Not only are our face painters, balloon twisters, and other party entertainers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire top-notch artists, but they are also fantastic with kids! In addition, face painting is a surefire way to bring fun and excitement to any party.
Kaleidoscope began in 2013 as a Connecticut-based face painting and balloon twisting party entertainment agency. Since then, we have grown into New England’s largest creative entertainment company. Today, we proudly offer face painters, balloon twisters, caricature artists, magicians, and more throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, with additional services available in Vermont and Maine.
Our CT MA RI NH balloon twisters are talented artists who are amazing with kids. Since 2013, Kaleidoscope has been New England’s most popular creative entertainment company–let us show you why!
If you’re looking for more educational programming this year at your school, library, or camp, we offer not only educational shows (such as our science and bubble shows) but hands-on circus camps!
Circus camps with Kaleidoscope are 3 distinct classes that teach kids ages 7-teen some of our favorite types of entertainment here. All 3 are designed to get kids thinking, problem-solving, and moving during short waves of learning.
Our classes are taught primarily by Kenny the Clown, a public school educator and life-long circus entertainer. Kenny will help break down simple concepts into step-by-step instructions that will leave kids with practical skills after the class is over.
Here are some tips for making your circus camp classes a success:
Involve adults! Our entertainers and instructors aren’t able to take responsibility for watching the kids they’re teaching, although many of them are educators and parents themselves. The best run classes always happen when adults (whether they’re counselors, teachers, or parents) learn and play along with the class.
Budget less time and earlier tasks with younger kids. This will set them up to succeed with both their motor skills and attention spans. When you book one of our circus instructors, you’ll pay by the hour and can budget that time with different lengths of “waves” for different age levels or groups.
Consider take-home supplies. Our classes have a fixed hourly price no matter how you divide up the time. But if you have the budget, you can opt to give kids take-home bags of supplies to show their parents and continue the magic at home.
Add a show. If you’re familiar with the classroom “I do, we do, you do”, you’ll know how fundamental it is to give kids context and goals in learning. Before the kids jump into learning, we highly recommend booking Kenny for his hour-long variety show which includes juggling, magic, puppetry, and clowning. The stage show can be done once for your entire camp or school, and then Kenny can accommodate waves of kids in circus camp classes after.
When you book with us, we’ll explain our grab-and-go products designed to be impressive at large events. Generally speaking, we can get up to around 30 designs done per hour per artist (2 minutes per design).
We’ll also quote you for how many artists we suggest at your event and include all bulk nonprofit discounts.
Upon booking, we’ll give you any and all marketing materials you want (from high-res images you can put on billboards to mini sharable social media tidbits).
We’ll also boost your event with our thousands of active clients via email newsletter and social media.
Finally, we’ll help you determine the right system to recoup all costs. For some clients, this might be charging $3-15 per design depending on your audience. For others, this may be an optional tips/donations jar. Either way, all money will go back to your organization.
Stage Shows
If having stations at your event doesn’t make sense, we also have a variety of stage shows. While they cost more per hour than our visual artists, they can entertain much bigger audiences at once and help break up the schedule of your event.
Our magician James has a classical Victorian magic show for all ages that is done with the same materials, tricks, and techniques that would have been done in an 1800’s parlor. Our non-profit clients love that his show is truly a great fit for all ages, as well as that he looks so much like a classic magician that he naturally draws attention.
Our resident clown Kenny can likewise provide a variety show with magic, puppets, juggling, and comedy. While Kenny’s show is built for kids, he includes plenty of jokes and gags for adults and comes in a huge variety of costumes to fit every event’s theme.
But if your mission is grounded more in science than magic, our bubble show invites guests to build a hypothesis and test it as they watch mesmerizing bubble tricks from one of our resident bubble scientists! Each bubble show comes with an optional bubble photo booth which can be used to recoup costs, just like ay of our visual artists.
We also have a science show in development, but if you’re looking to book that now you can ask our office for more details!
Add to The Ambiance
Finally, if your goal is to impress and entertain donors or organizational VIPs, some of our nonprofit clients look for entertainment that adds life to the party.
Stilt walkers are a fan favorite for walks and runs. Our non-profit clients love that they can greet guests at finish lines or help kick off a 5k!
Costumed characters are wildly popular for theme park-style meet-and-greets. They add to the event and can be placed in a booth, on a stage, or left to walk around your event.
Finally, we offer DJs and foam cannons for outdoor summer events. Invite your guests to dance, run, and play through mountains of endless bubbles in the sunshine. Foam events are something that they’ve likely seen on reality TV or social media, and make amazing compliments for 5k events, charity walks, and outdoor carnivals.
Looking for country club entertainment ideas? Kaleidoscope has been helping private clubs create perfect parties since 2013, and with our extensive list of entertainers for hire, your club can boost membership value and engagement all year long.
Here are some of our favorite ways to captivate your members and help you create events unlike anywhere else.
Our hour-long shows are available as stand-alone packages or with additional activities, depending on your event size, budget, and time restraints.
Here are the hour-long shows we currently have!
Kenny’s Extravaganza
What it is: An hour-long comedy show for kids with magic, puppets, and juggling. Comes with your choice of character played by Kenny.
What it isn’t: The Extravaganza is not a pure magic show–it has magic tricks, but is really more a comedy show for kids featuring fun visual gags.
Recommended for: high-energy kids ages 4-10 who love bright colors. All group sizes work, but for events over 50 kids we recommend booking several back-to-back performances for waves of children.
Not recommended for: middle school, high school, or specific to adults, or clients who specifically want just puppets or just magic. (If you want specifically magic, we suggest Oasis’s potion’s class show below.)
