For christening entertainment, soft play is what we'd go for first: it suits babies, toddlers and children up to six, it's quiet, and it keeps them busy through the speeches. For older children, a bouncy castle works well in summer, and a craft table or face painter keeps a small group happy without hiring anything.
Christenings and naming ceremonies are important days for you and your loved ones, and great for making lasting memories. Traditionally, a christening is seen as a statement that you will raise your children with Christian values.
Whatever the reason, there are likely to be lots of children there, and while the adults are enjoying catching up, the children may start to get bored. What you choose will depend a lot on the ages of the children and the venue.
A few popular ideas
If there are fewer than ten children and a couple of adults at a loose end, some craft activities might be the best option.
A classic colouring table with printed pictures is a simple way to keep the children entertained. Looking after it could be a great job for a niece or nephew.
Biscuit decorating is another good one, and how many children don't like biscuits? You'll just need biscuits, icing and maybe some sprinkles. Cupcake decorating works too, but you'll need an adult to keep an eye on it and keep the mess in one area.
For a craft table, toilet rolls, egg boxes, tissue paper and Sellotape can keep children entertained for hours. You could even have a competition to see who can make the best camel, with a prize at the end.
Hire some soft play
A soft play area is a great option for children up to six. With themes from princesses and spacemen to pirates and plain shapes, there's sure to be one to suit your christening.
Younger children between two and six may not be ready for a big bouncy castle, and soft play gives them a safe place of their own. It's quiet, even if the children probably won't be, and it helps stop them getting restless during the service or any speeches.
Matt had our soft play for his daughter's christening after-party, with 11 children under five:
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Review
Matt Holmes-Arnold
★★★★★
We used Best Party Hire for my daughters christening after party. We were thrilled with the service Luke set up well before time and was very helpful. The cost was also fantastic for what was provided. We had 11 under 5s at the party and they loved the soft play, which also kept them occupied for hours. I cant speak highly enough of the whole service and would recommend Best Party Hire. We will be using them again 100%
Soft play can also come with ride-ons if you have enough space at your venue. Walk-and-rides are great for toddlers taking their first few steps. Didi cars are popular with children and adults alike, as they can hold up to 18 stone! It's up to you whether you tell the other adults that.
We clean all our soft play with Bio-San disinfectant.
When is your christening?
If it's in the summer, or you just have the space and a big family, a great way to entertain the children and tire them out at the same time is a bouncy castle. They come in all shapes and sizes, from low castles and combi castles with slides to fun runs and adult castles, so the whole family can join in if you want them to.
Always check the space so you know your castle will fit. Our post on how much space you need for a bouncy castle can help with this.
A very popular choice for christenings is our Party Play Zone, which has a small bouncy castle, a slide, a ball pool, air jugglers and some soft play, with side walls to keep the little ones in. It's for ages 1 to 6.
Want something to remember the day by?
Then hiring a professional is for you. For the smaller children a face painter always goes down well and doesn't cost much.
Once they're set up, children race over and a queue soon forms, everyone wanting to be their favourite Pokémon, superhero, princess, pirate or unicorn. Because of sensitive skin, face painters will usually only paint children over three, but they can often add a design to an arm to keep the little ones included.
Don't forget the adults can have their faces painted too! Just bear in mind we don't allow face paint on our equipment.
Don't want everyone in the house?
If you've got a lot of guests and you're not sure they'll all fit inside, or you'd rather keep things separate, keep everyone outside with a gazebo.
Gazebos look the part, and you can decorate the inside however you like. Add some tables and chairs and some entertainment, and you've got yourself a brilliant venue for you and your guests. You could add outside caterers too, so you don't have to worry about the food.
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