16 Cool And Simple Face Painting Ideas For Kids

Exploring face painting ideas for kids is a great way to inspire them to tap into their creative side. They can attempt to look like their favorite cartoon characters or superheroes – that’s something every child would want to try!

However, face painting for kids may seem daunting if you are not naturally creative. So, if you are looking for some innovative face painting ideas for your child, we are here to help you transform them into clowns or zombies or their favorite Disney characters or Marvel superheroes.

Take a look at these simple face painting ideas that we have curated below, and blow your child away with your skills!

In This Article

Face Painting Ideas For Girls

You can transform your cute little girl into a butterfly, princess or mermaid. Check out our special collection of easy face paint ideas for girls.

1. Rabbit

You will need:

  • Water
  • Face paint colors – white, black and pink
  • Sponge
  • Mirror
  • Brush

How to:

  1. Apply white paint with a sponge on the upper lip area and below and above the eyes, like eyeshadows.
  2. Take care not to put any paint in their eyes.
  3. Using a black eyeliner, line the eyes and extend them back, giving it a long wing.
  4. Draw ear shapes on the kid’s forehead with white and pink colors.
  5. Use black eyeliner or paint to add whiskers on either side of the mouth, like a bunny.
  6. Paint a red patch on the nose.
  7. Add black dots on the upper lip area that is colored white.

2. Dalmatian dog

Dalmatian dog face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Water
  • Brush
  • Colors: red, white and black
  • Mirror

How to:

  1. Using a sponge, apply a base coat of white paint to cover the whole face. Make sure the eyes are kept tightly shut.
  2. Paint one eye patch and one dot each on the forehead and lower jawline with black paint.
  3. Use black paint to paint the bottom of the nose and lower lip, and join them both on one side.
  4. Add the whiskers.
  5. Draw a small tongue sticking out of one corner of the lower lip, using the red color.
protip_icon Quick tip
Choose face colors that will wash off easily. Pick a simple design that you can create quickly because your child may not have the patience to stay put for long.

3. Princess crown

Princess crown face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • White, silver and pink face paint sticks
  • White, pink or red face jewels

How to:

  1. Take a white color base painting stick and draw swirls coming up from the top of the nose, over each eye, until the upper part of the cheekbones.
  2. Using a silver paint stick, draw diamond-like flower petals on the forehead, besides the swirls.
  3. Draw these silver petals on top of the nose that joins the forehead.
  4. Use the silver stick to draw stars on the end part of the cheekbone.
  5. Keep on drawing swirls on the forehead and top of the eyebrows.
  6. Using a pink face painting stick outline the design and give it some more depth and color.
  7. Add red and white face jewels to complete the princess look.

4. Fox

Fox face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Brush
  • White, orange, black paint

How to:

  1. Use a sponge to draw ear shapes above the eyes with orange color, and outline it with black.
  2. Dab some orange color on the bridge of the nose. You may extend it to the inner edge of the cheeks.
  3. Paint a bit of orange under both the eyes, and add short lines of black and white.
  4. Using a thin liner brush and black and white paint, draw details in between the ears drawn on the forehead.
  5. Draw whiskers on either side above the lips and put some black dots in between.

5. Cat

Cat face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • White and black paint

How to:

  1. Paint the entire face with white color.
  2. Give shades of black with a thin brush throughout the face to give the effect of hair.
  3. Give a thick paint around the eyes and on the tip of the nose.
  4. Use the black paint to draw two lines from the middle of the nose to the either side of the mouth.
  5. Add whiskers, and put some black dots.

6. Mermaid

Mermaid face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Brush
  • Aqua blue, deep blue, white face paint
  • Silver glitter

How to:

  1. Draw floral designs with aqua and deeper blue paint from the sides of the eyes. You can do this on both sides of the face.
  2. Use blue paint and draw eyes right above the eyelids and brow bone.
  3. Outline with some white paint and silver glitter for detailing.
  4. Draw so as to fill the cheeks.

7. Ghost face paint

Ghost face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Thin brush
  • Flat chisel brush
  • White and black face paint

How to:

  1. Sponge the entire face with white face paint.
  2. Using a flat chisel brush draw the outer lining, the crease and brow bone with black paint.
  3. Encircle the eyes, using a medium flat brush paint the eyes with black paint.
  4. Using a thinner brush, paint black around the lips.
  5. Do the same around the nostrils.
  6. You can also add fake fangs to heighten the look.
protip_icon Do remember
Seek your child’s opinion on what design they would like on their face. Don’t paint something that will embarrass them before their friends.

