Anyone who has planned a wedding where kids are invited knows how important it is to keep kids entertained at the reception. My friend wants to have a kids' table at her wedding, but also wants to keep the kids occupied with activities. So I helped her by creating a fun kid area full of snacks and activities for the kids at the reception.

VIDEO: DIY Kids Activities Area for a Reception

If you can't see the video, try viewing it directly on YouTube.

If you prefer step-by-step instructions, keep reading to see exactly how I made this DIY kids activity center for a wedding reception.

Step 1: Upcycling kid's toy furniture into an activity center

To set up a kid area at a wedding reception, you needs to start with some sort of base, whether it's a table, cart, or bookshelf. I love to upcycle kid's toy furniture, so I went hunting on Facebook Marketplace for something that would work. I hit the jackpot when I found this Kid's Grocery Store Playset for sale for only $30. This would be perfect!

This playset was just the right layout, with plenty of shelves and a counter that would be perfect for holding snacks, drinks, and activities for the kids. It needed a fresh coat of paint, though, so I reached for my trusty HomeRight Finish Max Super paint sprayer and a jar of DecoArt's Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint in white.

The paint sprayer makes it so easy to paint everything and that Chalky Finish paint sticks to just about anything. In a few minutes' time, my cute little grocery store playset was transformed into a charming L-shaped activity center suitable for a wedding reception.

Step 2: Decorate the Kid Zone with signage and color

To make it clear that this was a kid area at the wedding reception, I started with fun signage. I created a simple "KID ZONE" vinyl cutout with my Silhouette (download the "KID ZONE" .studio3 file to make your own) and used transfer tape to add it to the blank sign area at the top of the playset.

To decorate the rest of the piece, I took a cue from my previous MCM end table makeover and added colorful stripes quickly and easily with washi tape.

To seal the tape so it would withstand the outdoors (and the kids!) I brushed on a coat of Americana Decou-Page Outdoor.

Step 3: Fill bins with toys, snacks, and drinks

With the shelf done and decorated, it was time to add plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied at weddings. I started with snacks, of course, making sure everything was single-serve and easy for kids to grab without help from the adults.

More important than the snacks were the activities! I wanted to be sure the kids were entertained during the reception, so we filled the Kid Zone with toys, games, and activities.

Here are some great kids wedding activities to entertain kids:

• Classic toys like a yo-yo or Slinky
• Mini-size card games like Uno Go or Guess Who?
• Coloring books and crayons
• Tabletop games like Jenga or Connect Four
• Notebooks and colored pencils
• Glow bracelets and necklaces
• Bubble wands
• Play-Doh or air-dry clay

Step 4: Keep the kids entertained at your wedding reception

With the Kid Zone stocked, my friend was all set with her kid's wedding activities station.

These games, toys, and snacks are great for entertaining the kids during the reception, and this amazing little upcycled shelf is the perfect way to display them.

Be sure to keep more supplies on hand and ask someone at the wedding to keep an eye on the shelf and restock when needed, because the odds are that these toys and snacks will be a big hit with your tiny guests.