Halloween face painting station for schools: a plan

Ask about dates in September

A school Halloween day usually lands on one date in October, so the artist's calendar is the first thing to settle, before notices go out. We suggest asking early, in September, rather than close to the day. Asking early leaves the school time to change the date if needed.

When you message us, have these ready:

• The date, time and length of the station
• The expected number of students and their age range
• Outdoors on the playground or indoors
• Whether the youngest children will attend

Schools should also check their own rules and yearly plan for costume activities before fixing the programme. We don't guess on behalf of any school.

Cute designs for small children, spookier ones for older kids

For small children, pick friendly designs: a smiling pumpkin, a round white ghost, a little bat, a black cat. For older students you can add moodier ones such as skulls, spider webs and vampire fangs. Not every child needs the same level of scary. A child who feels shy should have a gentler choice.

Children can choose their design before booking, so one way to save time is to let each class pick designs ahead of the day. When their turn comes they sit down and the artist already knows what to paint. If you want real photos to show the children, our gallery has a purple bat painted on a forearm, a group photo in witch costumes at Halloween, and a group with skull face paint. Browse more in the photo gallery.

Tell us about sensitive skin before booking. We can't promise that every colour suits every child, so the notice you send to parents should include one line asking about it.

Artists by student numbers

To work out how many artists you need, use this estimate: each artist paints about 10 to 15 faces an hour, depending on the design. It is an estimate, not a promise. Simple designs go faster and detailed ones take longer.

By that estimate:

• 1 artist: about 10 to 15 children an hour
• 3 artists: about 30 to 45 children an hour
• 5 artists, the maximum for a large event: about 50 to 75 children an hour

Our public prices are 500,000₫ for 1 hour and 900,000₫ for 2 hours. Longer than 2 hours is negotiated separately. If you need several artists, message us for a specific quote. See the pricing page.

With a large school, not every child has to be painted in the same hour. You can split by class or by time slot. Our article on how many face painters your event needs has more on big events.

Laying out the station and the queue

What the school prepares is 1 table and 2 chairs. If the station is outdoors, choose a spot with shade. If it rains, the station moves indoors, so choose an indoor area in advance as a backup. With several artists, ask us how many tables and chairs to prepare.

A few ideas for the queue:

• Line children up by class, with one teacher beside them
• Run the queue along a wall or fence so it doesn't block walkways
• Let children choose their design while they wait, so they can be painted as soon as they sit down
• Set aside a small corner for photos so finished children don't crowd the painting table

Our gallery has a photo of costumed children lining up at a Halloween event, which shows how a queue can stretch out.

Quick answers about a school Halloween station

What does the school need to prepare? 1 table, 2 chairs, and a shaded spot if the station is outside. If it rains, we move indoors.

Is a school allowed to hold a Halloween event? Each school has its own rules, so check with the school leadership. The school should check its own policy.

What about children with sensitive skin? Tell us before booking. We don't promise that every colour suits every child.

See also: Face painting for school events. Message us on Zalo or call 0908 980 603 to ask about dates.