Three year olds

I've been running into a problem with the three year old crowd. What do you do for that age range? Can you do glitter tats on cheeks?

What are the other options?

Thanks.

Cassandra

I would NOT suggest glitter tattoos on cheeks of anyone. The glue could really be a problem on the sensitive skin of the face.

I would bring some 'glittery water activated tattoos' and maybe some pretty stickers for their hands/arms. If mom and dad are ok with the face paint on their face, maybe just do a small thing.

I had one 3 year old girl that wanted lady bugs on her leg. I just did one and she loved it...then she could 'see' it also and not have to run to a mirror constantly.

They (and the parents) can be difficult for the youngers ones!

Ok. No glitter tats on cheeks. I like the idea of water activated glitter tats for arms and legs. Do you know of a good source?

I did a butterfly on a girls cheek yesterday but it was hard since she wouldn't hold her face very still. I'm not very fast at all yet. So far, I've had two parents attempt to restrain their child by holding their head still and I'm not comfortable with that. I'd rather just do something quickly that is colorful and pleasing to a three year old. I wouldn't have done them but they had older sibs who got painted.

My poor butterflys need some help too. I practiced for about 2 hours last night to come up with a satisfactory way of doing a butterfly but still am not satisfied

I know sillyfarm sells 'stamps' that would be really fast. You could paint them with several colors and then 'stamp' it on them. It would look colorful and be really fast! At least it would give you a 'quick base' and then you can add a bit of flair and you are done! Less 'squirm time' for them!

Maybe get a rainbow cake and do a 'swipe' and then you have a colorful rainbow and then just do a few 'quickie' sparkles or a stamp design to go with it (ie, unicorn, fairy, heart, fairy, etc).

I found there are really pretty 'glittery tattoos' in a package at the check out lines of most Walmarts. I know some costume shops sell them too. I'm sure the 'import' stores that sell holiday stuff will have some too.

I have not bothered ordering 'glitter tattoos' and just stock up around Halloween at the check out lines in stores or the clearance buckets.

Heather: random comment, but I love the Halloween clearance isle at walmart XD

I usually just do a little flower, lady bug, smiley face or snake on the little ones arms, hand or if its summer leg. This way they can see it and it doesn't take to long to do.

Lick n' stick tattoos on the hand. I only paint children over 3 years... and I am a big meanie because if they won't sit still and let me paint them I don't waste my time trying to.

I will offer to paint their hands but usually do the tattoo as they can't wreck it.

Little flowers are SUPER quick. Just double load a brush and put about five teardrops on the cheek connecting in the middle, and ta-da, you've got a cute flower.

Don't let the age scare you though. I've seen tiny babies that sat there and never moved a muscle, and I've had 8 year olds who flinched and jerked every time I touched them. When I'm asked to paint a baby I usually take a dry brush and stroke their cheek with it. If they don't mind, I will do it. If they freak out I tell the parents I don't think it's going to work.

I HATE when parents try to force their kids to stay still! I will try if they want me to, but will always tell the parents that cheeks don't always work with the little ones, and arms/legs are better since they can see what I'm doing.

Water-activated tats are always a good just-in-case thing. Claire's has glittery ones

Angie, the dry brush thing is a great idea! Totally borrowing that.

I have often found that they sit still longer than the parents or I expect. And that it is a good idea to be sure if they want a whole facepainting (and their parents are ok with that), since that is mostly what they want - at least here - and will be very sad if they then "only" get something nice on the cheek.

And then there is the ones that is all over the place... Angie, good idea with the dry brush, will try that! =)

I've also had parents hold the little ones heads in place. This is when it gets a bit uncomfortable. I will paint younger ones, but only if they're willing. I usually tell parents that sometimes little ones are scared of face painting and that face painting is best for ages 3 and up.

I'll make an attempt, but if there's resistance or lots of head bobbing or movement, I'll tell the parents that I don't think I can do it or that it's not going to work and they usually let it go at that.

But like Angie said, I've had very young children stay very still for face painting and some older children be surprisingly wiggly and hard to paint.

I tend not to paint smaller kids. Sometimes it is the parents who want it more than the kids. If they can't sit still, they don't get painted by me. I just explain to the parents about accidents and paintbrushes in eyes and that usually satisfies them when their kid is a wiggler. I had a 5 year old birthday boy who wanted to have Venom. He was the worst EVER!!! Twisted and turned, screwed up his eyes, lying back in the chair. I think it was the most terrible face I ever painted. He saw it in the mirror and he was happy. I even apologised to his mom but she said he's happy don't worry about it.

