Face painting may seem like a not important activity, but believe me, sometimes it can be wonderful!
I’m not a professional in painting faces, and even if I was, in hospitals you will almost never have time to paint something with many details, but you know what? In this case the details are not the most important thing, or at least not that kind of detail.
What I believe is important is the contact with children. It is a very special moment because it implies being close, calm and collaborating together.
In my opinion this activity has many uses:
Have contact with only one child. In group activities you cannot pay attention only to a child, but here the boy or girl you paint the face is the only protagonist.
Exercise creativity. Not everything has to be butterflies, dogs and pirates, children can be monsters, night with stars and moon, a rainbow, etc… You cannot imagine how many things they might want to be, a boat, a green cat, even a dinosaur spiderman, and in fact, why not?
Part of a game. We can also use it as part of another game, for example if we play hide and seek each one can be an animal and at the time we have discovered we can use the names of animals, this can also be practical when we do not know the names of the children.
Change of role. This is my favorite, it means that they are the ones who paint the faces of the volunteers, it’s GREAT!
So for all this I can assure you that it is a very good and fun activity. Although, personally, I do not think it is good to always use it, it is better to do it from time to time, in this way you do not lose the magic and the children see it as a surprise, because who doesn’t want to be a dinosaur or spiderman?
Clara Quintana Silva – Vitamin T 17 from Spain, Mille Cunti
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