Kids party entertainers cost guide
All parents want their children to have magnificent birthday parties. Statistics say that 86% of parents throw large and planned parties for their children, while about 65% hire a particular character or a clown to lead the party. Professional help in organizing a magical day for a child is indispensable if you want to enjoy this special day with your kid without worries and rushes.
Here you will learn about:
-
Average cost of kids party entertainers -
Cost-related questions -
How to find and hire kids party entertainers -
Other frequently asked questions
Kids party entertainers are artists and actors who come to parties to entertain the guests. Most often these experts are hired for children parties to bring the feeling of magic to the event. Magicians, dressed-up actors, movies and cartoon characters, clowns, and any other experts are included in the umbrella term of party entertainers. The average cost of this service is $120-$250/hour of work. The lower price line corresponds to the cheaper services like balloon twisting or face painting and may cost as low as $65/hour. The higher price relates to magicians and clowns, who offer the whole event coordination, may reach even more than $350/hour.
Cost-related questions
How much does a clown cost?
Clowns offer both flat rate and hourly payments depending on the service you’re booking. If you would like to hire a clown who will be the host of your party, then a flat rate is more common. The flat rate cost varies significantly depending on the package of services and the number of children. If you only invite a professional to entertain children for a couple of hours, then an hourly rate of $190-$240/hour applies for parties under 20-25 people.
What is the cost of a magician?
Magical tricks for children on average cost between $150/hour and $230/hour; but these are magical programs for small children in a form of a show. More complex and elaborate magical presentations cost about $250-$300/hour. In case you’re up to a complex full-length show for a party, be ready that the charge will go much higher due to the expensive equipment involved. Generally, the number of people doesn’t play part in the estimates of magicians.
Can I hire a character for my child’s party? What do they do?
The average cost of one character for the kid's party is $100-$225/hour. The lower end guarantees a dramatic entry and welcome, some singing and dancing, a couple of games with prizes, and pictures. The higher end cost may also include some face painting, balloon twisting, and a gift for the birthday kid. The services included differ significantly depending on the character you choose and the services a particular party entertainer offers.
What are the prices for balloon services?
The usual cost of balloon twisting artists is generally higher for the first hour of service and lower for the subsequent ones. $160-$220/hour is the cost of the first hour while the subsequent may range from $80/hour to $140/hour.
Apart from balloon twisting, you can also opt for balloon decoration service from a party. Here are the average costs of the most common services:
- Balloon centerpiece: $20+
- Balloon bouquets: $30+
- Balloon sculptures: $40+
- Balloon arches: $70+
What is included in the face painting service?
Face painting on its own costs about $75-$190/hour. The cost depends on the number of children and the complexity of the characters the kids are offered. When hiring a face painting entertainer for a party, always ensure that the service provider follows all safety requirements to guarantee health and well-being of your child.
What are other common expenses related to party entertaining?
Besides the direct entertaining services described above, you can also expect kids party entertainers to provide additional services listed below:
-
Dress-ups
Dress-ups cost about $270/hour for parties up to 20 guests. This service offers costumes and props for different characters. The party entertainers help children dress up for the party time and assist with the insights about each character. -
Piñata
Piñata with candies inside is one of the best party activities for kids of all ages. The average cost of a piñata is $12-$20 without candies. -
Craft station
Craft station is a place with pencils and paints for kids to express themselves. Frequently, this service is offered by face painters and characters. The cost varies between $60 and $150 and depends on the number of drawing sets required. Besides drawing, children can make origamis or create their own soap bubbles.
How to find and hire kids party entertainers
Call for locals only
Hiring a person from your city has two main advantages: a) you can observe their work and get real references; b) you don’t have to overpay for the travel costs.
Contact small businesses first
Small party entertainers tend to care for their name more and also have more time to make your kid’s party unique. With larger companies, you are likely to get a standard party without any amends. If you can’t find a small team, then go for larger businesses. The important point here is to avoid working with individual entertainers.
Collect quotes & discuss the details
When you call for quotes make sure to ask about the details of your party. Here are the most important ones:
- services included in the estimate
- timing (how long party entertainers will work for the price listed in the estimate)
- requirements from you (what you need to prepare for the proper entertainer’s work: a fitting room, seating, tent, etc.)
- cancellation policy (how much you will lose if you cancel and what will happen if your entertainer cancels - will you get a replacement).
- food & drinks (what products can you provide to make the party more theme-oriented)
- entertaining space (who decorates it and prepares for the party)
Get confirmation in writing
After you clarify all the questions and discuss all important details, sign a contract with your party entertainer. In this way, you will be protected from no-show-ups and will be able to avoid paying extras.
Other frequently asked questions
How long should the party go?
For kids under 3 an hour - an hour and a half is the maximum length. For the ages of 4-6 about two hours is a standard time. For older children, you can make the party last longer provided the entertainment changes every now and then (for instance, 10-year-olds won’t look at magic tricks for more than half an hour).
When should I hire kids party entertainers?
Try to give a call to entertainers at least a week prior to the event to give them time to prepare scenario and make any alterations to their routine work so that your kid’s party goes perfectly. If you’re planning a massive event with several entertainers, then book them as soon as possible to leave time for cooperation and any amends whatsoever.
Do I need to tip my party entertainers?
Generally, tips are expected even though not required for this type of services, especially if you hired a professional from a larger company. $20 per entertainer is a standard tip for the industry but a higher tip will always be appreciated.
Bottom line
Kinds party entertainers deliver festive mood to any party. There are many different kinds of party entertainers to match your child's preferences and interests. The average kids party entertainers cost is $120-$250/hour where the lower end corresponds to balloon twisting and face painting ($65/hour), and the higher end is for magicians and clowns ($350/hour).