Children of all abilities and needs deserve to have fun!
At Kaleidoscope, we truly love entertaining kids and never want anyone to feel left out. As part of our commitment to safe, hygienic, and ethical practices, we have an Accessibility and Inclusion Consultant on our team with the mission to “create products and grow artists which help make events magical for everyone”.
Our Accessibility and Inclusion Consultant’s duties include:
consulting on-call based on roadblocks and problems that Kaleidoscope has run into while serving children with autism, physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, mental illness, or any special needs;
creating semi-annual trainings for artists to further our commitment to accessibility and inclusion;
and overseeing various aspects of product development in order to build accessibility and inclusion into everything we do.
About our Accessibility and Inclusion Consultant
Kayleen Gerow, M.S, BCBA, LABA is a former Kaleidoscope Alumna who worked here between 2015 and 2020 as a princess, face painter, and paint night instructor. After completing her B.S. in psychology, her M.S. in Applied Behavioral Analysis, and going on to become a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst, Kayleen left Kaleidoscope and has since helped hundreds of children on the spectrum.
In 2024, Kayleen returned to Kaleidoscope in her new role: Accessibility and Inclusion Consultant. With her in-depth knowledge of how our company works and what our artists expect on events, we believe that Kayleen has the best insight in our industry to make sure that the events we entertain at are amazing for everyone.
(Just for fun, you can see some photos of Kayleen’s characters and work from her artistic tenure here between 2015 – 2020. We were sad to see her “graduate” from event artist to her therapeutic duties as a BCBA, but we’re thrilled to have her back in her new position in Accessibility and Inclusion!)
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.
Princess parties are one of the most popular themes we see year after year. But with a limited amount of actresses trying to fill a massive demand, we can’t always fill all of the requests we get for princess parties.
So, instead of simply sending a costumed character to your party, we’ve put together a super-fun package for any princess party: royal makeover parties!
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:Â 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:Â 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!
Our summer camp entertainment ideas, activities, and them inspiration are perfect for camps looking for unique programming ideas. We know camp directors face a few challenges: hundreds of kids needing to be entertained, running a complicated schedule, and having to do it all on a budget!
After over a decade of working with YMCAs, town Parks & Recs departments, public schools, and private daycares, we have our summer camp entertainment packages down to a science to make sure all of your campers are thrilled, parents are impressed, and you stay within your budget.
1. Foam Party
Programming Theme: Splash Day
Alternative Theme Ideas: Luau Party, Beach Day
Entertainment Package: We throw a foam party where campers dance to kids bop, take tons of silly photos, and get out all of their energy–all in our amazing foam pit! This “party in a box” model means you have ZERO PLANNING to do, which puts it at #1 for our list of summer camp entertainment ideas!
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Round it out to be a full splash day with more water activities
Water play for younger kids
Water balloon fights for older kids
Water sponge dodgeball
Pool time
Ages: 2 – Teen
Great For: Outdoor camps, camps without pool access
Don’t Recommend For: Camps with only indoor space; daycares that are only for infants and toddlers.
Alternative Theme Ideas: Adventure Day, Magic Day, Aquarium Day
Entertainment Package: We invite a mermaid or pirate of your choice for group shows and individual activities. Gather everyone around for mermaid story time or a pirate magic show, then bring by individual groups for mermaid glitter tattoos or pirate sword balloon twisting.
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Have campers dress up as mermaids and pirates.
Hold a “talk like a pirate” contest all day–give each kid a sticker to start the day. If an adult catches them talking without a “pirate accent” they lose the sticker. Whoever can go the entire day talking like a pirate wins!
If your camp has occasional pool access, this is also perfect for a pool day to keep groups busy while they’re out of the pool.
Ages: Our mermaid story time is perfect for ages 2-6, and our pirate magic show is perfect for ages 4-9. Invite one or both of them for a mix-and-match day that fits your needs.
Great For: Camps with younger kids (for mermaids); camps looking to keep kids busy on pool days (both mermaids and pirates); camps who love dress-up days (both mermaids and pirates).
Don’t Recommend Mermaid Story Time For: Camps that are primarily elementary and middle school (mermaid story time is best for younger kids)
Don’t Recommend Pirate Magic Show For: Camps that are mostly toddlers or PreK (magic needs more attention span than that)
Entertainment Package: Kenny the Clown comes and entertains the whole group with a 30min magic show, then takes groups for a juggling lesson using easy-to-juggle clown scarves. Bonus: add a second clown for speedy face painting or simple balloon twisting.
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Put on a talent show to create your own variety show as part of the camp circus!
