You are looking for someone to entertain children for a very special event (e.g Weddings, Parties etc) and making the right choice is very important. Do not focus on price, the cheapest is not always the best. Find out what they offer then judge whether it is good value for money.
* Look for Professionalism
Any good entertainer will look and behave in a professional manner. They will want their business to look smart and professional as well. If little or no effort has gone into their advert or website, how much effort do you think they put into their shows? Search for the adverts or websites that look professional and indeed check to see whether the performer is a full-time pro. You should also beware of agencies; they have numerous entertainers on their books and you may not be booking the person shown on their website. Also costs are often higher as the agent adds commission to the entertainer’s fee.
* Knowing What Services to Book
Having found an entertainer that looks the part you need to dig a bit deeper to find out what types of services they provide and any party formats they may have. If you are looking for a 2 hour party, will the entertainer entertain all the children for the whole period (food break excepted)? This is very important, if the entertainer advertises games and the children are “out” as the game progresses, the child that is out is now free to cause all sorts of trouble! This type of game is not recommended and neither is face painting. If the entertainer has come on their own they can only paint one child at a time, so what do all the rest of the children do? You need to find an entertainer that engages the children for the duration of the party, keeps them involved and most of all has lots of fun with them. Prizes are a great way to grab children’s attention and good entertainers will use these to good effect.
* What To Look For in Your Entertainer
Having established what the entertainer can offer, ask how they are qualified. Questions to ask:
Are you a member of any magic societies or organisations for professional entertainers?
Do you have public liability insurance?
Are you CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) police checked?
The CRB check is becoming more a standard amongst entertainers, although many will argue it is out of date the day after it is issued, an enhanced check will show all criminal convictions the person may have. There is no reason why an entertainer should not have a CRB certificate they can show unless they have something to hide.
* Discussing Your Requirements
A good entertainer will communicate in a professional, manner and always provide a written or email confirmation of the event, what is to be performed and the cost, this way all parties understand what will happen on the day. Try to imagine the way the party will go and is the entertainer providing a range of entertainment for the duration of the party? This is very important as the magician may perform a 1 hour magic show, which initially may sound fine, but 1 hour is a long time for the children to stay sat down however good the show! Children’s magicians are actually starting to understand this and some are starting to offer discos, games and even balloon modelling to compliment the magic, which gives a whole host of activities for the children at the party which keeps their interest high.
Finally, how does enthusiastic does the entertainer sound? If they don’t seem excited about the show when you speak to them, this may reflect in the quality of their work. I hope you found this article helpful and will hopefully ensure you choose the right Children’s Entertainer and have a great day.