Guest: 5 Ideas for Entertaining Kids at Weddings

Good morning, spring, we are so pleased to see you! Spring Minis have begun and my kiddos are looking forward to summer already.

Last month we had Rene of NKD Lab on the blog chatting family centred sustainability and this month…. drumroll please….

Thrilled to have Alice of Alice Heydon Events guesting on the blog with some brilliant ideas for entertaining kids at weddings, or other adulty events kiddos might attend but get a little bored. She’s an experienced event stylist and planner, as well as a mama and shares all her best tips just for us below!

luxury-wedding-events-planner-alice-heydon-perth

5 Ideas for Entertaining Kids at Weddings

You’ve got the ring, shared the happy news, and booked me (best decision!). Now, we plan. And one of the most common wedding questions I get asked is…

Should we invite children?

And my answer generally is:

What kind of wedding do you want to have?

I’ll be brutally honest: I’m not a fan of little kids at weddings, even if they’re your own.

For a day that you’ve spent so much time and money on, kids can be loud and distracting, even just being their adorable selves. Your guests can’t relax because they’re wondering if the kids have broken something or got themselves stuck / impaled / drowned (number of options here!) and you can’t focus on yourselves because there’s a bunch of littles running around. Plus you also have the potential noise during speeches or vows being caught on video to consider.

But if you do want kiddos at your wedding, whether they are your own or the children of your family and friends, not a problem! The aim of the game is… Keep. Them. Entertained!

Here are my 5 best ideas for kidtainment:

1. Busy Bags

Giving them something to keep their hands busy is always a winner. Goodie bags with colouring books (pencils only, no crayon or textas – we don’t want marks on the linens!), stickers, fidget toys (quiet ones only!), crosswords and puzzles (if they’re old enough), bubbles, and books are always well received. You can get paper gift bags that fit your theme and have a great time filling them – remember to include a clean snack like a little packet of popcorn. This easy DIY activity book that you can print off at home is such a cute idea. You could even personalize the busy bags with their own named sippy cups or water bottles to make them feel special.

Check out this DIY Busy Bag Idea!

2. Professional Entertainment

I’ll be the first one to start singing ‘Let it Go’ when the music starts so why not invest in a kids’ entertainment personality for your little ones! There are some wonderful Disney Princess impersonators in the industry whose job is to sing, dance and do activities with your children. Personally I’d go for Elsa! I highly recommend Glass Slipper Entertainment here in Perth. You could also consider face painters, bubble blowing, Eco Fairies and so many more!

Cat highly recommends MollyDag Faces (seen here at her daughter’s 4th birthday) if you’re after face painting and bubbles!

3. Photo Scavenger Hunt

While disposable cameras maybe aren’t as cheap as they used to be, they are still a great option to give the kids a task. Give them a list of things they have to capture around the wedding like the couple kissing, everyone on the dance floor, or simply a picture of their family, and watch them document the wedding for you! You will also get some seriously cute images that only a kiddo could capture (and probably a lot with their finger over the lens!).

Top tip: give each camera holder a different list of things to capture!

4. Activity Table

It is always a great to have a space in a corner dedicated to children and an activity table with a big roll of butcher’s paper with lots of colouring pencils is always a hit! You could have board games, puzzles, or blocks but make it extra special with some snacks, juice boxes and maybe some sweet treats if the parents say it’s ok! Just remember that anything that makes a major mess like playdoh, crayons, textas, paints, glue are a big no no – the last thing you want is a bill from the venue for clean-up.

If you have the space and a few older kiddos, lego is an ideal activity!

5. Movie Room

It may not available at every venue, but it’s always worth asking if there is a room nearby where the kids can go and watch some movies and fall asleep in. Weddings are a big day (for everyone, especially the kids!) and having somewhere quiet to go watch Moana while the adults do adult things is a nice respite. It is definitely worth having someone on movie room duty just in case fights break out over the remote! Hiring a babysitter to hang out with them will be low on cost and big on peace of mind during your special day.

These tried and true ideas will really make the difference for the kiddies and the parents to help them enjoy your special day.

Bonus tips if the kids are your own: try to involve them in the ceremony in some way to make them feel a bit special. Kids love responsibility, it makes them feel important and you know they’re going to give it 110% if they’re the only person with that job. Let them light a candle, or perhaps hand you the rings or your vow book.

At the reception, let them do a little speech or sing a song – just remember to have your MC ready to step in if they go off book! If your kiddos are older, and especially if both bride/s and or groom/s have children, consider asking what they’d like to see and do to be part of the wedding as incorporating their ideas will help start blended families off on the best foot.

Happy planning!

Alice x

Luxury Perth Wedding and Event Planner & Stylist, based in Western Australia, Alice Heydon Events is a small team of creatives dedicated to creating an incredible experience throughout from design to execution.

Our client is one who appreciates quality, luxury and attention to detail but likes having a good time along the way!

Our core values are:

FUN
We want you to really enjoy the process of planning your wedding or event so that you can look back and say that was a really fun time.

EASY
We want you to relax while we take your ideas and inspiration and plan something you never could have done yourselves.

…AND WOW
We want you to have that WOW moment as soon as you walk though the door. That all the hours of hard work we put in together paid off.

Get in touch so we can help with your special day, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

– If you see partially loaded images, try clearing your internet cache in your settings by clicking “clear cache” and coming back. Thank you! –

Sign up to my mailing list to receive occasional emails about seasonal specials, including when minis are coming up, and receive 2 free images with your next session!