5 Christmas Kids' Tables
See how five bloggers created Christmas kids' tables designed to delight and occupy pint-sized guests.
Photo: Julia Marcum
The tradition of the kids' table is a funny thing—as a kid, you always wished you could sit at the adult table. As adults, we know plenty who wish they could go back to the kids' table! (This particular editor and her adult siblings and cousins still sit at the kids' table for every major holiday.)
For those of us that love decorating for the season, kids' tables can be a challenge. You want the table to fit into your overall holiday look, but also be disaster-averse and keep the kids occupied.
We asked some of our favorite bloggers to create beautiful Christmas tablescapes that are specifically designed for pint-sized family members. Below our bloggers let you in on their holiday inspiration, provide tips for keeping a kids' table chic but usable, and offer great ideas for keeping little hands and minds busy during dinner.
1. Modern Jack Frost
Julia, of Chris Loves Julia, created this approachable, minimal kids' table. This is a great example of creating a special look out of items you likely already have on hand. Julia's goal for most of her home designs is to choose pieces that can move from room to room, feel timeless, and appeal to all ages. This elegant table executes that perfectly. A classic striped runner, a natural tree centerpiece, and traditional ornaments in a simple color palette can be used in other places throughout the holiday season and for years to come.
Tip! Swap out Julia's color scheme for whatever would work in your dining room!
Photo: Julia Marcum
Julia keeps her design kid-friendly by using wood decor elements and shatterproof ornaments . Keep the dishware melamine, but add fun touches like monogrammed cups (for snacks or drinks) to make the kids feel special. Layering colors and mixing patterns adds a subtle, youthful feel to items that may look too sophisticated on their own.
To keep the kids occupied during dinner, Julia likes to set out little place setting surprises that have layers and layers of small trinkets like balloons, tiny toys, and stickers. With each course of the meal, kids can unwrap a layer and find something fun to play with.
Photo: Julia Marcum
2. Candy Land Breakfast Nook
Jessica Kielman, ofMom 4 Real, designed this fanciful candy land breakfast nook for Christmas morning—a tradition almost as special as opening presents. Jessica tapped into her childhood fantasy of a candy bar and recreated it for her kids as a part of her waffle breakfast setup.
She kept the decor light, bright, and playful to mimic the joyful nature of a candy-filled Christmas morning.
To keep the kids busy during Christmas morning or dinner, chalkboard placemats are a great idea—kids can draw on the placemats while they are waiting for breakfast or once they finish eating. You could even add a sheet of stickers to each place setting and allow them to stick them on their placemats.
Photo: Jessica Kielman
3. Merry and Bright Holiday Sparkle
With her five children, Audrey McClelland, of MomGenerations, knows a thing or two about entertaining little ones. She wanted to create a bright, bold table that would resonate with all her children. The hope was to dazzle them and make them think of the North Pole!
We think her table has a bit of a vintage vibe too—the dishes and tinsel trees in classic colors make us think of Christmases past.
Photo: Audrey McClelland
Audrey thinks that games are the way to go to keep kids occupied at holiday dinners, so she placed holiday-themed coloring books on each chair. She came up with small crafts the kids could do right at the table (no glue required!) and engaged them with a game of trivia about family members.
Photo: Audrey McClelland
4. Modern Colors with Retro Vibes
Chelsey Andrews, of The Paper Mama, set out to create a retro table with an updated color palette. The nostalgic 1950s feel will speak to the adults at Christmas and the unorthodox setup will delight the little ones.
Chelsey's tip for creating a table that is beautiful and kid-friendly is to embrace plastic—tableware, decor, the whole deal. Skip the candlesticks and go with plastic glitter votives . Opt for shatterproof plates and cups, and trick the eye with plastic silverware that looks like the real thing. With a fun color scheme and a little bit of sparkle, you'll hardly notice that it's not "the good stuff."
Photo: Chelsey Andrews
To keep the kids happy and occupied, Chelsey ingeniously worked a coloring activity into the place settings. She folded a coloring page into a makeshift pocket to hold crayons and put them on each plate. (She has the coloring printable and directions for folding on her site!)
Tip! Let your coloring activity do double duty. Print the names of your mini guests on each coloring page to act as fun place cards.
Photo: Chelsey Andrews
5. Classic Christmas
Vera Sweeny, of Lady & The Blog , went the classic route by pulling out a plaid tablecloth and Christmas tree plates. To keep the table from feeling too formal, Vera added fun elements like Santa figurines, reindeer, and goofy snowmen. Not only do they act as conversation pieces, but they put smiles on the little ones' faces as soon as they sit down.
While Vera boldly went ahead with breakable tableware, she made sure to avoid a centerpiece that had any lit candles. Instead, she made it sparkly and festive with glittery ornaments and frosted greenery.
Tip! Chargers or layered dinner plates will help catch those pesky crumbs that little ones can never seem to keep on their plates!
Photo: Vera Sweeny
Vera loves to create dollar store grab bags for holiday parties as a special surprise. Whether it's crayons and a coloring book or a new floor puzzle, you'd be surprised at what you can find for a reasonable price to delight the kids. She throws together a variety of fun items for each child and then gives them out when the kids need something to do.
Photo: Vera Sweeny
