Birthday Hints

Birthday Party Hints

Want to have a successful birthday party?
These guidelines will help.
Please take time to read through them.

Is there ever a time when a clown is NOT appropriate?

If the child is turning 2 years old, please DON'T waste your money on a clown. (Arla was a performing clown for 20 years and has LOTS of experience with this.)
There are a lot of clowns out there who will take your money and run. The truth is, most children from the ages of 18 months to three years are deathly afraid of a clown (or any other costumed character for that matter). With a clown present at this age, the room will be full of cries rather than laughter. Instead, invite a few friends over, put some toys in a room and let them play for an hour or so. Make sure to have a birthday cake and take lots of pictures of the children playing. Everyone will be much happier this way.
Call Arla for face painting instead of having a clown. The children really won't notice the difference and will be happier in the long run. <smile>

Use the following list of questions & answers to have a great party:

Use the KISS method...Keep It Simple, Silly...and in this order
      Entertainment
      Cake
      Presents

An ideal number of children for a party is 10-20. This may also depend on where your party is located.

Face paint dries right away and, as a rule, unless the children are sweating a LOT, won't get on furniture. If you want to keep the design, spray it with a light coating or two of hairspray. (If used on the face, be careful not to get the hairspray in the child's eyes. Take a magazine to fan them with for about a minute before they open their eyes.)

	Book your entertainer as early as possible. (Arla books as much as 6 months in advance, but if there are time slots as little as the next day.)
	Try to keep the noise in the room to a minimum. A room full of adults talking makes it difficult for the children to hear.
	Consider having an 11 AM party. You have the entertainer, do cake and ice cream, open presents, and you are done for the day. The children are much more refreshed at 11:00 AM rather than in the afternoon, too. Also, in the summertime, it's much cooler than at 1:00-2:00 PM.

Avoid surprises at your party.
When calling for an entertainer,
ensure you get the most professional person available to make your party a success.

Ask the following questions:

	What kinds of paints do you use? (If the answer is acrylic paints, automatically DO NOT HIRE this person. Acrylic paints can burn into the skin causing permanent scarring. Also, acrylic paints are VERY hard to clean off the skin.)
	How many faces can you do in one hour? If the answer is 10-12, this person probably doesn't paint very often. Most full face painters can do about 15 in one hour. Arla does 20-22 comfortably in an hour.
	Do you do cheek art or full faces? Most professional face painters nowadays do full faces, rather than cheek art. They are easier and faster to do. And the full face painting provides more aesthetic value than just a small piece of cheek art.
	Are you insured? (If not, again, do not hire this person. It only means they are doing face painting as a hobby, not as a professional. If something should happen, God forbid, they are not covered.)
	How long have you been doing face painting? (You may find lesser expensive painters with less experience, but if they run into problems, the more experienced person will make your party a success instead of a near failure.)
	How much do you charge? Is there a charge for more than "x" amount of children?
	Is there a deposit? (Most professionals get about 30% deposit.) When is payment expected?
	What is the reschedule/cancellation policy? (PLEASE don't intentionally reschedule or cancel a party. We artists do this to make a living, just like you do. When you cancel, normally we have turned down other people who would have liked to have had that same time slot and it is VERY difficult to book someone else at the last minute to fill it.)

How do I get people here on time?

	Write on your invitations that "Arla, the face painter, will be here at "X" time". People in this area tend to be fashionably late and if they know an entertainer will be there, they tend to be on time because they don't want to miss part of the show.
	Invite the guests 15 minutes to 1/2 hour early if I'm doing balloons. Invite them at the same time I'm supposed to be there if I'm doing face painting. (That way I can paint them as they arrive and they are not just standing around waiting in line to be painted.)

Should I do something while Arla is doing face painting?

Many parents find that doing an activity such as pin the nose on the clown (not me,
of course) or decorating white lunch bags as their goody bags (with stickers, markers, and possibly glitter) is a wonderful activity during the face painting.

Goodie bags are somewhat expected nowadays, but don't go overboard. You don't
have to spend a fortune on them. After all, the emphasis for the party should be on your
child, not the others. Party stores, K-Mart, WalMart, dollar stores and other kinds of stores
offer party favors like stickers, rings, pads of paper, pencils and other small items that can
be added.

How should I pay an entertainer?

Payment is preferred as I arrive. That way you can tend to birthday cake, presents, etc.
after I leave, but you can pay at the end of the show if you so choose. Please have the money
ready, as I usually have other parties to attend and do not have extra time to wait for you to make out the check.

Make checks for Arla's performance payable to: "Arla Albers"

Tips are always appreciated, but not expected. If Arla, or any other entertainer
for that matter, does an exceptional job, it's perfectly acceptable to tip her.

Anything else that should be considered to have a successful party?

Weekends are the busiest time for birthday parties. For this reason we suggest you
book a clown at least a month in advance. Arla has been known to book parties as much
as 6 months in advance. Also, once you book your time, it is reserved for you. Arla turns
down other bookings during that time (normally 4-20 per week), so please do not cancel.
See Arla's Cancellation policy below. You might also consider a weekday party after school.

You can have the cake and ice cream either before or after Arla's performance.

Presents should be the last thing on your agenda for the party. That way the birthday
child can play with them immediately after opening instead of waiting for the party to finish.

Pass around a disposable camera to the adults and let others take pictures for you.
Candid shots are usually the best.

If your party is outside, consider having the face painting in the shade or even indoors while the children play outdoors.This makes everyone more comfortable.

If you are having a pool party, ask Arla for temporary tattoos. These glitter tattoos are done with medical adhesive and usually stay on for as much as 7 days.

Let the kids have a good time. Being quiet is not what they do best.

Ask about extras. Arla offers jewels for face painting at an extra $5, but wow are
they worth it!

Set the room temperature cooler than usual. A room full of children will make the room warmer and can make some children sleepy and cranky.

Pre-light the birthday candles, then blow them out right away. It makes it much easier to light them when it comes time for lighting for the child to blow them out.

Put some balloons on the mailbox so your guests can know exactly where the party is located.

Allow an hour before the party for you and your family to "rest" so you can enjoy the party without being harried or hurried before guests arrive.

Arla's Cancellation Policy*

In the event the customer cancels their contract (verbal or written):
     -within 21 days of the event, the deposit will be forfeited.
     -within 14 days of the event, ½ the total fee will be due to Arla Albers.
     -within 7 days of the event the total fee will be due to Arla Albers

Want to have a successful birthday party? These guidelines will help. Please take time to read through them.