You can book kids entertainers in Dubai for school fairs, nursery parties, end of term events, compound and community days, corporate family days and mall activations for Eid, National Day and Christmas. For events like these the questions change: how many artists for how many children, who holds the permit, and whether the entertainers have police clearance.
Price: single acts are priced per act, for example a face painter at AED 350 to AED 600 per hour. A large scale or mall activation package with a stage, several performers, longer hours and permit handling usually starts from AED 15,000. See kids entertainer prices in Dubai.
Acts that work at bigger events
| Act | Why it works at a fair or family day |
|---|---|
| Face painting | Steady queue, every child leaves with something. Book several artists in shifts. See face painting. |
| Balloon twisting | A station or a roaming artist, quick shapes for a long line. See balloon artists. |
| Bubble show | Giant bubbles on a field or in a hall, great for photos and toddlers. |
| Puppet show | A calm, seated show for the youngest year groups. See puppet shows. |
| Mascots and characters | Welcome at the gate, photos, a dance-along on stage. See mascots and characters. |
| Mime and strolling acts | Silent comedy that works in any language, moving through the crowd. |
Staffing for the number of children
The most common problem at a fair is a long queue at one station. Plan the artists against the expected number of children, not against the budget.
| Children | Face painters | Session |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 | 1 | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| 30 to 40 | 2 | 2 hours |
| About 60 | 3 | 2 to 3 hours |
| 100 or more | 4 to 5 | 3 hours, in shifts |
Mall teams usually book 3 to 4 hour rotating shifts with 2 or more face painters to handle the footfall.
Schools and nurseries
Entertainers who work at a school or nursery need a valid police clearance certificate. Some schools also limit face painting designs for younger year groups, for example no skulls. Ask the school's event coordinator for an approved list, and send it to the artist before the day.
Permits
A private event inside a school, a villa compound for residents, or a booked hotel room usually needs no entertainment permit. A mall atrium, a public park, an event open to non-residents, a ticketed event or a branded activation needs a DET permit in Dubai. Abu Dhabi events fall under DCT. The venue or organiser usually holds the permit. Agree who is responsible before the date, because an event without a needed permit can be stopped on the day.
Corporate family days
For staff family days, face painters can paint the company logo or brand colours with a brief sent a few days ahead. Branded designs take a little longer per face. A face painter, a balloon artist and a stage act often share one area so parents can watch.
How to book
Send the date, the venue, the hours, the expected number of children and their ages on WhatsApp or through the quote form. For Eid, National Day and the weeks before the school holidays, book 3 to 4 weeks ahead.
