Keeping kids entertained at weddings
Looking for ways to keep the kids entertained at weddings then take a look at these ideas for inspiration!
We all know kids get bored at weddings! I have often seen the little guests yawning during the ceremony or running around uncontrollably while we try to round them up for the group photographs. They look at their happiest on the evening when they are skidding across the dance floor while the DJ sets up! So have you thought of ways to entertain your young guests? At the majority of weddings I photograph the kids are given a gift during dinner which keeps them occupied for a while but what about the rest of the day? I’ve popped some ideas on this blog which I hope you will find helpful! In my experience if the kids are happy then we are, right?
Bubbles!
Bubbles are always a hit with children, so how about popping some bubbles in their goodie bag? Or you could hire/buy a bubble machine so they can run around in the bubbles or even eat them like this little one was doing at a wedding I photographed! Some other ideas for the goodie bags are colouring books & pencils, a bouncy ball, a little pack of cards so they can interact with each other, maybe hold off with the sweets though as they might become hyper!
Hiring an Entertainer
This could be costly but the kids will love it & it will give the parents a little breather too. It’s also a great photo opportunity as your photographer can get some fab images of the kids laughing or being really engrossed with the entertainers antics. I have photographed a few weddings where they have had different entertainers for the children from magicians to clowns, here’s a couple I’d recommend:
https://www.partyfun-birmingham.co.uk/
Face Painting
Always a big hit with my daughter! Kids love face painting! They can be all types of characters & they like the process of having it done, a moment to relax for all! A little tip here is to have this done after the official group shots! For obvious reasons as you don’t want little Jonny to hide his cute face behind a tiger painting on the other hand this could be great for an informal, fun photograph. The adults can join in with this one too, after a few drinks! Most Face painters tend to do little transfer tattoos too if you don’t want your little one to have the full face paint. Potentially getting it on their posh clothes! Here’s a local Birmingham Face painter I’d recommend:
http://www.sarasparlour.co.uk/
Entertaining themselves
Good old fashioned entertaining themselves is always a good thing, using their imaginations by making up games. Usually chasing each other playing Tig is the fav or hide & seek.
If you are lucky some venues have little playground areas where the kiddies can play! I have even seen the bride & groom on the playground which makes for some really hilarious photographs!
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/en-uk/ramada/
Garden Games
On a similar theme: garden games are great fun too, you could hire or buy giant Jenga sets, connect four, noughts & crosses or chess sets!
Or pop to the local supermarket & buy some skittles, hoops, skipping ropes, balls. The kids will just love anything like this & being outdoors! Weather permitting.
Space hoppers are always a big hit with both kids & grown ups too!
PhotoBooths
You could bring your own photo booth props along, pop them in a suitcase & let the kids dress up. Maybe taking selfies with mum or dad’s phone. Supply little cameras so they could photograph each other dressed up, get the photos printed up after the wedding & use them for little thank you gifts. Hiring photo booths for the evening is also a popular choice, people of all ages enjoy this & it breaks the ice between the families!
`https://info.smileybooth.com/birminghamhire/
Hiring someone to look after the kids or a makeshift creche
A great idea, one of my couples had, is to hire local nursery nurse staff or teenage relatives/friends/childminders to look after the children. They brought crafts, paints, balls, hoops & played party games. It was like a bespoke birthday party for the kids, they loved it! Often the venue will allocate a separate room for this or a corner of the function room. A little tip here if younger children are using the paints, felts etc you might want to protect their clothes. Check with the helpers that the stuff they are playing with washes out or they might supply aprons.
A Fun Uncle or Aunt
If all else fails there is always the ‘fun uncle or aunt’ who chases them around wildly for about half an hour! Sometimes resulting in waring them out or, worse-case scenario being more hyper than they were after pudding at the wedding breakfast! Good luck with that one!