If you have snack time, consider renting a popcorn or cotton candy machine.
Ages: 4-9 for the magic show, 7-teen for juggling class. Learn more here.
Great For: Camps with a stage; arts camps; camps that can program different activities for different ages.
Don’t Recommend For: Daycares that are only for infants and toddlers
Alternative Theme Ideas: Clown School, Circus Camp, Carnival
Entertainment Package: One of our professional balloon twisters will come with enough supplies for groups of up to 15 kids to learn designs at once. Students will learn between 2-4 designs (depending on age and time alotted) and take home their creations.
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Have staff come to the class to twist along (and have fun!), as well as keep things running smoothly
Include other balloon crafts like origami or paper mache hot air balloons
Consider balloon-themed sports like water balloon fights, balloon-popping relay races, or water balloon dodge ball!
Ages: 7-teen for balloon twisting class, but professional balloon twisting time can be added so younger kids aren’t excluded. Learn more here.
Great For: Small-group breakouts, library camps, arts or STEM camps
Don’t Recommend For: Daycares that are only for infants and toddlers
Alternative Theme Ideas: Arts & Crafts Day, 60’s or 70’s Spirit Day
Entertainment Package: We set up a do-it-yourself tie dye station using spray-dye for a low-mess experience. Campers can bag their shirts immediately after creation and put them in their backpacks to avoid confusing mix-ups when picking up their shirt (no air-dry time required).
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Host the tie dye station for the first day of Color Wars to get everyone in the spirit, and let our office know at booking what colors your camp teams will be repping so we can bring the right colors for you
Before dying the shirts, let kids get creative with Sharpies and draw their own designs in black (or let them write their name / group on the back like jerseys)
Bust out all of your favorite craft activities like chalk art, weaving, or jewelry making for an amazing art day.
Host a different decade every day of the week, and throw in airbrush tattoos (below) for 80’s or glitter tattoos for 90s/00s/Y2K
Ages: 5 – Teen
Great For: Camps that don’t typically have arts and crafts time; take-home projects
Don’t Recommend For: Camps with indoor-only space; camps that are nervous about kids potentially getting dye on clothing or floors.
Alternative Theme Ideas: Kids in STEM, Slime Day, Science Museum
Entertainment Package: Our mad scientists will present the kids with a show (similar to a magic show but grounded in the scientific method) and follow it up with hands-on slime labs!
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Throw contests where the winning group(s) get to “slime” their camp counselors at the end of the day!
Couple this with other STEM projects: paper boat races, pinewood derby, crystal growing, or seed starting!
Make it a “science museum” day and bring astronomy, dinosaurs, or history into your programming with crafts or a movie screening.
Combine it with the Bubble Show (below) for a Science Week
Ages: 5 – 10
Great For: Camps that like to schedule seated activities; arts camps looking for something out of the box and educational; camps with families who value multi-disciplinary activities.
Don’t Recommend For: Camps that focus on high-energy activities; camps that focus on toddlers and Pre-K only.
Alternative Theme Ideas: Glow, Overnight Sleepover, Dance Party
Entertainment Package: We provide a DJ, party lighting, and black-light reactive face painting. Your summer camp is instantly transformed to a family-friendly night club!
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Have kids wear only black and white so the white glows under UV
Couple morning black light face painting with a glowing mini golf field trip in the afternoon
Add light painting or glow stick crafts earlier in the day and watch your creations come to life!
Ages: 4 – Teen
Great For: Camps with large indoor space where windows can be shut and lights can be turned off.
Don’t Recommend For: Camps that are only outdoors during the day.
Alternative Theme Ideas: Picasso Day, Day at the Museum, LIT/CIT Appreciation Day
Entertainment Package: We throw a paint party for your teens where we go step-by-step with a real art teacher to create masterpieces we can take home. (The most common paint party feedback we receive from camp directors is “I can’t believe how engaged the kids are”. If you’re struggling to keep tweens and teens off of phones, this is a great activity to have them lock in on the real world.)
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Bust out all of your favorite craft activities like tie dye (above), weaving, or jewelry making for an amazing art day.
Have a “dress like a famous painting” costume contest and assign each kid a famous painting (Starry Night, Mona Lisa, The Scream, Andy Warhol’s Soup Cans, The Persistence of Memory) and give out awards for Most Fashionable, Most Creative, Best Acting, Most Artistic, and more!
Host a chalk art contest where the LITs and CITs work with their groups to create an original piece of work, again handing out awards for Most Colorful, Best Teamwork, Most Artistic, and more!
Ages: tweens, teens, and adults.
