Top 5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Birthday Party Entertainment

Planning a birthday party can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to choosing the right entertainment. After years of providing face painting, balloon art, and other services throughout St. Louis and surrounding areas, I've learned what makes a party truly memorable. Here are my top 5 tips:

1. Consider Your Guest Age Range

The age of your guests is the most important factor. Toddlers (2-4) love simple face painting designs and balloon animals. Elementary-aged kids (5-10) enjoy more detailed face painting, slime bars, and interactive balloon twisting. Tweens and teens often prefer caricatures or a slime bar over traditional face painting.

2. Match Entertainment to Your Party Theme

If you're hosting a superhero party in Chesterfield or a princess party in Clayton, choose entertainment that complements your theme. Face painters can create character designs, balloon artists can make themed sculptures, and caricature artists can incorporate theme elements into their drawings.

3. Calculate Your Guest Count Accurately

Knowing how many guests you'll have helps determine how many hours of entertainment you need. For face painting, plan for about 12-15 faces per hour. Balloon twisting can serve 15-20 guests per hour. If you have 30 kids and want everyone to get a face painted, book at least 2 hours.

4. Book Early for Popular Dates

Weekends in spring and summer fill up fast in the St. Louis area, especially around popular party months like May and June. I recommend booking at least 4-6 weeks in advance, and even earlier for peak season dates. Fall festivals and Halloween events should be booked by late August.

5. Communicate Special Requests Ahead of Time

If you have specific design requests, allergies to consider, or special needs guests, let your entertainer know in advance. Professional entertainers in St. Charles County and throughout Missouri are happy to accommodate, but we need time to prepare appropriate materials and designs.

Bonus Tip: Consider Multiple Entertainment Options

For larger parties (50+ guests) in areas like O'Fallon or Ballwin, consider booking multiple entertainers or different types of entertainment. A face painter AND a balloon artist can keep lines shorter and give guests more variety.

Ready to book entertainment for your next birthday party? Get a free quote and let's make your celebration unforgettable!

- Rachael Toms
Owner and Lead Artist
Faces by Rachael