Ideas to amuse 2 year old at a wedding, please.

maman

I'm off to wedding next month and I'd like some ideas on amusing a 2 year old boy.


My worry is that the bride's parents will get so wrapped up in looking after him that their daughter won't be the centre of attention. I don't want to give too many details of relationships so as not to be identified.


I haven't given him a birthday present yet so I want to try and kill two birds with one stone. Can anyone suggest a toy/toys that will help to amuse him?


What I've done in the past to occupy my own children on, for example, flights is give them a sort of hamper of small wrapped presents. But they are girls and they were a bit older at the time so I'm looking for ideas.


I'm prepared for being told on here it's none of my business ;)but I went to a wedding a while back where the groom was a friend of mine. He was really upset that his parents were sitting upstairs with his sister's children when he was leaving on his honeymoon so didn't come to say goodbye.

heuchera

Ahh, will he be wearing a little wedding suit?

Jagraf

It's a difficult one as toddlers naturally tend to run around making a noise especially when they are not supposed to. My brother married when my dsughter was two and I ensured that she was removed any time she could start taking over the spotlight. Obviously you can keep them quiet fir a little while with colouring books but otherwise they will either talk, cry or run around. Or sleep! Sorry not much help we hardly took our DD to any event that could ruin the day when she was little - we left her with friend or rellies

[Deleted User]

A tablet/large phone loaded with peppa pig/<other shows are available> should do the trick for a while.

I had to stand outside while my sister-in-law got married as my 'little darling son' (18 months old) decided to not have a nap then go ballistic. This was pre-portable videos.

Meadows

For our daughters wedding we provided goody bags for the lillte ones which included a toy, a colouring set (Similar to this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/291404624922) bits and bobs to keep them amused. The bags cost about a £1 - £2 each and kept them happy.

pigpen

duct tape??

A couple of boxes, a piece of bubble wrap and one felt pen... occupies them for days!


Mine sits with the ipad watching various things .. octonauts, diego, nursery rhymes, counting songs, apps to write letters and numbers and colour pics and a set of little headphones. They love the camera function too.

And when that fails a lollipop shuts them up for ages

paddy's_mum

Didn't I recently see a You've been Framed clip where a cheeky 3 year old showed the other children that if you creep forward and lift the hem of the bride's gown while she's busy listening to what the vicar is saying, you can see all that she's ...... :rotfl:

thriftylass

When we got married, my parents/FIL/aunties etc took care of our 6mo and 3yo. Basically we accepted any noise or disruption during the ceremony (including the registrar) and made sure noone felt like they have to take kids outside. Also the kids were all close to each other so entertained each other (all between a few months and 11 years, ca 12 kids). Later my parents put our kids to bed but then came back down to join in. For dinner time etc there was obviously food to keep them busy and we made goody bags with puzzles, pens etc.

Person_one

So the child is the bride's nephew and you're worried that he'll overshadow her at the wedding?

It seems unlikely that her parents will be so wrapped up in a 2 year old that they won't be bothered their daughter is getting married! If he's invited though you'll both have to accept that the people looking after him on the day will have to spend some time on that.

From recent family weddings, the best way seems to be to take 'shifts' between as many grandparents, aunties, uncles, friends etc as possible so that no one person misses too much of the party.

If he's a page boy, or wearing a smart suit, I'm afraid he will steal the show a bit though due to cuteness, no avoiding that one!

DigForVictory

Nesting gift wrapped boxes with polo mints in each layer.
Brightly coloured lidded boxes are always good value - my lot had a cheap Tupperware set which they played with for Ages.... That I'd use the tiniest for baby food & the biggest for cake didn't hurt.

Possibly hire a babysitter for a couple of hours so everyone has a chance to eat, be photographed & socialise without checking watches etc?

SmlSave

Lots of little tubs with different foods in are a good way to keep a toddler busy, especially if the foods are fiddly like dry cereal, chocolate raisins etc