children's table? or children sitting with parents? updated with followup question..

Seat them with their parents, for supervision, especially through the meal. Have a kids' activity table, for those that want to use it. It might be best to seat families with kids together at one end of the room, next to the activity table.

Or you could have the kids bring the activities to their table

I am seating kids with their parents. When I think of a kids table, I think of the havoc I would have caused with my brother and cousins if we were left to our own devices.

We had two "teenager" tables for my cousins, there were 12 of them I think so we thought that it was best to sit them together. H only has 2 younger cousins (they're 9 and 12) so we sat them with their parents. How old are the kids that you're inviting?

The kids are small. I can keep them with the parents I just wasn't sure I wasnt commiting a faux pas doing so. I think for dinner time it just makes sense

I LOVE the idea of an activity table though!

If they're very young then yes I would sit them with their parents

Definitely sit them with their parents. That way, the parents can keep them behaved. Also, kids - even teens - aren't like adults, they aren't going to be able to introduce themselves and make small talk with people, even other kids, they don't know. Its best to sit them with family.

Agree with PP. I would sit the kids with the parents.

Put them with their parents. You have a far better chance of them behaving. If parents don't want to supervise them, they should leave them home.

The children at our wedding will be too young to be unattended so they will be with parents..however we are planning on hiring a babysitter to supervise in another room after dinner if the parents want to have some fun!!

I would do a kids table

I'm planning to seat the kids with their parents for dinner but have a small table in a corner with kids activity books & crayons. The parents can decide if and when the kids can go play or if they need to bring a kit back to their own table.

I'm planning to talk to the teens (all are family) and see if they would rather have their own table or sit with families.

I am doing a kids table, but then again, all the kids are cousins and used to having their own separate kids table at family functions. Also, their parents are literally just one table away to help if necessary.

Children should be seated with their parents. You can do an activity table, but children should be seated with their parents during dinner.

Agreeing with others, if they're young they should be with their parents for dinner. You could make a little activity kit and set them where the children will be sitting to give them some entertainment before/after dinner

I have a kids table and I have hired a babysitter to sit at that table. Kids range in age from 5-10, there are two 3 year olds who I have seated at their parent's tables but also left seats for them at the kiddy table. All of the kids coming know at least 2 other kids there and are pretty well behaved. I am supplying coloring books, coloring placemats, and crayons and possible getting them each a surprise toy pack.

I have strategically placed all of the parents (including myself) at the 2 tables adjacent to the kid's table in case anyone needs assistance.

I will report back how this goes! I wouldn't do it for kids under 5, tons of kids, or kids who don't know each other.

The way the venue is set up there is a main floor with a large terrace on one side and doors that lead outside (where there is a field, working farm equipment, and an unsecured pond). There is a balcony loft in the main room with FULL view of the main room with only one staircase and no doors or dangerous exits.

I would like to place parents and smaller children up there for their safety but people are telling me it'll seem like they're being segregated (I can share pics, they're not in another room or separated by anything other than a level)

Its such a great view of the room that there is another smaller balcony just opposite that I would like to put the sweethearts table up on that side.

What do you guys think? cause then I could have the kids running around upstairs and away from the main dance floor.

Is there plexi glass or wires or something below that railing? If not I would be afraid one of the kids would fall off of there. Maybe use that as a cocktail type area.

Don't put playthings on the formally set dinner table, even if you choose to sit the kids with their parents for dinner (which I would). Let the bride enjoy a perfectly set table for her guests -- after all, she's paid for every plate and it should look pristine. I'd have a separate area set up for them after dinner, with activities and snacks set out, and honestly, I'd hire a sitter for the night to monitor them after dinner (we did that for our daughter's wedding and it worked out well -- although there was only a microscopic amount of small children in attendance).

ETA: I just read Susan's post -- all the more reason to hire a childcare provider. That drop scares the hell out of me, and as the grandmother of a seven year old, I know he'd be all over that balcony. Maybe some kind of velvet rope at the bottom of the stairs to send a message to the little ones: Keep out!

@Susan, cocktails are downstairs in another room entirely.

The slates are 4" wide, not wide enough to stick any appendange through. If you see by the height of the rail, unless they're *standing on the back of a chair* there is little danger of going over the rail. Even so, if i dont seat them there, theres nothing stopping them from heading upstairs.