Another random comment...Lonewolf..your avatar scares me! I think you'd not have to worry about painting a little one if you wore that face! OMG it's freaky (it the totally cool kind of way!)

Next time I do my ice cream store gig I'm going to be prepared. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Ditto on Lonewolf's avatar! It looks like something out of a Steven King novel. Very convincing.

Thanks! Cassandra, it was inspired by Stephen Kings book "It" =) Just head they are re-making the movie. Good news! Found the first one so incredible boring.

I liked the book but not the movie. Most of his work doesn't translate to film very well IMO.

Those teeth look SHARP!

I agree. The only film I thought was better than the book was Apt Pupil.

They did a fairly good job on 'The Stand', but I love Gary Sinese and Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe were really good in it. I also enjoyed Laura Sangiacomo (not sure I spelled that right). Lots of eye candy in that mini series!

I'll have to check out the new movie info for 'IT'. I also liked the Langoliers...but I agree..the book was better...as most of his are!

I thought Tim Curry was great as Pennywise.

They did make a mess of The Shining... the book was sooo much better.

I paint my own little ones all the time... I don't find age a contributing factor to their ability to sit still at all... I just painted my nephew the other day who isn't even 2 yet, no problem.

Don't be afraid to touch their face to hold them or move them a little bit... I can't paint you if I can't touch you, at least a little bit. Nothing excessive or anything but you can't be afraid to touch people at all. I usually find the worst ones always want Spiderman and I just really warn them that Spiderman looks terrible with wiggly lines so they'd better hold still. Thank goodness those are mostly sponging and I'm just dabbing at them.

I love parents who insist on the little ones being painted, and the little ones don't want to be painted at all. I have also found something that works for me....most of the time. I will ask the parent to sit in the chair with the child and I will coax the child to help me pick out a color....Where should we paint this? as I point to the parents hand and face. Then I will paint that color on the parent.... By this time the kid wants the parent to be painted and off we go.
The result usually is either a parent who refuses....and now hopefully understands that the child doesn't want to be painted either,
or a parent who gets painted and a child who is happy to escape because they still don't want to be painted,
or a parent who gets painted and a child who will now allow something to be painted.

This works for me, because I don't mind painting something on a parent who is forcing a child to be painted. It's so funny to repeat to them the same line that they have been feeding to the child. I just love it when I can say "I know you don't want to be painted, but neither does your child". The parents I've done this with are usually quite receptive to being painted with their child, and I've even been tipped big for taking the time. I've also had (twice that I remember) parents take the child and huff off. The reactions are different everytime, and If I can get a child into my chair to get painted for the first time and enjoy it, I know that I have made a customer for life. If that child had to be held down, they will hate it the next time too, so there is nothing gained for the child to be forced. This is my humble opinion only.

There isn't anything better then seeing a parent walk off painted like the child, and usually with a simple flower or heart, and the child beaming and saying 'you got painted just like me'.

Oh, and normally, I will only paint on the hands and legs of little kids....the child wants to see it, and if they let me do their face, double bonus.

Jenny

My rule is that THE CHILD must tell me they want to be painted and THE CHILD has to tell me what they want to be. If there is resistance on any level - pulling away, refusing to look at me - I tell them to get out of my chair as there are other people waiting who WANT to be painted. I have signs and disclaimers prominently posted with these rules.

I also have posted that face painting is for ages 3 and over. I know people lie about their ages - I've never seen so many small and non-verbal three years olds since I put up that sign! BUT it weeds out the unwilling and unaware and if the child is happy, willing and cooperative I don't ask for proof of age.

And if a parent needs to hold the child still... that is torture in my mind. This is supposed to be FUN.... it isn't fun if you mom is holding your head in a vice preventing you from getting away.

Agree. It is also strange to me, that some people haven't even start to think about what they want to be painted as, after standing in line half an hour. Then I ask them if I can take the next while they decide. Else it is a waste of time, in my opinion.

Oh yeah, that too... standing line line for an hour and they sit down and have no idea what they want!! They've only had 120 examples on the display to look at... And I do the same, tell them I'll paint the next person while they make up their mind.

I'm not the most patient person... and since I am always painting for "free" since I am hired to paint by the hour, I don't feel that I am in any way obligated to paint every person who sits in my chair since they have not paid for the service themselves.

That is also the way I work. If the costumer is not willing to "risk" there is not coming any people, neither is I.

PS, I tip I learned while working in Legoland was that always go down to the child in eye level, meaning a lot of getting up and down. Remember not just bending over. It is not good for your back, and it fells threatening for the child. But not good if you have bad knees ;-)