Great For: Camps that like to schedule seated activities; arts camps; camps with families who value multi-disciplinary activities; camps with populations of tweens and teens looking for more mature pogramming.
Don’t Recommend For: Camps with limited space; camps that are nervous about kids potentially getting paint on clothing or floors; camps on a tight budget; camps with a focus on kids in pre-K or elementary school.
Entertainment Package: New England’s most popular clown, Kenny, will entertain your kids with a 45-60min show full of comedy, puppets, juggling, and magic.
Bonus Summer Camp Entertainment Ideas for This Theme:
Have kids create their own paper bag puppets and write their own skits for their original characters.
Looking for college entertainment ideas in New England? Kaleidoscope is New England’s largest artistic entertainment company with artists in CT, MA, RI, NH, and additionally serving VT and ME.
We’ve compiled our Top 10 most creative college entertainment ideas in this guide full of quick tips and at-a-glance stats to help you quickly plan an amazing college party. These are all products that we provide, and if you’re interested in booking some college event entertainment we’d love to work with you!
12 College Entertainment Ideas for New England Schools:
1. Paint Parties
At-a-Glance: Students sit down with one of our professional artists and create a painting (which you, the event planner, chose) as a group. Think: Bob Ross meets Paint And Sip parties.
Number of students entertained: 20-200 per painting.
LogisticalConsiderations: For groups over 80, we encourage working with your events management department to get our paint night instructors some AV to be seen by the whole group. (Or, if that’s too much of a logistical challenge, invite our paint night instructors for smaller waves of 40-80 kids as part of your regular programming.)
You’ll also need to provide a chair and table for every student, plus tablecloths. Paint parties aren’t very messy, so consult your events management or building maintenance for any rules your campus might have.
We love it for: ResLife alternatives to alcohol or cannabis; Student Government-sponsored activities; and commuter schools trying to get students on campus for activities.
Not recommended for: family days (this is designed for teens and adults, not younger siblings); spaces with limited seating/space.
Bonus college entertainment ideas: as an alternative to popular “paint and sip” parties, create a build-your-own-sundae or -tacos bar and have students snack while they paint.
At-a-Glance: Set up a station where students can get their own henna, glitter, flash, or aibrush tattoos done.
Number of students entertained: Anywhere from 10-12 guests per hour (henna) to 25 guests per hour (airbrush) per artist with up to 10 artists available per tattoo. We love these for large-scale events where you want to get a ton of students something fun in a short amount of time.
Considerations: Temporary tattoo artists require 2 chairs and some table space per artist, and for outdoor events must be placed in the shade (over 75*F) or in a heated area (under 55*F). Airbrush tattoos require electricity.
We love it for: events over 500+ students; cultural centers; Safe Grad / Project Graduation; and carnival-themed events.
Not recommended for: Small intimate events (tattoos are generally very quick to apply).
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Add all 4 types of tattoo stations throughout your event or campus. Have students go on a scavenger hunt and collect all 4 for a prize.
Because airbrush tattoos specifically are fast, the cost per student is significantly less than some higher-end entertainment types. Use airbrush tattoos to add some budget entertainment so you can also offer students more expensive niche experiences without breaking your budget.
At-a-Glance: Students are invited to dance in waist-high foam and bubbles.
Number of students entertained: Up to 50 at a time (2 cannons). Can be done in lined waves (like an amusement park line) or organically (typically students are done after about 10-15min in the foam).
Considerations: Foam must be done outdoors and requires a large flat area (such as black top or a quad lawn) with no obtrusive objects (sprinklers, sewers, rocks, holes, landscaping). Additionally, foam needs to be no more than 100′ from a grounded power outlet on it’s own circuit and 100′ from an outdoor water spigot. Students will get wet, so foam may be best suited for post-class activities.
We love it for: spring finals stress-busting activities; school-sponsored sporting events and tailgating; commuter schools trying to get students on campus for activities; sorority and fraternity events; and health-focused events that want to get students up and moving.
Not recommended for: indoor events; low-energy events.
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Use foam cannons as “checkpoints” every 1k for a 5k race or at intervals throughout walking/running fundraisers on a track.
Use foam to let students cool down at an outdoor event like a BBQ or outdoor fundraiser
Throw a foam party for your wellness week to encourage movement or bust stress during finals week.
At-a-Glance: Students indulge their inner child with some fun face painting or silly balloon twisting.
Number of students entertained: 10-12 per hour (regular size) or 15-20 per hour (“speedy” selection).
Considerations: Face painters need 2 chairs and some table space; balloon twisters need 1 chair and some table space.
