Your wedding is a special day for you and your adult friends, and it can be a lot of fun for the kids, too. But it takes a bit of preparation on your behalf, so take a look at our tips and ideas to make sure kids have a great time, too.

Happy, well-behaved kids are everyone’s dream at a wedding – from the ceremony to the reception. To avoid those tantrums and screaming tearaways, you’ll need to spend a bit of effort to keep them happy. And as the old saying goes, “Happy children, happy parents!”

As Gold Coast wedding photographers, we love photographing all of your guests at the wedding – young and old. Children add that open-heartedness to the feel of your day.

Here are our ideas to make it a fun day for children at your wedding.

Have a dance-off to see who can bust the best moves.

Depending on your run sheet, you might want to set up a “kids-only” time on the dance floor and play the latest chart toppers for them. It’s an excellent way for them to burn off some energy for half an hour before the adults take over.

2. Have them tell their own stories about the bride and groom and why they’re getting married.

For older children with vivid imaginations, this is the perfect opportunity to great creative and write a story of your wedding day. Even better if you could provide them with beautiful notebooks and pens to capture their novelette in detail.

3. Draw pictures of the bride and groom or the wedding cake.

Or you could set up a place where they can create cards and other crafty creations. The kids will revel in making something unique and then putting it on display for everyone to see.

4. Collect all the confetti and save it to take home.

This is another great energy burner. If you offer prizes for the most confetti collected, you’ll have the place looking spic and span in no time!

5. Go on a treasure hunt.

What a fantastic way to allow the kids to be involved in your day and be delighted in the magic of the day. Set up a hunt to include things like the wedding rings (replicas, of course), the cake (a mini-sized version, perhaps) and flowers.

6. Make a movie-night den.

It shouldn’t hurt your budget too much to set up a mini portable projector and computer somewhere quiet. Throw in a game station and plenty of cushions, and you’ll have happy teenagers forever. If you pick a Disney movie, you might also find it appeals to older guests, as well.5.

7. Create a kids-only zone.

Depending on your budget, this could include a bouncy castle or a kids’ entertainer, or it could be as low-key as having a children’s tent with pillows galore. Make sure there are plenty of snacks available to keep them happy.

8. Make sure there’s a kids’ menu.

Talking of food, kids love to snack, so give some consideration as to what will keep their tummies happy throughout the day. Vege sticks, dips, peanut butter sandwiches and plenty of chips are usually top of our list.

9. Play some lawn games.

Think Giant Jenga, Connect 4 or Twister. The older guests will love them too. These games are an instant way to break the ice among guests who might not know each other. Bonus!

10. Have some goodie bags ready.

A little wedding pack for each of your younger guests is a great way to keep them entertained through the ceremony. Ideas of what to put in there include a colouring book, plain paper and coloured pencils, Play-Doh, bubbles, sweets and lollies and some coloured ribbons.

Top 10 things to keep it fun for kids at weddings