I have only done a few jobs where I have twisted after I have finished face painting but near enough every time have the little darlings have crowded in around me, forced me into a corner and some of the delightful sweeties have even started helping themselves to my balloons  :evil:  :evil:  :evil:

I could really do with advice as to how to avoid this situation as I find myself getting cross as I ask them persistently to back up and sit down on the floor and it is incredibly hard to keep a smile on my face.  Also how do you nicely say "Don't touch the balloons and certainly DO NOT help yourself"?  I just feel like a really grumpy old moo when things are like this!

The main reason I am asking is I am doing my first twisting only party on 17th May so I have loads to teach myself between now and then as my twisting is basic to say the least and I am not going on a care & share until afterwards  :roll:

Hi Yvonne,

Don't worry about your twisting booking coming up, go along and really enjoy yourself.

I've been twisting for about 20 years now and done 1000's of walk-about sessions in that time. I've never had a problem with the kids grabbing the balloons. I think in that situation, you just need to put on a stern teachers style voice and say NO, (while keeping that smile of course) please don't help yourself, I'll make it for you, and that if they make it themselves you'll have nothing to do and will have to go home. As long as you stop that first child I think you should be OK. But if you ignore the first child when making a grab for a balloon then your making it hard for yourself to put a stop to it.

Regards to getting bogged down with kids surounding you, that happens often with me. The only thing I can suggest there is to put a small piece of tape on the floor in front of you and tell the kids they can't cross into your area as it's the 'twisting zone' and if they cross it you won't have enough elbow room to make anything. That works if your standing in one spot, if not you'll just have to continually ask them to move back.

I wish you lived a little closer to me, if you did you could have came out for a while on Sunday, I have a four hour balloon session for Endsleigh Garden & Leisure centre. Is there anyone on this forum who lives near you who wouldn't mind you tagging along for a little while so you can watch and pick up some ideas?

Hope I've been a little help.

As I said before, just go and have fun, enjoy yourself.

Billy

Quote from: "YvonneH"I have loads to teach myself between now and then as my twisting is basic to say the least and I am not going on a care & share until afterwards  :roll:

I've just been to your website and seen some of your balloons, they're not basic, you have some really nice models there which will go down well for walkabout twisting.

Thank you for your help and your kind comments but I do have a confession to make.  The photography was very deliberate as to what was shown as the remainder of each of those models was totally deformed   I am also having problems remembering how much to leave uninflated for most models and some of the twists.

At least I have now discovered a teddy that I am happy with and I really like the tiger of the intermediate Cozmic Balloons DVD as the head is really cool and tiger shaped  :?

Not actually sure if there is anyone local to me off the board.  I am based in North Herts so if there is anyone local that wouldn't mind letting me have some work experience ( ) please do let me know.

Good luck with the gig Yvonne I'm sure you'll cope very well with it.  

It can be difficult to keep excited kids in line - I always try to angle my balloon case slightly so they can't quite reach it, Billy is right about use of the voice to keep order - think Joyce Grenfell  

Depending on the set up and circumstances it may be possible to get round the crowding issue if you go to the child wherever they are sitting and moving around the room / garden to each child in turn similar to doing a restaurtant - it's an approach thats worked for me a couple of times.

PS - please don't make me feel really really ancient by asking me who Joyce Grenfell is    

I have found crowd control is a lot like audience management in as far as only experience will help, Y as you already do face painting and from the chats we have had I'm sure your be fine, look forward to hearing how you got on.
The main thing is enjoy yourself and have some quick fire corny jokes (works for me)

Oh eekk.  The only joke I have ever managed to remember is about baked beans and their unpleasant side effect  :oops: Not sure that will be appropriate   Maybe that is a good idea for a thread - funny things to say whilst twisting!!!

Hello Y
I tell kids (in a stern voice and smile) that if they do that they won't get a balloon and if they persist I move onto the next kid. The only problem with that is if they don't get the message they will stand there and do it anyway. If it's a persistent child I do a quick balloon and move them on. I really like the idea of the piece of tape. I do it for my magic show and have purchased from Magic Dave a roll of tape that says ' the magic line' - I think thats what it says! Never thought about doing it to control a line for balloons but I like it. I'm sure you will still get the odd granny or parent pushing in from the side and tell you they have been there for quite a while but that is going to happen.

I echo everybody else's comments about enjoy it. All the adults and children will look on thinking how the heck can you make that out of a balloon. You are the master!!
As for jokes - why don't we start a thread on used one liners for the children? I'll start:
What do you call a snail on a pirate ship? - A Snailor!
Why do all the Teletubbies go to the toilet at the same time? - They only have one Tinky Winky! ( for older children only!)
Kev

Sorry Smiggle,
forgot to ask - who is Joyce Grenfell  

:twisted:  Are you trying to make me feel old Kev??  

OK - I might be a little more err... experienced  :?:  than some on here

Just in case a few of you youngsters have never heard Joyce Grenfell *click here to get the idea*

Ian