, candid images of them having fun or parents happily interacting with them. Seeing them bust some moves on the dance floor are some of my favorites. However, sometimes children can get bored and fussy during a wedding ceremony or reception. So, what do you do?
If you decide to include children at your wedding, here are a few fun ideas for keeping those little bodies entertained and occupied:
Create a fun kids table
Setting up a few kids tables with various activities is one of the best ways to keep smaller guests busy, especially during the speeches. Add games, puzzles, activity and coloring books to the tables so that the kids can choose something that appeals to them. You could also add a few goodie bags to the table that contain treats, bubbles or a small toy. Here is a pack that includes a bag.
Include them in the wedding activities
Children really enjoy helping out and being a part of the day’s activities so give them an important job to do such as handing out pamphlets. If they feel like they’re helping out, they won’t get a chance to be bored. Another cute idea is to give each child a disposable camera so they can snap some photos on the day.
Let them spend time outdoors
If the weather is great, plan to set up a few outdoor games such as Jenga, cornhole or activities such as hula-hoops. If the children are a little older, you can also set up a crafts table that they can use to create props for a photo booth or a wedding memento for their parents.
Set up a kids room
If your venue has an extra room, set up a cool kids room. You can include balloons, games, snacks, activity and coloring books & supplies, and movies that they can enjoy. Maybe have some cardboard boxes that they can decorate and use their imagination. These pre-made cardboard playhouses are pretty amazing too.
Hire a babysitter or two
Depending on how many kids you have coming, ask a trusted teen or college student to come babysit the kids so mom and dad can enjoy some of the wedding kid-free too.
