Wedding Wednesdays: Childcare and Entertainment at Weddings [Episode Eighteen]

Articles, Podcast

You asked and we delivered! Today’s podcast episode is all about wedding childcare and entertainment. We’ve got two resident experts answering YOUR questions about looking after the little wedding guests.

Thank you Aisling Ross from The Wedding Nanny and Timmy Keane from Timtim Media.

 

Listen on Apple podcasts here!

 

Episode breakdown

How much should you organise and how much should be left up to the guests? And how many babysitters do you need?

Aisling’s advice is to first focus on your own children! You’ll be busy yourself so make sure your own children are looked after, ensuring they’re having fun, they’re fed and clean.

Nannies will typically look after three children at a time, depending on the age of the children.

You could leave childcare open to the parents by saying “Your children are more than welcome to join the party, but we will have a nanny on site and if you’d like the details we can send those on to you”.

 

Should you have a kids table or should the kids sit with their parents?

We suggest having younger children sit with their parents. This would be any children that are more dependant on their parents. Older children could sit at their own table, but we recommend having this table be close enough so the parents can still keep an eye on them. A great suggestion is to provide some entertainment for the kids (stickers, colouring books or bubbles).

 

How can you entertain the kids so they have the best time?

Aisling listed some fabulous ideas that they use at The Wedding Nanny:

Toys, games and activities that are age-appropriate.

A gift for the kids (like bubbles and stickers).

A scavenger hunt, depending on the weather and venue.

 

How can you involve your kids in the ceremony?

Invite them to be a page boy or flower girl. They can walk down the aisle (either alone, with each other, or with an adult). And why not ask them to walk you down the aisle?

Older children might feel awkward being a bridesmaid, so take into account their comfort levels. Other tasks older children can do: hand out confetti, welcome guests as they arrive, or be in charge of taking photos with a disposable camera.

For younger children, get them to hold the bouquet or rings. This will help them feel included!

Mention the kids in the ceremony, in the vows or prayers.

During the ring exchange, present each child with a gift (their own rings, or a token or medallion) and consider sharing special promises to them.

Include the kids in your unity ceremony!

 

How do you make sure the kids pose nicely for photos?

We asked Timmy Keane of Timtim Media for expert advice on this:

Getting kids to pose for photos can be unpredictable and often depends on how tired the kids are, so give them time to run around a bit and get rid of pent up energy.

Don’t force the kids to smile. Timmy will often get down to their level and make them feel comfortable with good eye contact. He’ll have someone over his shoulder making them happy with silly words like ‘sausages’ or ‘baby shark’. He loves getting the group to interact together so he captures a fun, natural moment, instead of an overly posed photo.