Many couples who are getting married invite children to the wedding; either they are participating in the wedding, they are the children of the bride and groom or they are close family or friends. Children can often get bored at the long receptions that follow the wedding, so preparing a table all their own at the reception will help to keep them occupied.
Food
Plan to have a special menu for the children. They do not always like the fancy meals served at wedding receptions, so plan to have a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chicken nuggets or hamburgers for the kids. You don't have to have the caterers prepare it; simply have a close friend or family member in charge of bringing a bag with this food. Another option is to let the parents of the children know they are free to bring a lunch box for their children.
Setting the Table
Get a table that is low to the ground, if possible. This is especially good if you have younger children at the reception, who may not be able to reach the table, even when sitting on the chairs. Cover the table with butcher paper and set a few baskets or boxes of crayons around it. Children love to color right on the paper covering the table, and they won't ruin the nice table cloths. Put colorful plastic plates and utensils at the table, as well. You want this to be cute and fun for the kids.
Activities
Purchase or make coloring and activity books for the kids. You can make one wedding themed, or just go with a store-bought book. Play clay is also fun for kids, but the clay must stay at the table. Bubbles in containers that don't spill are always a hit with kids, especially if they can take them home with them. If the children are older, put beads for making necklaces and Legos on the table. These can occupy children for hours; younger children may put these items in their mouth, so be aware of the age of the children.
Other Items
If your budget allows, hire a baby-sitter to sit at the table with the kids. The sitter can make sure nobody gets hurt, the activities stay at the table and generally keep the noise level down. Be sure the parents know, however, that their children are ultimately their own responsibility.
Decorate the table with candy. Fill canisters with gummy worms, Twizzlers, lollipops or cookies. It can look very trendy while still signaling that this is a children's table. Give each child their own disposable camera. Make sure to put each child's name on it. You may get a lot of junk shots, but you could also get a lot of random cute pictures. Older children may actually get a few good ones of the bride and groom, if they fancy themselves a photographer. Even children as young as 2 can point and shoot a camera, and they won't want to be left out of anything.
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