6 Ideas for a Kid-friendly Wedding

Create a Kid Space

The simplest way to maintain harmony among all ages is to make a separate space for kids at your wedding. If you’re having an outdoor celebration create a “kids’ corral” with picnic blankets, toys, and child-size furniture. Children are nothing if not independent! As soon as they realise they have their own domain they’ll be happy to play there and let the grown-ups get on with it. Be sure to put them in a safe area, away from pools or BBQs, and with ample adult supervision.

Follow the leader

Hire a responsible neighbour to take older kids on a nature walk for an hour or two. Ibiza is replete with gorgeous countryside and youngsters will love the opportunity to get out, stretch their legs, play and explore.

Table activities

Kids hate to sit still, but they can often be persuaded with the right incentives. Choose age-appropriate table activities for your small guests and you will increase the peace exponentially. Colouring books and coloured pencils are great for kids of all ages. Picture books are a good distraction for younger children, while older ones can play simple card games like Go Fish! or try their hand at origami.

Action games

Since they are bound to run around anyway, why not hire an energetic babysitter to lead the kids on a merry romp? Old-fashioned favourites like three-legged races, wheelbarrow races, tag, and catch are great ways for kids to burn excess energy. Games are also the perfect ice breaker at large weddings where not all the children know each other. After a few rounds of play they’ll be so busy enjoying their new friends they won’t have time to get underfoot!

Mini-disco

One thing not in short supply on Ibiza is DJs. Booking one to entertain the children for a couple of hours is a fantastic way to support local talent while keeping the kids happy. They will love the “grown-up” feeling of having their own DJ and will be happy jumping up and down, bopping away to pop favourites while the adults can enjoy their own, more sophisticated musical experience.

Fun food

Good food is an essential element of a great wedding but children and adults have very different ideas of what that means. You can simplify (and cut costs) by catering for kids separately. Main courses can include easy-to-serve foods like hot dogs, burgers, chicken and pasta. Cupcakes are always a hit and are tidier than cake slices. For a summer wedding bring in a soft serve ice cream machine or sno-cone maker to churn out tasty cool treats that are fun as well as delicious.

A wedding designed for all ages will ensure everyone goes home with happy memories. To help with your planning be sure to ask for parents to RSVP with their kids ages, interests and any additional information such as allergies. Then you can prepare just the right combination of activities and goodies to keep everyone smiling from morning till the last dance.