Hi everyone,

My first clown ministry event (and clown event at all), is coming up next month. I'm just looking for some tips from those of you who have done this before. This first event will be for the group of kids and their families for our vbs, walking around the group and interacting with the people. Basically, I have two areas I"m really looking for advice for. One, I will have spent the week working with these kids as my non-clown self, and am wondering what you all suggest I should do if kids recognize me and try to call me by my regular name and whatnot. Keep in mind that I'm a mute clown, so I need to be able to respond appropriately. That brings me to my other point. Any advice on mute clowning? Any mute clowns out there who could tell me something they wish they'd known their first time out?

Study Harpo Marx if you get a chance. If some one calls you by your people name, shake your head and point at your name tag. Study people .Exaggerate their movements. Look for things you can do to get their attention. I like to look at the sky and point till someone else looks then walk away. Shake hands in as many different ways as you can. Get some walk around gags. Foam letters can be good for this as they take up little room. Go to the library. Look on this forum. The search feature is a great asset.
Bump a nose.

Thanks, Willy Nilly! I like the thing about pointing at the sky. I'm supposed to be learning ballooning this week, and my husband (also a new clown) and I might have a thing going where he plays the violin and I start dancing, so he plays faster, and I try to keep up, and he trys to play faster and faster to mess with me. I wasn't planning on wearing a name tag, but I can see how would be important. Thanks again!

Get a picture of you non clown and hang it around your neck on a long string and on the back side of picture write "sister" could even be a twin sister, so if they call you out show the picture and then the other side and then go into " oh I love my sister so much". play it up ( hugging the picture, kissing the picture and so on, as long as you have to for them to drop the subject....