We love it for: carnival-themed events; family visitation weekends; and school-sponsored tailgates.
Not recommended for: formal events.
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Use face painting for themed holiday events that typically involve costumes–like Mardi Gras, Purim, Halloween, Day of the Dead–and let our artists create something amazing in-theme!
Have our face painters or balloon twisters create Game Day sports faces or wearable balloon designs in your school colors to add some school spirit.
At-a-Glance: We provide both the light rental and the artists to create glowing UV looks.
Number of students entertained: 10-12 per hour per artist
Considerations: The area should be dark with only limited color lights (such as uplights or LED strips) as well as UV. (Ask our office about lighting packages with our DJ services.)
We love it for: Pride events; nightclub-inspired events; Safe Grad / Project Graduation; ResLife events planned as late-night alternatives to alcohol or cannabis.
Not recommended for: outdoor events; indoor spaces where lights cannot be shut out by shutters, blinds, or curtains.
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Ask students to bring consoles to project party games like Mario Cart or Super Smash onto the walls for a glowing game night tournament.
Host a glow in the dark 5k run or fundraiser, using both glow stick jewelry and a UV-reactive face painting station
Create a nightclub-inspired event by combining UV face and body painting with DJ services.
At-a-Glance: Your students will bring a question or problem to our tarot and palm readers, who in turn will use the “grammar” of palmastry and tarot to discuss the questions the guests have. (Palm and tarot do not use any religious themes or witch craft.)
Number of students entertained: 6-8 per hour per reader.
Considerations: Each reader needs a table and 2 chairs far away from the “action” of the event (DJs, food lines, other stations) for a cozy and private chat.
We love it for: Halloween or fall events; cozy indoor events; commuter schools trying to get students on campus for activities; and Safe Grad / Project Graduation events.
Not recommended for: Loud and large events (these readings feel intimate and quiet).
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Create a “psychic” area at your upcoming fall event.
Hire massage therapists or yoga instructors for a wellness day, and add some lighthearted fun with tarot or palm readers.
For a cozy event, pair psychic services with “craft bars” where students can build terrariums or succulent gardens for their dorm rooms.
At-a-Glance: One of our magicians or mind readers will walk throughout your event and invite guests to participate in some up-close magic. (Please note, this is not a stage show.)
Number of students entertained: Up to 40 per hour. (Ideal for large-scale events.)
Considerations: Strolling mentalism and magic is extremely flexible and require nothing from the planner except a place to stash personal belongings like a coat, water bottle, and extra props.
We love it for: Halloween or fall events; Safe Grad / Project Graduation; carnival-themed events; and any events of over 500+ students.
Not recommended for: Small events under 50 people; events looking for a sit-down show; events where this is the only entertainment.
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Add a strolling magician to a formal seated event, like a dinner or gala, for some strolling entertainment and a fun touch to a classy event.
Throw an outdoor event inspired by vintage carnivals with carnival rides, games, tarot/palm readers, stilt walkers, and strolling magicians.
At-a-Glance: Students drop by a craft station where, with the help of one of our professional tie-dye artists, they twist, wrap, and spray their creations. They can instantly bag and take their creations with them.
Number of students entertained: 15-25 students per hour per tie-dye artist.
Considerations: Spray dye is lower mess than traditional dip-dye, but should still be done over tile floors or outdoors to facilitate clean up. All apparel must be 100% cotton and can be provided by the school (university-branded apparel) or by Kaleidoscope.
We love it for: outdoor events; sorority and fraternity event programming; school-sponsored sporting events; school spirit week; and student government-sponsored events.
Not recommended for: events where students’ clothing cannot get dirty. (Dye is washable until heat set, but students who are afraid of dye on their clothes won’t participate.)
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Include tie-dye in a spirit week with decades-themed days for the 60’s or 70’s and include a DIY hemp jewelry station.
Create an end-of-semester Summer Camp event where students can bust finals stress with tie-dye, a foam party, and classic camp crafts that ignite their inner children.
Prepare 100% cotton university apparel and have our tie-dye artists bring only school colors before a sports game. (Just let our office know at the time of booking.)
Bring all of your school’s sorority and fraternity chapters together for Greek Week where students can dye apparel of their choosing with the colors of their house.
At-a-Glance: Our professional DJ will set up a karaoke station for students including all music, monitors with lyrics, microphones, and optional add-ons like photo booths or lighting.
Number of students entertained: Up to 14 songs per hour (up to 4 mics available for 4 students to sing together).
