Charging by Party Packages or by number of kids...

I'm thinking about changing my pricing for parties to be based on the number of kids because I think it will take the pressure off. I can take my time with all the kids and not be worried about going over and not getting to some kids. So, if you do that (I know you do Perry), how many kids would you include in your various rates. I've done a couple of parties with tons and tons of kids and only averaged about 8 per hour (you know, with good designs) so I'm still slow. Right now, I charge $100 first hour $50 each hour after. I also give a $20 discount on the 1st hour pretty often.

Can I get your input/thoughts/opinions on doing it this way? How many kids should be in each package? Maybe 8, 16, 24 or 12, 20, 30?

P.S. There's really only one agency that is sort of competition around here that I know of, and they charge $80/hour for face painting (fast, not as detailed as me) but they offer balloon twisting for the rest of the time they are booked.

We book at $85 for cheek art and $100 an hour for full faces. I do 10 an hour for the full faces and can do 15 for cheek art. I charge additional each child at $5 or an additional $25 to $50 for an extra half hour depending upon if they are adding just face paint or both paint and balloons. I do that if they have like 3 to 5 more kids.

We usually book our Mega party which is the biggest for 15 kids. I tell people that it takes about 5 minutes for each child so, that they can calculate the time it takes. I hardly book just face paint parties much. I do occasionally though, but I still set a number cause the pace is different at a party and you have to fit everyone in.

What I mean by I hardly book face parties much is that I try to always up sale and we add the balloons to the party or a magic show or a puppet show or whatever suits their needs. Our most popular show is the Mega and it includes a 50 minute magic show, one hour of face paint and one hour of balloon twisting. Then if they upgrade the half hour it depends on what they want to add.

I charge $X per hour but let the client know I can paint 15 kids an hour. If it's 1-2 more kids than that, we're ok, but if it's much more then they'll have to pay for the 2nd hour. I have broken the 2nd hour into 30 minute increments, but usually that is if I'm trying to make it out in time for another party.

15 kids! Wow, is that a mix of cheek, mask, and full face?

Gina,
We charge $150/hour and get it. We are in South Florida though where prices are high. We don't offer a cheek art price because parents will say they want that, but kids don't. Once one kid has a full face they all want it. We make sure our art is over the top whether cheek or face. I sometimes compromise on the second hour and I do not promise more than 12 kids per hour.

Yeah, I prefer to not worry about exactly how long it takes... It really takes the pressure off and can just tell parents that I don't leave until everyone is painted. I can pretty easily do 10 to 12 kids in half an hour so I cut it off there... And I prefer for there to not be more than 20 kids for me to handle at one time so I don't list prices for more than that.

Charge by the hour; its easier all round. I generally ask for 2 hrs minimum booking too.

I make it clear I generally manage 12 - 15 full faces per hour but that it can be much higher or lower depending on what they want, etc.

If they don't all get painted, they don't, its really not a biggie. 1/2 the time some don't want anyway and its not as if they are there JUST to be painted, most parties have food & music at the very least. To put it in perspective, most under 10's parties in Hong Kong invite a minimum of 50 kids (many go up to 100's - you invite the whole - LARGE - year group, your business partners kids, etc) and I'd still only be booked for 2 hrs.

If theres less than 12 kids, which is highly unusual, I do fancier version OR offer arms or glitter tatts, or paint the parents, etc too.

Cat x

If you really want to charge per face, you might try offering a package for 8 kids, and then charging an additional $10 per child or something like that. This is often what party places (skating rinks, Build-a-Bear, etc) do.

I base my party package on worst case scenario...meaning all participants would want a full face design. The number of children is soley based upon how many full faces I know I can comfortably do in 1 hour. So if the customer has more invitees than that, they know they have to buy more time.

I have found that since having added balloon twisting to my list of services, I haven't done any just face painting jobs.

I don't have seperate prices for cheek art or half faces too much of a hassle, because at the end of the day kids want what they want, and pretty much could care less what the parent paying may have agreed to.

I have a birthday party rate which is $150 for two hours and limited to 15 kids. Extra charge for extra faces.

My regular rate is $100/hour with a two-hour minimum.

In your experience, what is the average number of kids at a party?

I prefer a party to be around 8 to 12 kids, but recently I've been getting more and more close to 20 :S

I used to charge by the face, but I found it too hard to keep track of everyone painted - parents/adults/neighbours/etc would jump in and then some of the party kids wouldn't want to get done and then I'd sometimes do two or three paintings on one child - arm/hands/face/cheek etc.

I prefer it the way it is now; by the hour - I charge $65 for the first hour and then $25 per half hour afterwards. I have written that that's UP to 10 kids, depending on the design chosen and that it's one hour minimum.