Favorite add-on’s: Add simple balloon twisting with Kenny after the show so each child can meet him and receive a small balloon animal (about 30 kids per hour).
About the performer: Kenny is a full time teacher and has been performing as a children’s party with Kaleidoscope since 2013. Read more about him here.
What it is: An hour-long magic show structured to feel like a “potion’s class”, straight out of your favorite fantasy book, movie, or video game. Featuring Oasis, our popular original character created by Alexis.
What it isn’t: A structured class (like our circus camp classes) or hands-on craft activity (like our make-your-own-slime-lab). This is a magic show, but the plot is inspired by fantasy world potions classes.
Recommended for: curious 6-11 year olds who want to see some real magic. Enjoyable by the whole family, especially groups that are interested in puzzles or fantasy media (books, movies, video games, etc).
Not recommended for: kids under 6 years old (we recommend toddler parties or bubble entertainment for younger kids) or groups looking for wacky kids comedy. (If you want something sillier and more colorful, we suggest Kenny’s Extravaganza above.)
Favorite add-on’s: Have Oasis stay after her show to meet each child and give them a glitter tattoo (about 30 kids per hour).
About the performer: Oasis is an original character created by Alexis, a professional actress who has been with Kaleidoscope since 2021. Read more about Alexis here.
Clients looking to hire a magician for their upcoming event normally have two options: strolling magic or a magic show.
We asked our resident magicians Kenny and James (as well as our booking agent Jessica) to help us explain the differences so every client can book the best fit for their upcoming event.
What is the difference between strolling magic and a magic show?
Our magician James performing a stage show
James: In a magic show, there’s a boundary between the “stage” area and the “audience” area. While volunteers from the audience are often invited up on stage, and the magician frequently makes forays into the audience, there’s a demarcation. The stage (or “platform” or “parlor”) magic show is longer — often half an hour or 45 minutes — with several routines consisting of several tricks, to provide a cohesive whole with a theme. Think of a one-act play.
In strolling magic, the magician approaches individuals or small groups (three to five folks, typically) to present one to three tricks. The magic is more like a conversation than a stage play. Often the members of the audience touch and examine the props, and the magic itself takes place in the spectators’ hands. People sitting a dinner, folks waiting in line for some other event, people standing about — they are the ones who have a bit of magic touch their lives. It’s up close and personal.
Kenny: My personal show is a 50/50 mix of comedy and classic magic with a twist of clown charm. You can expect to see me on a stage while I go through one trick after another with plenty of helpers and laughs. Like most magicians, every show I do is largely the same with some adjustments for the event.
My strolling magic is more clowning around. I do plenty of magic, but can cater each interaction to the event and individuals there. That might be some puppets, juggling, clown gags, balloon twisting, or anything else–all depending on what I think will work best for the audience.
What audiences does *your* strolling magic land best with?
James: For me, it’s often folks above the age of six or seven, though young adults through twenties seem to enjoy it most.
Kenny: My strolling magic is great for all ages, like an animated movie that’s made for kids ages 5-9 but has plenty of jokes and puns for teens and adults.
When would you recommend strolling magic over a show?
James the magician performing strolling magic at a public event
James: Would having everyone sit in rows looking in one direction fit in with your plan for the event? Then go with a show. A corporate dinner and awards presentation, for example. If you have more freedom of motion, mingling, and random movement with no fixed schedule for various phases of the day, go with strolling.
Kenny: I recommend strolling magic for fairs & similar big events where there is 100s off people to entertain a few at a time
Jessica: In my experience planning events with clients, event organizers who don’t have a formal schedule for their event often like the flexibility of having a magician wander through the audience.
When would you recommend a show over strolling magic?
Kenny performing a stage show at a school event
James: When there’s a schedule, when you expect folks to be all in one place at one time, then go with a show. If it’s mingling/freeform, then go with strolling.
Kenny: Private parties, corporate events, big events if there is ample seating.
Jessica: Clients who are booking entertainment with the goal of keeping kids contained often prefer a show so the kids can sit down while parents talk amongst themselves (or also hang out and enjoy the show!
About how many guests will interact with you an hour?
James: For a show — all of them, all at once. For strolling, probably forty people an hour will be directly involved, with as many more looking on as random chance may provide.
Kenny: In a strolling set I can entertain 15-30 people, depending on how amped up the kids or adults are.
What sort of tricks should guests be ready to see in *your* strolling set?
Kenny strolling on a boat for a private summer camp event
James: Folks should expect to see dice, coins, rings, strings, dollar bills. They’ll see classic sleight-of-hand using ordinary objects. They’ll experience the magic in their own hands.
Kenny: Gravity manipulation with water, magic bags they can reach into, a cheeky puppet named Sherbert, ball juggling, and of course plenty of clowning around!
Caricatures are a favorite for many, with collectors gathering portraits from talented artists at theme parks, beaches, and events across the country. However, if you’re new to caricatures or curious about how they can enhance your event, you’ve come to the right place! Explore our gallery for inspiration and check out this handy guide to some of our most frequently asked questions. Whether you’re planning a party, corporate event, or festival, caricatures are a fun and unique way to entertain guests and create lasting memories.
Speedy face painting is just-as-impressive, three-to-four-times-as-fast face painting perfect for huge crowds. By simplifying the designs and adding multiple colors at once, our speedy faces with drop the jaws of your guests while tearing throw even the longest line!
Stilt walkers are a festive addition to any event! With colorful costumes and big personalities, they can totally change the atmosphere of any party they entertain at.