8. Ladybird

Ladybird face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Black paint stick
  • Red and white face paint
  • Brushes

How to:

  1. Use the black paint stick to draw black lines above the eyebrows and around the corner of the eyes, to make wings of the lady bird.
  2. Use a sponge to smudge the red paint in between the black lines.
  3. Use a brush to make white paint strokes at the sides of the eyes for more depth.
  4. Draw black dots in the red area for the detailing of the lady bird’s wings.
  5. Draw the lady bird’s hind part of the body using black color in the center of the forehead and the upper body on the nose.
  6. Draw two lines from the sides of the nose to make the antennae.

Face painting ideas for boys

Boys love their superheroes, wild animals, scaly dragons, and zombies. You can very well transform them into those with these awesome face painting designs and simple face painting ideas on special occasions or kid’s parties.

9. Batman

Batman face painting idea for kids

Image: IStock

You will need:

  • White, black , aqua blue stick paint and dark blue face paint
  • Silver glitter gel
  • Flat brush
  • Diagonal small flat brush

How to:

  1. Use aqua blue stick paint and apply it on the kid’s forehead in a gradient tone.
  2. Use a small flat brush and black paint to draw the bat’s head, right on the tip of the forehead.
  3. Outline it using the silver paint stick, so that the colors do not mix.
  4. Extend the lines on each side of the cheeks, until the upper jawlines.
  5. Extend the lower ends of the black paint and join them to form the wings.
  6. Make sure you have joined all the lines of the black paint so that the bat-like structure is visible.
  7. Using silver face paint, outline the entire bat figure.
  8. Stencils can be used to add in extra figures like stars and moons on top to give it a look of the sky.

10. Spiderman

Spiderman face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You need to:

  • White, red and black paints
  • Brush

How to:

  1. Paint triangles with white paint on the eyelids and stretch the paint up onto the forehead.
  2. Paint a red upside down triangle on the forehead.
  3. Paint a sideways triangle on the side of the head.
  4. Outline the white triangles with black paint.
  5. Paint several lines with black paint to make sections in the triangles, resembling a cobweb

11. Pirate face paint

Pirate face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Black face paint
  • Black paint stick
  • Red scarf or bandana

How to:

  1. Dab some black color on the sponge and draw it all around the left eye to make the pirate eye patch Make sure that the eyes are tightly shut.
  2. Using a black paintstick, draw a mustache and beard.
  3. Draw a thick eyebrow, taking your kid’s eyebrow as the base on the right eye.
  4. Tie up a red bandana or scarf to complete the look.

12. Dragon

Dragon face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • White, green, yellow, and black face paint
  • Brown and blue glitter paint stick

How to:

  1. Mix green and yellow paint and sponge it on the face- over the nose, cheeks, upper lip and eyes.
  2. Outline the horns (on the forehead), fangs, and scales with the black paint stick.
  3. Color the horns and teeth of the dragon with white.
  4. Draw lines around the tip of the nose and draw scales on the cheeks.
  5. Outline the eyes and horns in black color and draw protruding lines from the corner of the eyes.
  6. Outline the scales with some blue or brown glitter paint to add more details.

13. Zombie face paint

Zombie face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Thin flat brush
  • white, and black paint
  • White paint stick
  • Black eyeshadow(optional)
  • Liquid eyeliner (black)

How to:

  1. Apply light colored foundation all over the face.
  2. Sponge one side of the face with white paint.
  3. Outline the eye sockets with black face painting.
  4. Fill in the eye sockets with paint, or black eyeshadow.
  5. Use a liquid eyeliner to draw the letter M at the center of the nose.
  6. The sides of the M have to wrap around the nostrils entirely.
  7. Color the lips with a white paint stick.
  8. Using a flat thin brush, draw teeth slightly, resembling an illusion.

14. Lion face paint

Lion face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Sponge
  • Brush
  • Yellow (or orange), black, and white paint

How to:

  1. Use a sponge and dab yellow or orange paint over the face, excluding the chin and the area around the eyes.
  2. Draw ears and paint yellow above the eyes.
  3. With a brush create the muzzle with white paint, below and above the mouth. Then paint the eyes.
  4. Make the mane of the lion with brown or black paint in the middle of the forehead, around the eyes and cheeks.
  5. Draw a triangular kitty nose with black paint.
  6. Outline the upper lip and lower lip with black paint.

