How long does the painting take?

Up to 30 minutes. Most kids finish sooner, then the creations dry while everyone plays.

What should the kids paint with?

Acrylic paint markers. They grip the smooth plastic and there are no brushes or water pots to manage. Ordinary felt-tips and washable markers smudge and won't stick. Our marker sets have 8 colours, and one set covers about 3 kids.

What age is it suitable for?

Ages 6 and up, with an adult supervising. The critters contain magnets and small parts, so keep them away from younger siblings.

How to run a kids' paint party at home

Paint first, not last

Make painting the opening activity. Kids arrive in dribs and drabs, and a painting table gives early arrivals something to do straight away.

It also gives the paint time to dry. By the end of games and cake, everyone's creation is ready to take home.

Set up the table

A little preparation saves a lot of cleaning up:

Cover the table with a plastic cloth or old newspaper.
Put a set of paint markers between every 3 kids, so nobody waits long for a colour.
Give every guest a name card, so creations don't get mixed up while drying.
Keep wipes and a bin within reach.
Have an adult at the table the whole time.

Use paint markers, not pots

Acrylic paint markers are the secret to a low-mess paint party. There are no brushes to wash, no water pots to knock over and no palettes to share. They grip smooth surfaces where felt-tips and washable markers won't.

Our mess kit takes care of what's left: a pair of kid-size gloves and a take-home box per guest. The box arrives folded flat, opens out as a painting base so the table stays clean, and carries the finished critter home.

Timing

Allow up to 30 minutes of painting. Most kids finish sooner, and early finishers can name their creation or help set up the next game. Then leave everything on the table to dry, out of the way of the games.

Something to paint that goes home

Our party pack gives every guest a blank, bendy critter magnet to paint (a cat, caterpillar, T-REX, eagle, parrot, bee, axolotl, dolphin or pug, in any mix). It's the activity and the party favour in one, with free NZ shipping.

Questions parents ask

How long does the painting take?: Up to 30 minutes. Most kids finish sooner, then the creations dry while everyone plays.
What should the kids paint with?: Acrylic paint markers. They grip the smooth plastic and there are no brushes or water pots to manage. Ordinary felt-tips and washable markers smudge and won't stick. Our marker sets have 8 colours, and one set covers about 3 kids.
What age is it suitable for?: Ages 6 and up, with an adult supervising. The critters contain magnets and small parts, so keep them away from younger siblings.