Set Up

We bring a BIG suitcase and equipment necessary to carry out all of the awesome activities … as it’s super heavy it’s important that there is parking available at the venue for your entertainer on the day! 
For set up your entertainer will need a table, chair and cup of water for face painting, a clear floor space and access to a plug for the magic, party games and dancing!

Food Time – Save the goodies for later

We advise feeding the children after the entertainer has finished. Giving them food during the entertainment tends to be a distraction and could be a choking hazard during games.
If you would prefer to feed them while the entertainer is still there the entertainer can give the children the balloon animals towards the end as they are eating

• How do I choose a theme?

  More often than not the younger children (up to the age of 6) really believe that a Magical Genie, Pirate, Super Hero or Fairy Princess has arrived at their party. For this reason, it is usually best NOT to ask your child what they would like ‘the entertainer to dress as,’ but rather whether they would like to ‘invite’ a Fairy, Pirate, Super Hero or Magical Genie to their party. If your child is aged 8 – 9 we would recommend the Disco / Rockstar theme but many 8 year olds who still enjoy the world of fantasy also love our Genie character!

• What is the trainee rate?

  The main difference is that our main entertainers have a lot more experience than our trainees, however, our trainees have done lots of parties with us and we’ve had great feedback from parents! Both trainee and main entertainers cover all of the activities in each package but naturally, there is a difference between the two of them due to experience. Some parents prefer the idea of a more experienced entertainer and others prefer to get the discount with the trainee.. it is a personal preference.

• How do you take payment?

  Once you have booked a party and paid the deposit, the balance can be made by cash on the day. the entertainer CANNOT accept cheques! Please be sure to have the entertainer’s fee ready before the party starts. When the entertainer finishes, the kids usually come charging at her to say goodbye and to you for party food, and you may find yourself with your hands full and in no position to hunt for your wallet! During busy periods your entertainer may have another party to get to so delaying her exit should be avoided so that the next client (in magic land) is not left waiting!

• How long does face painting take?

  Face painting is a one-on-one process, so it is inevitable that the more kids, the longer the queue! Usually the face painting is wrapped up within the first 30 mins, however, it depends on what the children choose and how long it takes them to decide. If there are lots of kids we suggest offering really quick and simple cheek/arm options to speed things up!. We also suggest having something to occupy the kids while they are waiting! We offer complimentary colouring page/s that you can download from our website. Early arrivals can also colour these images while waiting for the party to begin. We recommend leaving crayons and pencils on the table for the children as they do not leave a mess like paints.

• Parking?

  As parking is important for our entertainers please make sure there is a place directly outside your home or chosen venue as they will have equipment to bring in. It is also important that no one parks behind the entertainer’s car so she can get back to magic land after the party!

• What do you recommend for toddler parties?

  We do not recommend our parties for 1 -and 2 year olds unless you also expect children aged 3+ there on the day too! The 1 and 2 year olds may not follow all of the entertainment or have the concentration to sit still for long so it’s important that they are supervised for this part to ensure maximum enjoyment for everyone.

  If the main age group is 1-3 years they may not sit for a lot of magic but our funny bunny puppet, bubbles, music and parachutes games work wonders as they adore the visuals!  If you do have a mixed age group where there are 3/4 year olds and upwards the magic show is usually the highlight of the party for them. Our most popular package is the Magical Mackers where you can have a mix of all activities so there’s something there for everyone!

  It is important to note that when the party is for a mix of ages, toddlers need be be supervised by an adult at all times as the entertainers’ focus is on the group as a whole and a wandering toddler can disrupt the party for the other kids. Also, parents need to be mindful of the entertainers equipment as it can be dangerous for little ones if they touch the electrics, bubble juice etc.

• What do you recommend for older kids parties?

  We would usually suggest the Disco Rockstar theme carrying out the Magical Mackers package however we automatically leave out the puppets for parties aged 6 plus. Instead, we focus on more magic and games. They love the bubble disco and if they have any particular favourite songs do let us know and the entertainer will make sure to have them so that they can sing along to their favourite songs in the microphone upon request. The magical Mackers package is offered to children up to the age of 8. If your child is 8 going on 28 or does not enjoy dancing and games it might be best to opt for our sister company – JD Magicians or the adult / Kid combo package.

• How much space do you need?

  The entertainer can adapt to the available space. However, the clearer the room, the better. All she needs is a table and chair for face painting and a plug socket with power, where she will be stationed throughout the magic and games. Try not to have distracting toys in the room where the magic show is being held, and remove any breakables. It is also possible to entertain outside if it is a nice day as long as a plug socket is available. The parachute part takes up roughly 3.5 meters of space but can be left out if there isn’t enough room.

• Do you provide invitations and when should I send out the invites?

  Once you have booked a Genie Mackers party you can then download our free themed invites at the bottom of this page. Try to get your child involved in writing the names of their invitees or handing out the invitations. This makes them feel really involved and proud! Be sure to send your invites out as soon as possible. We recommend 2 weeks to 10 days before the party date so there are no tears if another child’s party is the same day and they get their invites out before you.

