A fun activity to offer at a child’s Halloween party, birthday party or sleepover is to provide a “do it yourself” face painting. Kits are widely available in most department stores or online that offer the materials needed, designs to copy and instructions on applying the paints.
Face painting has grown to be an extremely popular activity. Often seen at carnivals or festivals, it can also be easily accomplished in the comfort of your own home. It will provide hours of engaging entertainment for the kids, as they paint each others’ faces and even apply temporary tattoos. One of the great aspects of using kits is that they are good for any level of painter, from beginner to expert. While children may not be not accomplished artists, they love to be creative.
Kits range in price from very inexpensive to a true investment. The amount of paint and brushes that will be needed will depend on the number of children that will be using the materials and how they will be applied. For example, full face paint will use more product than small designs such as stars, teardrops or Harlequin eyes.
The types of paints included will always vary from kit to kit. Some face painting kits feature makeup “crayons”, others have multicolored easels with dried paints. Larger kits will offer a variety of products, from body paint to glitter to makeup crayons, and will often be ample for creating a large number of faces.
Specific qualities to look for when choosing a kit are:
- Safety of the products and ingredients (ensure that they are FDA approved).
- Amount of product versus the number of children
- User friendly products (make sure that they are geared toward the abilities of the children)
- Samples of designs, and pictorial instruction on creating them.
Finding the proper kit for your needs may take some research. Good places to start are craft stores, department stores, party stores and costume stores. There are also a wide range of products available on line, although it can be somewhat challenging to decide without physically viewing the product. In addition, buying online usually entails paying the extra cost of shipping and handling as opposed to simply paying retail price in the store.
Providing face painting kits at a party will be the highlight of the event by allowing kids to express their creativity while having safe fun.