Face Painting in the Hunter Valley Trip

We took my father in law to Hunter Valley Gardens because he'd like to have a look at the Rose Garden which flowers are currently in bloom, and as part of any trip with children, I had to find things for Clarisse to do too. The first thing I did when I was told of the trip is to go on the internet and find out.

The gardens had a few kids programme going on as it was school holidays. They had face painting, clown shows, and a ferris wheel. I thought those should be enough to keep Clarisse occupied while the rest of the adults wander about the garden.

I only told Clarisse about the activities lined up for her when she woke up that morning of the trip. I don't want to build up her expectations. When she heard "face painting" her face lit up and she thought she's painting. She never had her face painted before and I doubt she knows what it entails. I didn't go into details with her but just told her a lady will be painting her face.

In the car, she starting thinking, and told me "Mommy, I want a butterfly." She told me to relay to the lady how a butterfly should be drawn - it should have 2 wings like this (fingers of both hands encircled depicting wings and joined at the tips). Her demands for "control" -it has to be like this - and "perfection" -it's not straight!" especially on art activities sometimes bring up a red flag for me.

Well, when we reached the gardens, the first and foremost agenda is to proceed directly to the face painter. There were 6-7 kids ahead of us so imagine the wait. Clarisse and I stood in line under the hot sun (I forgot to bring her hat) and afterwards, under cloudy skies, and waited patiently for our turn. This is one thing I know Clarisse to possess - a very patient nature, she'd wait without fussing (I dread the whining "I'm too hot" or "My legs hurt"). She watched the face painter paint each face until it was her turn. She picked out the butterfly design from the available photos. Her mind was really set on the butterfly.


She was so happy with the rainbow butterfly and the glitters. She thought initially the strong winds will blow the colours off her face, or that eating or drinking will ruin the paint, and she wanted to go home straight after the painting session to preserve it. I had to convince her it won't come off easily. She kept on checking her face out on any reflection she could find and kept on using my mobile phone as her mirror in the car. We also dropped by her sitter's house to show her sitter her butterfly face.