Keeping children entertained at a party mainly geared towards adults, like a wedding reception, can be a tricky task. But with a little planning and a little creativity, it becomes easy to provide plenty of kid-friendly activities to keep the little ones entertained and happy.
Arts and crafts table
Creating an arts and crafts table is an amazing way to keep children actively involved in a fun project. Be sure that all art and craft supplies are washable, though, so there is no risk of ruining clothes.
What you need
Colored pencils, glue, scissors, paper, oh my!
Finding fun and inexpensive art supplies is simple to do. Just don’t forget to have a wide variety of supplies and a big stash of paper. And be sure to purchase supplies that are age appropriate, safe and include a variety suitable for boys and girls. (Colored pencils: Office Depot, $9)
Mason jars
Consider using Mason jars to hold all of the art and craft supplies. Mason jars are inexpensive and cute and can be reused. (Ace Hardware, $9 for 12)
Plastic tablecloth
While plastic tablecloths may not be your first choice of table decor, you will be happy to be able to just throw them away at the end of the night instead of worrying about cleaning up glue and glitter. (Party City, $2)
Lawn games
Breaking out a few old-school lawn games is a great way to entertain children of all ages at an outdoor gathering. While many lawn games can be purchased at big box stores, you can also create some of these yourself.
What you need
Bocce ball
Bocce ball is a fun game for kids of all ages! All you need is some open space and a bocce ball set, and you can let the children enjoy trying to get their ball closest to the pallino. (Wayfair, $124)
Croquet
Croquet is another classic outdoor game that needs only a little open space and a croquet set. The children will enjoy taking their turns playing this fun game reminiscent of mini-golf. (Fifth Room, $349)
Cornhole
Cornhole (aka bean bag toss) is a fun game for kids of all ages. This is perfect to include, especially if you have very little ones attending the party. (Wal-Mart, $100)
Personalized party buckets
Everyone loves getting a bag filled with goodies just for them, and children will immediately be anxious to explore the contents of their special buckets. So create a fun bucket filled with inexpensive toys, craft supplies and maybe a few treats for the little ones at your party. You can even personalize these with the child’s name on it!
What you need
Bucket, basket, bag, etc.
Find a cute bucket or bag to hold a few special goodies for the children attending your party. They can be simple brown bags or even cute metal buckets. (Land of Nod, $13)
Crayons or other simple art supplies
Be sure to put a few simple art supplies, like these really fun metallic magic crayons, into each bucket. (Target, $1)
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