8 Clever Ways to Keep Children Entertained in Your Wedding

When you start planning to say ‘I do,’ there is so much to think about. Little people are an important part of any special day. Whether they’re your own children, part of your wedding party, or simply part of the guest list, children and weddings will almost always go hand in hand. This can, of course, become a point of stress for many brides. You want the cute factor without the stress factor.

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Here are a few ways to keep the younger ones busy enough so that everyone can have a good time and you can enjoy your wedding as much as your guests. No doubt you’ll have the adults joining in on the fun too!

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1. Ask Them To Help Capture Memories On Paper

Have some crayons or felt tip pens and paper handy on the kid's table or where they’re seated, and tell them they have the super important job of drawing a picture to help the bride and groom remember their special day.

You’ll be amazed at what children come up with, and you might even end up wanting to hang one of the pieces in your home. You could even turn some of the creations into thank-you stationery or gifts to send out after your wedding.

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2. Let The Children Play DJ

Children love music, and their animated dance moves make for some great photo moments and memories. Let the children at your wedding know they can take over the playlist and be DJ for 10 minutes at your chosen point in the day. They will love having the chance to choose a song or two to dance to, and there will undoubtedly be some moments to remember.

You could encourage the children to choreograph a dance together, and they can then perform it for everyone. That’s sure to keep them busy for a while. If you’re not keen to give up your music selection entirely, ask the DJ in advance to prep a few kid-friendly options they could choose from.

If you want to brush up on your own dance moves before the big day, we’ve got some great vendor recommendations for dance lessons.

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3. Let Their Imagination Run Wild At The Photo Booth

Who doesn’t love a photo booth, regardless of the occasion? Enjoy posing with props and taking silly photos with the kids at your wedding.

Throw in a few extra props that might appeal to the younger generations, and you’re sure to have lots of laughs. This is also the ideal way for guests to remember the special occasion and for you to have extra snaps for your wedding album.

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4. Give The Children A Job To Do (and a Special Hat Or Badge)

The trick here is to help the children at the wedding feel important (as well as the job you give them), and watch them turn it into a game. It can be anything from carrying your shoes while you have photos taken, calling family for photos, or guessing who will catch the bride’s bouquet.

Whatever job you task them with, have a badge they can wear or something that indicates they have been tasked with this very important duty.

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5. Bring In The Professionals To Facilitate Fun And Activities

Bring in some extra hands to help keep the children happy. There are great options for vendors who will provide expert care at your wedding event. Half the challenge of ensuring the children are entertained is having enough people to watch them and facilitate the activities.

We have great local vendors who can take care of all the details for you. This frees up the adults to relax and enjoy themselves, knowing the kids are looked after. Cheers to that!

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6. Have A Spare Phone Or Camera Available And Ask The Children To Take Selfies With Guests

Aside from the professional photos from your wedding day, it can be just as fun going through the moments other people have captured. Children have a knbaack for bringing out the fun in every situation. Even if your professional photographer can’t get a smile out of that grumpy uncle, perhaps the kids can with a silly selfie.

So much detail goes into a wedding, and you want to remember and soak it all up. Having extra little photographers running around capturing what they see will probably be surprising and delightful at the same time.

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7. Have A Candy Bar As Your Dessert Table

Need we say more? Who doesn’t love an amazing display of different chocolates and candies to choose from? You could even have an ice cream truck offering decadent and cold sweet treats that will please every age guest at the wedding. Other sweet table ideas include a donut station, build-your-own s’mores, and a cake bar.

Depending on how you’ve worked out your wedding budget, you can go as simple or elaborate as you like. The options are endless. Whatever you choose, the children will love that they can dish up their own sweets, and you’re not limited to a specific dessert time. That means more time for dancing.

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8. Have Some Lawn Games Or An Interactive Display

While having your photos taken and your guests mingle, why not have some lawn games or another interactive feature that creates conversation and connection? Depending on your venue and the space available, choose something that you love. If there’s time, you might even want to create the display or interactive games yourself.

Games make for a great conversation starter and are also an ideal ice-breaker if you have several guests who don’t know one another. Something like a magician is also a crowd-pleaser for guests of all ages.

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A Kid-Friendly Wedding Is More Fun For Everyone

Your wedding day is one you’ll always remember (and we want it to be for the right reasons). So much love and planning go into your special day, and knowing the children are entertained for the event will be a huge point to tick off your to-do list. Here’s to your big day being one full of smiles and without any tantrums. Happy planning.

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Written for Devoted Columbus by Katie Colon