Face Painting for Kids in Nairobi: a Painter for up to 50 Children

A child climbs into the chair as themselves and gets down as a tiger. That is the whole appeal of face painting for kids. Our listing books a painter for up to 50 children in one session. Each child picks a design. Then comes the hard part for a four-year-old, sitting still for a few minutes while a brush tickles the nose, before running off to show a parent, a cousin and anyone else who will look. Small children who will not sit for a full face can have a heart or a star on one cheek. A full face, mask and all, is for the ones who can wait a little longer.

How long kids face painting takes for 50 faces

Plan around one number. GigSalad, a large US booking platform for party performers, puts the average face painter at 10 to 12 children an hour, quicker for cheek designs and slower for full faces. At that pace fifty children is about four to five hours of steady painting for one painter. A birthday with 15 children is done within the first hour or two. A school fun day with fifty needs the painter there early, or the last children wait a long time. So tell us the number of children and the party hours when you book, and ask us how long the painter stays and whether one painter covers your group.

Are the paints safe on children's skin?

Parents ask this first. Rightly. The paint has to be a cosmetic made for skin, never craft or acrylic paint. The US Food and Drug Administration adds two checks for any face paint: a colour needs its approval for use near the eyes before it goes there, and none of the fluorescent colours is allowed near the eyes. If your child has sensitive skin or eczema, the FDA suggests a dab on the arm first to check for a reaction. Ask us which paints our painter brings; for a child with allergies, keep the design on the cheek, away from the eyes, or skip it.

Clean sponges, clean faces

Good practice is one sponge per child and brushes rinsed between colours, so nothing passes from face to face. A child with a cold sore, a rash or broken skin on the face should wait this one out. At the end of the day the paint comes off with warm water and gentle soap; take it slowly around the eyes, as the FDA advises, and do it before bed.

Face painting hire: the price

Face painting for kids is KSh 6,000 per session, for up to 50 children. Transport is added on your quote, priced by the distance from our yard in Uthiru, and a 50% deposit holds the date. Painting runs in daylight, between 10am and 6pm, as our terms recommend for children's activities.

Setting up the painting corner

The painter needs a small table, two chairs and shade: one chair for the painter, one for the child. Hot sun is the enemy. Paint smudges as a child sweats, and the painter squints. Put the corner where the queue can see the other games, so waiting is part of the fun. Low white kids' chairs suit the youngest, and a popcorn machine nearby keeps the line patient. Parents or hosts stay with the children throughout; the painter paints, and does not look after them.

Pairing it with other acts

Face painting and clown services can go on one booking. A photo booth with party props lets painted tigers and butterflies pose, and a canvas painting station gives the children who want to paint something themselves their turn. For a show, add a magic show after lunch, or book our clown and party games for the whole afternoon. Every act is on our kids' party entertainers page.

Sources: US Food and Drug Administration, Novelty makeup: colours approved near the eyes, fluorescent colours not near the eyes, arm patch test, removal, read 2026-10-24; GigSalad (US booking platform), 5 questions to ask every face painter: 10-12 people an hour, skin-safe cosmetics, one sponge per child, read 2026-10-24.