Entertaining children at weddings

Spendless

Fleago - no offense taken. I got my 'wild child' first.;)

OP- Just thinking but if you go on websites like cbeebies or nickjunior or even if you google a particular cartoon character, you often find colouring pages or dot to dots or puzzlses for you to print off. You could have a play about with these to see if you can make up a suitable pack. That might keep your costs down.

Rachel85

Thanks everyone, there are some really good ideas here!

With regard to parents looking after their own kids... My SIL mentioned to me they went to a wedding where their child was given a "party bag" of sorts with things to keep her occupied and that it went down really well (hint hint). I have to say, I did think that parents might consider bringing things themselves but not having any kids myself I don't really know the score (previously I was fretting over whether to provide milk to babies who are being bottle fed until I was told that parents do plan for this!). I guess I just thought that if I was to pick up a few bits and bobs like colouring pencils, stickers, bubbles, comics etc each time I'm in the supermarket or a pound shop and print off some things online etc then it might keep the kids happy and make the day better for everyone. I know that you can often get sets with lots of things in from pound land so (I hope) I should only have to spend a few pounds to get enough.

So thanks everyone, it has given me lots to think about and there are some really good ideas. Its just with not having children of my own I often struggle to know what's best, so I do really appreciate everyone's input.

Thanks again.
Rachel

Nenen

I think that s a really lovely, thoughtful idea and although when my children were little I certainly wouldn't have expected it, I would have been overwhelmingly grateful and felt as if my children were really wanted to receive something like this.

Here are a few suggestions....

1) Not all children like colouring and there is a wonderful series of anit-colouring books you can buy in the Early Learning Centre (or here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=anti-colouring&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go ). If you want to save money you could have a look at a couple and design some little booklets of your own in a similar style.

2) word searches and crosswords are popular with older children

3) You could also ask the older children to write a poem about you both

4) If you have space you could ask a parent who has a large amount of Lego (or similar construction toy) if you could borrow it and set up Lego table... that will keep most boys (and some girls) between 4-10 busy for hours!

5) you can get packs of stencils cheaply in pound shops etc.

6) Try charity shops for packets/boxes of 'fuzzy felts' (completely mess-free but adored by many under 5s)!

Finally, you could approach your local FE college and ask if they have a couple of good students on one of their nursery nurse training courses who would like to come and help on the day.

Carmina_Piranha_3

it's lovely that you want to keep the children entertained. if it's worrying you perhaps somebody else could be coerced into volunteering to sort it out though

parents might bring their own stuff but as a parent who always has a car and a book in the nappy bag i get everyone else's bored kids flocking to me and i sometimes get annoyed that their own parents aren't doing anything to keep them entertained.

at weddings i've been to most children are happy with bubbles and balloons - but that doesn't keep them sat still at the table during the meal so if that bothers you (and waiters with hot food etc. would be bothered by kids running wild with bubbles too i suppose) then something at the table would be nice.

at my son's birthday party the children were expected to stay in the food area for 45 minutes so i had to find ways of keeping them happy, i printed colouring pages and bought cheap packs of crayons and pencils from asda. i also had a book corner which is probably something that the other parents could sort out. you could also buy a book for each child from the book people (packs of ten usually cost less than £10) but if they are varying ages then perhaps not. they had a collection of activity and sticker books recently, but probably only suitable for under 5's.

for older children you could print out grids of dots for a squares game, or a grid for a game of battleships. plain paper with a hangman printed in light/grey to go over might encourage a game of hangman.

seating arrangements could maybe put the families with children sharing tables so that the children could talk to each other.

Carmina_Piranha_3

i just looked through a 'book people' catalogue and thought of you, they've got a sale on but i haven't checked stocks. the website is worth browsing anyway and if you have a quidco account you can get cashback., there may also be a free delivery code on here somewhere.

anyway, usborne mazes - 3 books for £2 - age 5+ http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_110195_100_51103__category_

elmer - sticker book and a colouring book for £1 - age 3 but i'd say 2 also. http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_126831_100_51103__category_

DK i can draw - 4 book set for £3 - age 5+ http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_41229_100_51103__category_

3x usborne handbooks (pirate etc.) for £4 - age 8+ probably just for boys. http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_55159_100_51103__category_

actually i checked and those are out of stock but these are lovely for ages 2-5 http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_67722_100_48117__category_

and these are the sticker and colouring books ... age 2-6, you get ten books for £7.99 http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_94715_100_48107__category_