15. Camo Face Paint

Camo face painting idea for kids

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Chisel brush(large)
  • Small brush
  • Dark green, light green or brown(optional) face paint

How to:

  1. Take a large chisel brush and splotch on the face at different parts using dark green paint.
  2. Make some splotches of a lighter green or brown using the same brush on the rest of the face and around the green splotches.
  3. Using a smaller brush paint in the ears lobes black and the insides green.
  4. Keep making this pattern up to the neck.

16. Grinch face paint

Grinch face paint

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • Shadow palette
  • Face paint colors – lime, dark green, black, white, bright yellow, dark pink
  • Brush
  • Santa Claus hat (optional)

How to:

  1. Paint the entire face using the lime color.
  2. Use dark green face paint to draw angry eyebrows and wrinkle lines.
  3. Add more lines to the face’s top, sides, and corners with dark green paint. Include hair lines above the eyebrows.
  4. Use dark green for the nose and black and white paint for outlines, highlights, and details on wrinkle lines, nose, mouth, and hair. Use bright yellow paint for eyebrow hair lighting.
  5. Finish with whisker holes on each side of the face. Mix dark pink paint with dark green and black colors. Highlight the lower lips with a lighter shade of pink.
  6. Apply more lime paint to the neck and ears. Optionally, wear a Santa Claus hat to complete the look.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What age is good for face painting?

Although you may want to see your child’s face all colorful and decked up on occasions like Halloween, most experts suggest that you wait until your child turns three years to use face paints on them. Once they are old, make them choose their face paint ideas and let them have fun with the colors.

2. What kind of paint can I use to paint kids’ faces?

It would be best if you use paints approved for the face (usually cream-based or water-based face paints) and products that comply with your country’s regulations and are considered safe to be used on a child’s face. Ilea, a professional face painter, says, ”Snazaroo Face Paint is one of the most popular and most well-known brands of face paint because it’s relatively easy to find. This is the go-to paint that I recommend to beginners just starting and figuring out if face painting is really ‘for them'(i).”

3. How long does it typically take to complete a face painting design for kids?

The duration needed to complete a face painting design for children can vary based on the design’s complexity, the artist’s proficiency, and the child’s cooperation. Simple designs can be done in minutes, while more complex ones may take longer.

4. Are there any face painting designs that are particularly popular during Halloween?

During Halloween, popular face painting designs include eerie clowns, zombie or skeleton faces, witch-themed designs, black cats, and scary monsters. These designs are in high demand as they help create a spooky and festive atmosphere for Halloween.

5. What are some face painting ideas that incorporate glitter and sparkle?

Incorporating glitter and sparkle into face painting designs can add a touch of magic and glamor. Popular ideas include fairy designs, princesses, queens, mermaids, unicorns, and butterflies.

6. What are some face painting designs that are popular for school events or fundraisers?

Butterflies, superheroes, princesses, animals (like tigers, lions, and cats), flowers, sports logos, and patriotic themes (such as flags or stars) are popular face-painting designs for school events or fundraisers.

7. How can I make sure the face painting design lasts throughout the event without smudging or fading?

To ensure your face painting designs last throughout the event without smudging or fading, it’s crucial to adhere to certain steps. First, make sure the skin is clean and dry before applying face paint. Utilize high-quality face paints and good brushes. Lastly, apply a thin coat of setting powder or use a setting spray to help preserve the design.

Encouraging children to engage in face painting with their preferred cartoon characters or animals can not only inspire and enhance their creativity and imagination, while also providing entertainment. It can be fun to paint specific themes for a kid’s birthday party or a gathering. Rabbit, butterfly, dalmatian dog, princess crown, dragon, zombie, and lion are some ideas for children. You may also ask them to choose the face painting they love. Ensure to use toxin-free and safe paints that do not cause skin irritations.

Infographic: Creative Face Painting Ideas For Children

Face painting is an entertaining way to celebrate any occasion, including competitions, festivals, and events. This activity also enhances children’s artistic abilities. Check out the infographic below to learn some simple designs and ideas you may suggest to children to paint each other’s faces.

easy to draw face paint ideas your child will love (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Key Pointers

  • Spark creativity in kids with numerous face painting ideas.
  • Transform children into favorite characters like Disney princesses or Marvel superheroes.
  • Girls and boys can choose from rabbit, dalmatian dog, princess crown, fox, cat, and mermaid designs.
  • Choose face colors that wash off easily and opt for simple designs for quick creation.
  • Parents can use these ideas to create fun and memorable experiences for their children.
Face Painting Ideas For Kids_illustration

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Face painting for kids might seem to be challenging. Here, we bring some innovative rainbow face paintings that will delight kids of all ages that will let your kids to discover the joy of crafting!

Personal Experience: Source

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