I had a birthday gig this afternoon with about twelve children age 6. How do most of you handle balloonning with a group of children surrounding you without them getting out of control and trying to dive into your balloon bag and continue to ask for multiple things. Also they had two bounce houses and while I was trying to get the kids to play games and dance I was competeing with the bounce house. I felt it was my obligation to do everything we had written in the contract because I didn't want the parents to think they didn't get their money's worth with a clown that just jumped in the bounce house with the kids. Have you ever had this come up and how do you handle it?

Controlling kids is something that only comes with experience
I sometimes use a rope to help keep kids in line and other clowns use different metods to do it
In rare cases you might have to ask an adult to help out with the crowd
And as far as doing your job if the people had a good time then you earned your money

I just cordially say, "Oh, let's stay out of my bag please...my alligator might be hungry!" and keep the flap closed.
I do try to position myself so I have my back against a wall or something so I have a good sense of my territory. It's like guerrilla techniques that you learn after a while.

Alot of times, to form a line, I just reach out and put my hand on the closest child's head and say "Please line up behind this young man/lady" and the kids will tend to line themselves up. Might have to repeat it a few times.

Another way is I actually have numbered stickers and hand these out so I can call out the numbers kind of like the butcher shop.

Another tip is to get those tiny orange cones that look like traffic cones and use them as line formers.

At times, you just need another adult to help! Depends on the rowdiness of the group!

I agree with Jamz..crowd control comes with experience. I like to watch other performers and take note of the little things they do to control the crowd and add these to my show too.

Bottom line is this....NEVER lose your cool with the kids!
I know someone who wants to be a clown but he has a hot temper and one time, in a parade, some kids squirted him with silly string and he lost it! Went running after the 14 year old and got booed by the crowd. His temper will probably keep him from enjoying this occupation.

Hope this helps!

Excellent suggestions thanks fort he ideas PeeWee.

Bottom line, don't go out of Character and remain calm, even if you can't maintain order.

[chuckles] Alligator, I love it....

This actually came from another clown tip, but it what I now use at b parties. The birthday child if able uses a water maker to number the back of each child hand earlier during the event and as kids watch the b-kid open presents I make the balloons so I only have 1-2 kids to deal with at a time. I time this for the end of my session, and of course the birthday child goes first. I also will blow up several balloons in advance and bring them in a large trash bag so I don't have to spend a lot of time blowing up balloons. Boy usually want swords and doing this at the end lets me leave before they all get rowdy and start poping them and asking for more.

Those are all excellent suggestions- I eally like the marker idea Sue! Thanks

I've found that most kids respect my wishes, and like Esther was saying, if you ask them to form a line behind the closest boy or girl they will oblige, even if you have to repeat a time or two.

A little patter with each balloon seems to help too. The kids won't worry so much about the wait if they are entertained while your making the balloons.

hey bips is that like a patter butter lol. i agree with bips kids love to be entertained and what better person to do it than a clown. even if they are standing in line you can get there attention with jokes and little gags as you are twisting. just remember to gear your humor tward the age group you are serving . if the jokes are to young for them they will think you are as they say Lame if the fokes are to old for them they will just not understand them either way you could loose there attention.

Peter Piper Picked a Peckle of Pickles....something like that....:)

Peckle can't be right.....could it? Oh well...

or maybe patter tater tots...those are really good with extra cheese...:)