How To Keep Kids Entertained At A Wedding: Easy Activity Table Ideas

Children aren't difficult at weddings. Long gaps are. The dangerous stretches are the hour between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, and the speeches - both of which ask a five year old to sit still with nothing to do.

Here's what to put on an activity table, how to get through the speeches, and the practical bits UK venues never mention until the day.

What goes on the children's activity table

• One low table near, but not next to, the top table. Close enough that parents can see them, far enough that the noise doesn't land on the microphone.
• A mess-free art set per child, kept in its own case. Colouring is the only activity that reliably survives a two-hour speech slot.
• Paper, not colouring books - a big sheet down the middle of the table gets the whole group drawing together.
• Stickers. The most cost-effective item at any wedding, adult or child.
• A disposable camera each for the over-sixes, with a simple photo list: something blue, someone dancing, the cake.
• A wordsearch or spot-the-difference sheet with the couple's names on it, printed at home for nothing.
• No glitter, no paint, no playdough. Whatever the venue says, someone will end up hoovering.
• A small bag of quiet snacks that aren't chocolate. Chocolate plus white dresses is a known problem.

Getting through the speeches

• Hand out the activity packs at the start of the speeches, not before. New things bought thirty minutes of quiet; already-open things buy none.
• Ask the best man to keep it under eight minutes. Everyone benefits, not only the children.
• Seat families near a door. A child who needs to leave should be able to leave without crossing the room.
• Ear defenders for anyone who finds the microphone difficult, in a basket on the way in.
• A colouring sheet taped to the back of the menu card - no extra kit, no extra table.
• If the speeches run before the meal, feed the children first. Hungry children make the decision for you.

Timings that actually work at a UK reception

• Ceremony to reception drinks: the longest unstructured hour of the day. Put the games here - a garden hoop, a bubble machine, anything outdoors.
• Drinks to wedding breakfast: activity table opens, packs stay closed.
• Speeches: packs out, snacks out, ear defenders available.
• Between the meal and the evening do: the natural window for a magician, entertainer or a film in a side room.
• First dance: children are the ones who make the dance floor look full. Get them on it first.
• After eight o'clock: a quiet room with cushions and a film. Children fall asleep at weddings; plan where.

Who looks after them

• Say plainly on the invitation whether children are invited, and to what part of the day. Vagueness causes every wedding child problem there is.
• Parents supervise their own children unless you've hired someone. Put that in writing, kindly, on the wedding website.
• Hiring a registered childminder or a crèche service for four hours is often cheaper than a single extra table of adult guests.
• Ask two teenage relatives to be the official helpers and pay them properly. They're better at it than most adults.
• Write the couple's mobile numbers somewhere other than the couple's pockets. On the day, nobody can find anyone.

Shop wedding cards

How to write it so it lands

• Pack the activity table the week before and hand the box to someone who isn't getting married.
• One pack per child, labelled with their name. Sharing is the source of every argument.
• Tell the photographer where the children will be. Those are usually the best photos of the day.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you keep kids entertained at a wedding?

Set up one low activity table with a mess-free art set per child, big sheets of paper, stickers and printed activity sheets, hand the packs out as the speeches begin, and plan outdoor games for the gap between the ceremony and the meal.

What should go in a children's wedding activity pack?

A compact art or colouring set, a few sheets of paper, stickers, a small non-chocolate snack and a printed activity sheet with the couple's names on it. Skip glitter, paint, playdough and anything that rolls.

How do you keep children quiet during wedding speeches?

Give them something new at the exact moment the speeches start, seat families near a door, feed the children before the speeches if they run early, and ask the speakers to keep it short.

Should you hire a childminder for a wedding?

If more than five or six children are coming, yes. Four hours of a registered childminder or crèche service often costs less than one extra table of adult guests and it changes the day for every parent in the room.

Do you sell toys or art sets?

No. We design and print kids' birthday cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations, all posted from the UK. Any toy or art set mentioned here is an outside recommendation, not something we stock.