Taking a child to a dinner party: how to keep your child entertained

Illustration of a child sitting calmly at a decorated dinner table among adults, symbolizing entertainment for children at adult dinners.

The next two hours are going to be long—for both of you. The child sits at the edge of the table while the adults laugh and talk about things that make no sense to a 6 to 8-year-old.

To keep your child entertained at a dinner party, give them a meaningful activity that matches their attention span. A personalized 3D story from Flipr, where the child is the hero, can be read or listened to quietly at the table. This creates a positive experience for the child while the adults finish their conversation.

Chin resting in hand, a blank stare, and you can feel the boredom soon turning into impatience. Brain researcher Emma Louth Als explains in Kristeligt Dagblad that children and adults fundamentally concentrate differently. This is part of the reason why a long adult conversation at the dinner table feels endless to a child who hasn't chosen to be a part of it.

It's not that the child isn't allowed to be there. It's because a dinner party simply isn't built for a child's attention span, and it's rarely something people have prepared for.

Why do children get bored at adult dinner parties?

Most situations where a child gets bored involve waiting. A dinner party is a bit different; here, it's about giving the child something meaningful to be occupied with while the adults are allowed to finish talking, without anyone feeling neglected.

How to use Flipr to create peace at the dinner table?

With Flipr, your child can get a brand new, personalized story in under 2 minutes, where they are the hero alongside family members and pets they know from previous stories. The story can be read or listened to quietly at the table without disturbing the rest of the party.

Prepare a story before the guests arrive, or open the app at the table.
The story is ready in under 2 minutes if a new one is needed along the way.
Let the child read or listen in peace while the adults finish talking.

What does a successful evening with children and adults look like?

It's not a child sitting bored in the background of a photo from the evening. It's the child deeply engrossed in their own story, while the adults can enjoy their conversation to the end, and everyone leaves the table with a good experience rather than a tense evening.

How do I get started with Flipr before the next dinner?

Or before another evening with a child staring into space at the edge of the table. It doesn't have to be that way. Try Flipr for free and give your child something to be engaged in while the adults finish talking.

Is it appropriate to give a child a screen at the dinner table?

It depends on the situation and the family's own values, but many parents prefer a quiet, enriching activity over a child who becomes increasingly impatient.

Can the story be adapted for a short or long dinner?

Yes. A new story is ready in under 2 minutes, and several can be started one after another, depending on how long the party lasts.

Does it disturb the rest of the party?

No, the story can be read silently or listened to with headphones, so it doesn't interfere with the conversation at the table.

Can multiple children at the same dinner use it simultaneously?

Yes. Each child can have their own character and their own story, while still being part of the same family universe.