To invite children or to not invite children… This seems to be one of those age old questions we find our couples conflicted with more times than not. It can be an awkward conversation to tell people you don’t want to have their children at your wedding, but there are appropriate ways to do so, (we will save that for a different blog)

Depending on the style of your wedding, you can always find ways to keep the children entertained. I love when there are children at weddings, they are always dressed so cute, they love to dance around and have fun, but, when there are not enough activities to keep them entertained, it can quickly turn in to a bunch of well dressed monkeys running around a zoo. Fun Fact, back in my banquet serving days, I had a wedding with a ton of children that ran around and they ran into me while I held a tray of champagne, I was lucky and quick on my feet and did not manage to drop the tray. To avoid situations like this happening to your catering staff (we can not account for the drunk people running into the catering staff) Why not think about having some fun activities to kids entertained? We came up with a list of 8 ways to keep kids entertained at your wedding. If you are interested in our take on kids entertainment, just keep reading!

Before we start listing off ways to entertain, I wanted to note, that if you have more than 5 kids coming to the wedding, have a specific kids table and if its possible, some venues might have a small room near the main space where the kids could be in to play and eat while the reception is going on. See number 8 for a good way to ensure the kids are watched after while all of your guests are enjoying the party, now… On to the list!

1. Petting Zoo – By far our favorite idea we have ever heard!

I mean, we are Dos Goats am I right? If it fits the surroundings and you are feeling super fun, a petting zoo would be a great idea! Llama’s have become super fun to have during your social hour, guests get to take pictures with them, and it is a ton of fun! Check out Carlson’s Lovable Llamas to learn more!

Better yet, pick a venue that already has pets on hand like one of our favorites, Gale Wood Farms in Minnetrista, MN.

Another thought… Getting married at a museum where they may keep the exhibits open for people to explore, this would be a great activity for children and adults!

2. Scavenger hunt – How fun would a museum scavenger hunt be? This one takes a bit of work, but if you plan ahead and has someone do the planting of the clues, this could be really fun! It could be clues about the couple, the family history or you can pick a theme for the night. You could get the DJ involved and have some prizes for the winners!

3. Cartoon artist – We love that couples are hiring painters to do live painting of their wedding! There are also artists that will do live portraits of you and your guests, How cute would it be to have the kids pose for stylish portrait in their fancy cloths!

4. Coloring books, word puzzles & puzzles – You could have a puzzle made of your wedding venue, your engagement photo or something wedding related. You could have coloring books or you could do word finds, crosswords and other word games that are wedding related or related to the state you are getting married in. Maybe a word-cross about the couple, and the kids have to figure out the answers by asking the adults.

https://www.stylemepretty.com/portfolio/we-heart-photography

5. Yard games – No matter what, if you want to entertain your guests, always have some yard games. There are a number of games to choose from but if you are catering to kids, stick to simple games like Corn Hole, Giant Tic Tac Toe, Giant Jenga, Giant Checkers. If you want to get crazy, get a wedding bouncy house!

6. Video Game Truck - If you have a lot of space and, a lot of 10 year olds and want to really give them a fun experience, you could look into hiring a Video Gaming Truck, you can rent them for a few hours at a time and it will keep those older kids nice and quiet and away from their phones.

7. Kids photo booth with props – Kids love photo booths! Make it easy for them and make it even more fun with those old school Polaroid cameras!

8. Hire a wedding nanny. My last tip is essential.. Do your wedding guests a favor and hire a wedding nanny! It will be a nice treat for your guests who may not be able to afford a sitter and has to bring them. They will be pleasantly surprised when they see there is someone to watch them so that they can enjoy the night! Some services will actually come with activities for the children which makes it easier on everyone!

I hope this gave some insight on ways to entertain children for you. After reading these fun and exciting things to do, you may now want all the children to come running to the funniest wedding ever, or, you read the list of activities and have a little stress demon that is now wallowing over your head, this might be your intuition telling you to forgo the children invite. Either way, we are always here to support you and help you with all your planning needs. Nameste friends!