Often I can actually do several more than 10 in an hour, but if I have that as an average they're expecting it gives them something to aim toward when budgeting for the party - then if I do 15 in the hour they're happy and may tip the extra

My prices...$225 for 10-12 kids full faces, depending on age. I _CAN_ do 18-20/hr, but that is PPF, not any fun, only fast and furious. So at a party it is that price, for that many kids...but I tell the parents it is approx 1 hr, and if I am done early, I go home, if I am overtime...my loss. At PPF for that speed , I make the kids choose from about a dozen quick designs, web guy, iron dude, cat, butterfly, fancy eyes etc...but at a birthday, I prefer to have the time and luxury of playing around, chatting and joking, and making the kids use their *gasp* IMAGINATION!!!! LOL So hard for them to do these days. LOL This also gives me room to do more if I feel like it, or stick to my agreement if it isn't a pleasant event for whatever reason.

I've just made the transition from per hour to per child with a minimum booking fee of $99 - for up to 12 kids (11 guests + guest of honour). This includes face painting AND balloon twisting OR glitter tattoos. Plus $9 each additional guest. This is roughly 1.5 hours. But it takes the pressure off me somewhat.

I definitely prefer it this way. And more importantly, I think it makes it easier for the client (parent) to understand what is possible. I don't feel taken advantage of when they introduce an extra half dozen kids to mix. Sure, I'll paint the extras if I have time, but it will cost my client little extra. Or individuals can pay for their own...

Like Gamezgirl, I don't want the fast and furious experience for a birthday party. I think that kind of experience isn't fun for anyone! A corporate client will usually want you to paint as many as possible... but a private birthday party is more interested in quality and photo opportunities. Just my opinion.

I am in the middle of this transition too. From $75 an hour to 10 kids for $75 and each child after, $7.50. I seemed to be getting a lot of bookings for one hour parties, and they say that they would have ten, maybe twelve kids, and it was twenty... that, and a lot of adults getting in line to be painted! So, it just makes it more clear and easy for me to be relaxed about it, and not feel like I am looking for the host at every party to ask them what they want me to do...when I should be packing up instead, always a little weird.

Boy, I've been trying to come up with the perfect formula for birthday parties and it seems I feel like I have to modify it all the time. I had almost the exact same formula as you, face painting mom.... $75.00 for 8 - 10 kids and $8.00 for every kid over that. Seems like it was working until I had to do a party with only 8 kids and I was there for almost two hours because there were three stories in the house and the kids were everywhere and it would take several minutes to find the next child. I couldn't make them line up at a birthday party, for Pete's sake. But I decided I would go back to hourly after that one.

For me it works the best 10 kids in an hour and I charge $5 additional kid, sometimes it takes more than an hour but the moms are sure about how many kids they will have and many times there are extras and moms are welcome to pay.

This post just helped me decide to raise my prices. I base my prices on an average of 15 kids per hour. $35 for my cheekies and $55 for full masks. Second hour (more than 15 kids) is 1/2 price. I've never had a complaint about my prices and apparently i'm pretty low so... Time for an adjustment!

I offer party packages.
I come dressed as a character and do full faces
My prices are:
Under 10 $75
Under 15 $100
Under 20 $125
Under 25 $150
Under 30 $175
I also have listed on my site that I charge $75 for the first hour and $50 for each additional hour.
When I am hired for a corporate event I charge by the hour but for parties I like to do the package pricing. I don't like to feel like I am watching the clock. It ends up being very close to my hourly rate anyway.
Hope that helps!

Does anyone else feel like if you are charging by number of kids you are cheating yourself? I charge 90.00 an hour. If it is someone I know or they happen to get a discount card it is 10% off, and that is up to and including 10.00 kids. This is where you are supposed to make the most of your money. I don't feel bad if we go into a second hour, and just explain that before you go out for the job. I don't cut my second or third hour in halves. Your time is most valuable, and I think you are forgetting to factor that in...anyone else feel like this??

If you feel that your package prices are cheating you on your hourly rates, then you probably need to raise your package price My packages work out pretty close to my hourly rates because I base them on what I know I can do in that time... but it makes it easier for parents (and me) if they know that no matter what happens, I guarantee that I will paint all the kids at the party because we agreed on that number ahead of time. I always make sure to give myself extra time between parties because I know that I will probably go over what I told them. I charge double my face painting hourly though when I'm doing a show because I wear myself OUT when I'm doing a show.... $75/hr for face painting/balloons and $75 for a HALF hour show (and I hate doing FULL hour shows... I am sooo spent after those).

Hi guys! I do a tourist attraction quite often. I usually make £100 a day from 11am - 5pm. thinking recently this isn't a lot is it. they don't charge me to be in the shopping mall, but feel now should try get another gig?

Spinning stardust.. that is NOT enough. Are they paying you to be there, or is that just what you make pay per face?