Kids love having their faces painted. Whether they are three or nine, kids get a thrill out of having characters and shapes painted on their face. The great thing about children's face painting is that it takes very little time to do and it's a low-cost investment.



The first thing you need to do is determine what kinds of paintings you'll do. If you organise a themed birthday party, come up with several face painting ideas within that birthday theme.

For example, if your child wants a Sesame Street themed birthday party, brainstorm some face painting ideas based on the cartoon characters from the show: Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster. When you have several ideas, sketch them out on paper so that you'll have a general guide when you get ready to paint the kids' faces.

You may be feeling a little scared and nervous about trying to paint cartoon characters - don't be. Start with a simple outline sketch of the character. Use the main color to fill it in. Then add features, like ears, eyes, mouth and nose. It does not have to be perfect for the kids to love them.

If you don't want to attempt painting cartoon characters at first, start with the basics. Keep your face paintings to simple objects. Some simple, all-time favorite face painting designs for kids are: clouds, hearts, rainbows, cupcake, ice cream cone, balloons, butterfly, smiley face, their name.

It is also important that you practice and try out your face painting designs before the birthday party, especially if you have never done face painting before. This just ensures that you have a steady hand and eye when the big day comes. You can practice on the back of your hand or on your own kids' faces.

The more practice you can get in ahead of time, the easier it will be to paint lots of kids' faces at the birthday party. Plus, you won't be nearly as nervous and afraid of messing up, if you've had lots of practice. So the next time you organise your kid's next birthday party, include face painting and add some color and excitement to the party!