Considerations: Our DJ should be kept either inside or under shade outdoors to stop equipment from overheating and will need access to grounded power outlets on their own circuits.
We love it for: Evening programming as an alternative to alcohol and cannabis; cultural center post-parties; Pride and drag events; sorority events; and project graduation.
Not recommended for: outdoor events after 8pm (the local area may have sound ordinances that don’t allow loud music to be played outdoors after a certain time); events where you want to encourage dancing and have regular DJ sevices.
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Host a karaoke event series over the course of several weeks where the crowd is able to vote for winning teams.
Have a fun spin on a Halloween costume contest where students are invited to come in costume, but then judged not on the costume itself but their character’s ability to pull off a fantastic karaoke number. (For instance: a student in a Barbie costume singing the 90’s pop hit Barbie Girl; or a group dressed up as the characters of Grease singing Grease Lightening.)
For events that are alternatives to alcohol and cannabis use, hire a DJ for an event series to host a series of activities that are reminiscent of the social parts of a bar–such as karaoke, trivia, music Bingo, board game night, or a cornhole tournament–but swap the alcohol to snack bars. We’ve seen sundae bars, cereal bars, taco bars, and brunch bars be huge hits with students!
Host a drag karaoke evening where students are encouraged to come dressed up and belt their hearts out. Add glitter looks for students who want to enjoy the fun but don’t want to come in drag themselves!
At-a-Glance: Students line up to be drawn as cartoons by one of our professional artists.
Number of students entertained: Up to 10 faces per hour per artist.
We love it for: lighthearted events; carnival-inspired events; outdoor picnics; department-wide events; events looking to use entertainment as a marketing hook to draw in large amounts of students.
Not recommended for: formal or serious events; family day events geared towards entertaining young children.
Considerations: Each caricature artist will need 1 table and 3 chairs. This should be indoors or, for outdoor events, in the shade for days over 75*F or with heat for days under 50*F.
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Use caricatures as a fun alternative to photo booths and help students get a break from screens and cameras.
Create a “beach day” with a foam party, caricatures, a DIY sand art craft station, airbrush tattoos, ice cream trucks, and other entertainment reminiscent of boardwalks and summer sand.
At-a-Glance: A stilt walker will roam throughout your event chatting with students.
Number of students entertained: Unlimited
Considerations: Stilt walkers should only be placed on even ground such as black top, pavers, or indoor flooring. They cannot walk on sand, gravel, or grass.
We love it for: Carnival, Mardi Gras, and Purim events; circus-themed events; career or club fairs; and college-sponsored sporting events.
Not recommended for: events looking to stilt walkres as an activity for students to participate in. (We classify stilt walkers as “atmospheric entertainment” which add to the overall vibe of your event, but are not a specific activity.)
Bonus college entertainment ideas:
Station your stilt walker in front of a large event, drawing people in and explaining anything you want them to know (where certain stations are, what activities are going on, or anything else).
Buy a Polaroid camera and plenty of film. Have your stilt walker roam throughout the event and take photos of students from their point of view, handing the photos to students as they go. This is a really fun alternative to standard photobooth and gives students something tactile they can take home with them!
Have your stilt walker hand out school-branded swag at a sports game or spirit week.
Why is face painting so expensive? Why do you have to pay so much to have a princess come to your party? Why can’t you just have a 30min mascot visit?
Because almost all of our clients are party parents on a budget (although most of our income is actually from corporate clients on an even tighter budget) we’ve always put a lot of effort into keeping our prices down and our packages flexible enough for everyone to afford.
But we also understand it can be frustrating when you don’t see a package or price you had hoped for. So in the spirit of transparency in our business and respect for our clients, we published a breakdown of why, exactly, party entertainment can be so pricey.
Ever wonder what’s in face paint? (Is it really paint? Does it have any peanuts, soy, milk, or animal products? What about latex? Heavy metals?) What about perfumes? Is it okay for sensitive skin?
We use only 2 supplies for 2 brands of face paint–“face paint” being a misnomer since what we really put on children’s faces is kid-friendly makeup. Face paint should never be done with actual paints! Our makeup is free of cancer-causing metals, unlike actual paint, all safe for skin, and cruelty-free.
Below is a full list of all of our face paint brands and their ingredient lists. If you have any additional questions, please contact our office during the booking process and we’d be happy to answer them!
After 10 years in the event entertainment industry, we have a pretty good idea as to which weekends are best and worst for throwing events. Our office team actually keeps track of the busiest event weekends of the year (or, at least the busiest for CT, RI, MA, and NH) to help our clients pick make great choices when picking a day to throw their party.
