A quick guide to making sure the children have fun too.
Let’s be real, when children are happy, parents are happy. Parents want to enjoy a good night and in order for that to happen, the kids must stay entertained so the adults can make it through dinner and even get to experience some of the night. Weddings can be such a blast when the whole family can participate and are comfortable. Here are six ways you can keep kids engaged with the festivities and have a good time throughout the night.
Games
Outdoor games – Kids always love ladder ball and corn hole. Especially if they get to play with their friends or family. They will see that weddings are a celebration and are fun and not an event to just sit and be quiet.
Table games – Kids enjoy interactive table games such as Jenga or create an eye spy wedding themed coloring sheet or a scavenger hunt with disposable cameras. Then you get fun pictures of the wedding as well as involving the kids. Plus, a little competition always brings people together.
Crafts
Create a crafting table (near the bar) for kids to use pipe cleaners, play-doh, stickers, and crayons. Have a few examples of how kids can decorate the paper cake or dress the bride with tissue and glue. They can even make cards for the couple. They will feel important participating in the evening while the parents mingle nearby.
Goody Bags
Fun little bags at their place setting will entertain kids before dinner is served or while the couple does their first dance and speeches. Things to include might be a ring pop, crayons, dollar store toys (you would be amazed at how excited kids get over dollar store toys), mini trucks or figures, bubbles, or play-doh.
Glow Sticks!
Even adults like glow sticks! The kids will be playing with these all night and they will feel like they are part of the party. They will especially love them on the dance floor and they will make for great pictures. You can even get large custom glow sticks for way cheap and the kids can take them home and they will remember the night every time they play with them.
Babysitter
If you have any relatives between the ages of 11 and 15, they are the most perfect babysitters for an event like this because there are still adults around to help, but they can entertain the kids with games such as red light, green light. This is super helpful when the kids are old enough to run around and have fun, but you still need someone a bit older to make sure they do not destroy anything around the venue property.
Movie Space
At the end of the night, the kids might be hitting a wall. If you have a space to throw on a show and tell the parents to pack their PJs, then they can rest with some popcorn. This will buy the parents a little extra time for mingling and dancing while the kids wind down and enjoy a movie with their friends.
Entertaining kids is not as hard as you think as long as you’re prepared. They will be excited for the wedding if you are excited and they will most especially be excited if you give them a task. Even if that task is coloring a wedding card and putting glitter on it. I take that back, do NOT include glitter on the craft table.
