How To Entertain Children At Your Wedding – Little Rascals

Let’s be real – while weddings are amazing for the grownups, they can be a bit trying for the younger members of the guest list. From a young child’s perspective, a wedding can be a lot of sitting still, staying quiet, waiting for meals, and staying up way too late, which is a whole lot of tantrum-inducing triggers! Read on below to discover the best ways to entertain the little ones on your wedding day.

Written by Lucy Mackay

• Seating a chaperone at the kids’ table can help things run smoothly. While older children often love hanging out at their own table, younger ones might have some trouble keeping themselves entertained and a little guidance from an adult goes a long way.

• While some couples opt for an adults-only wedding, and others set up a kids’ or family table for the reception, one trend that’s making a resurgence is booking an event babysitter. Hiring an event nanny is a great compromise between leaving the little ones at home and their parents having to entertain them all night! One option is to use an event sitter as an extra pair of hands. A formal dinner can be a bit tricky with preschool-aged children, and another adult to cut up food, wipe little hands, and make trips to the bathroom during speeches is very helpful!

• Another option is to set up an wedding crèche. Dedicate a quiet area of your venue, or a separate room if possible, and ask your event sitter to set up a range of child-friendly activities and some blankets and pillows for naps. The youngest guests will be able to attend the wedding and pose for plenty of cute pictures, and everyone else will be able to remark how much they’ve grown, but when it all gets a bit too much, there’s a dedicated person to take them off for some quiet time. 

A QUICK TIP – if you’re having a rehearsal, consider including your event sitter so they have a chance to meet the children and familiarise themselves with the venue.