For a number of years Donna Huff and Cindy Longacre enjoyed working together as co-directors of a summer day camp for mentally challenged children. They often made up skits to help their campers understand certain educational concepts. A clown they hired to entertain the children invited them to visit a local clown club. The club members gave Donna and Cindy basic clowning tips and suggestions on where they could begin clowning. Donna and Cindy then enrolled in a high school evening course taught by a former mime. They came up with their duo name, Whoopsie and Daisy, and began to do birthday parties, picnics, and other special events. After attending a clowning convention, they came up with the idea to teach educational units as clowns. Being former teachers, this came easily to them—they worked out skits on fire safety, how to clean your room, and other themes. In addition to parties, they were hired at preschools and elementary schools to perform educational skits. The teachers and children loved it. Donna and Cindy keep files on each party, event and school at which they perform and what skits they did. They also leave evaluation sheets for both teachers and students. Their clowning career is hectic for their families, but both say it's given them an income while their children are small. Not only that, it's fun, too.

Start-Up Costs And Financing Sources

* $250-$500.
* Personal savings, loans from family and friends.

Pricing Guidelines

* $65-$ 100 per hour, depending on the number of children or people at the event
* Network with other clowns, entertainers, clubs for current entertainment rates.

Marketing And Advertising Methods And Tips

* Print business cards. Donna and Cindy had an artist draw their clown faces on colorful business cards, which they hand out to teachers and parents after their performances. They also give away pens with their names and phone numbers on them.
* Volunteer to be the clown at a parade or a community event.
* Plan a creative clowning. Donna and Cindy give away pictures for children to color with their names and numbers listed on the bottom.
* Approach schools or institutions by personal visits (in your clown suit) or send out brochures. Follow up with phone calls.
* Post your business cards and flyers on every community bulletin board you can.

Essential Equipment

Clown make-up supplies (best found in a costume, theater, or dance supply store); gimmicks like oversized sunglasses, kazoos, simple magic tricks (may be found at your costume or magic store); an old suitcase to carry your props (decorate it for your acts); clothes (can buy suits or sew ones from patterns or find at thrift shops and create your own look); hair (use a clown wig, spray your hair, use a hat—whatever you decide your look to be) answering machine; contract to give to your customers; promotional materials.

Recommended Training, Experience, Or Needed Skills

* Take pantomime courses, acting courses.
* Work with another clown or clowns in a club.
* Volunteer at different events until you decide if you like this business. It's good practice and will help you decide your look and style.

Income Potential

$300-$500 a week

Type Of Business

Out-of-the-home

Best Customers

Birthday parties (children's and adults), company picnics, opening or sales' days, special community events, fairs, carnivals, Sunday schools, scouting troops, retirement dinners, roasts, preschools, residential institutions for children with special needs, hospitals, retirement homes.

Helpful Tips

* Network with other professional clowns and clubs.
* Be professional and keep clowning ethics, such as not smoking or doing anything inappropriate while in your clown suit.
* Volunteer at different places in your community—everyone needs to laugh now and then!
* Make sure you have a signed contract or call in advance to confirm the date, place, time, and payment.

Significance Of Clowning

Clowning is a presentation of artistic performance of the actor who pretends of acting like the foolish person to amuse the audience with loud laughter. Clowning supplies are available in the market for the active and wonderful performance of clowns e.g. Clown Squeeker, Clown Nose, Nose Animal Sponge bk, Sponge Nose Yellow, Clown Sponge Nose Red, Mini Confetti Popper, Metallic Confetti, Nose Flute, Jumbo Scissors, etc. clowning supplies are very necessary to enhance the performance of clowns by introducing the variety of items. Video cutting & clowning is a fun and art to design the clowning items and videos in a unique style to amuse the audience. Clowning around the world is very popular as the best source of entertainment and amusement to discharge the burden of the anxieties of daily life. Boys clowning are presented for the enhancement of entertaining programs and items on the stage. Hospital clowning is presented to entertain the patients of the hospitals who are so much heart-stricken due the long ailments. You may get start and plan a unique and creative clowning for the amusement of the wide-ranging audience with immense popularity and profitability.