• What party package do you recommend for weddings?

  It depends on the number of kids (there are usually smaller numbers at weddings) but the most popular package is our Macker Max over 1 hour without face painting and the entertainment can take place in a separate room during speeches or during dinner! If you would like your adults guests entertained also you can opt for COMBO package from our sister company – JD Magicians!

• Insurance/garda vetted

  All of our entertainers are Garda vetted and insured. The majority of our parties are held in the child’s home, but a rented venue makes for an equally successful day. If you choose to rent a venue, they will require public liability insurance. You can download our Insurance at the bottom of this page.

• Cancellation policy

  Our deposits are usually non-refundable However, if your party is not during December or May your deposit can be taken from the next party you book.

• Special requests

  We love tailoring the party to your needs! Please do let us know your child’s favourite songs and the entertainer will do their best to have them on the day. Your child’s interests, or anything else that will help us to make the day extra special would be amazing.

• What Face paints do you use?

  Our entertainers use high quality Diamond Fx face paints. As per manufacturer, Diamond FX Face Paints are vegan as they do not contain animal based ingredients and neither are they tested on animals. They are also hypoallergenic – free of gluten, nut based ingredients, parabens or perfume.

• Do you offer party bags?

  We don’t supply party bags but each child can take a balloon animal home at the end of the party (provided it’s part of the package)

• After booking will I hear from the entertainer closer to the time?

  We will be in touch via email to confirm your booking and the entertainer will contact you two days before the party to reconfirm and to clarify directions to your home so just be sure to check your spam folder if you haven’t heard from them.

• Misbehaving children

  Our entertainers are very experienced and we rarely encounter problems with misbehaviour or off-task children, but on the rare occasions that these issues arise, it is the responsibility of parents to address them. Genie Mackers cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of the guests and the host must address any disruptive behaviour in order to ensure the show can go on. The entertainer is there to have fun with the children and not as a disciplinarian. If it falls on the entertainer to deal with misbehaviour it can detract from the cheerful attitude she brings to the party and eats into the time of the show. It is therefore imperative that an adult is in the room or nearby at all times.

• When should I feed the children?

  We usually advise leaving the party food until the entertainer has finished (or before she arrives) but if you choose to serve the party food while the entertainer is still there the best time for this is at the very beginning of the full package, while kids are getting their faces painted OR at the very end when the entertainer is making the balloon animals. Giving food during the entertainment, party games and magic show can often distract the children and we would not want the kids to be jumping up and down with food in their mouths. NOTE: If your party is midweek and the children are coming straight from school they will have hungry tummies so it would be best to feed them at the beginning when they arrive and keep the party cake until the end after the entertainer has finished her show.

• I have hired a DJ is this ok?

  It’s fine to have a DJ along with entertainment however, the entertainer will have her own music system that she uses throughout the magic show and party games so the DJ would need to switch off his/her system and take a break while the entertainment is happening. It’s also possible for the entertainer to hook their mic and music up to the DJ’s sound system, but it’s totally up the DJ on the day.

• We have a bouncing castle.. is this ok?

  It is by no means necessary to have a bouncing castle if you book our full entertainment package, as the children will be kept entertained throughout the party. If you happen to have a bouncing castle on the day it is a good idea to deflate it during the magic show and party games, this way all of the children will be fully engaged in the show and all of the focus can be on our magical birthday/communion child. If you would prefer to keep the bouncing castle up throughout the party it may be best not to book our full entertainment package and instead book either just face painting/arm painting, music, bubbles and balloon animals or our mini package which also includes party games. This will keep costs down and make the most of everything.

• Can you tell me more about the magic?

  The Magic is our favourite part of the party. This activity is included in our Magical Mackers party package. We believe that when it is your birthday, Communion or a siblings christening you have extra magic in you hands. This is the perfect opportunity to focus on the birthday child and make them feel extra special.

• What balloon animals can you offer?

  Our entertainers are also balloon twisters and can make all of the standard balloon animals. We offer balloons such as swords, puppies, wands, giraffes, bunnies, flying mice,  butterflies, flowers…. and more however the more children on the day the less choice the entertainers can give. By offering just puppies, swords and wands the entertainer could focus more time on the other activities that engage all children at once too.

• What party games do you do?

  We have lots of fun party games for the entertainer to choose from on the day. The party entertainer usually spends more time on whatever game the kids seem to get most excited about. The Parachute games are great fun for all ages. A cleared floor space is needed for this. If you do not have the space we can leave this part out.

  We also do Musical statues, the Limbo, Musical bumps, dance of games vary as no group of kids is ever the same!

  Our Bubble Disco is particularly popular for children that love to sing and dance. This consists of some awesome bubbles, dancing and sing along style karaoke! If your child has a favourite song just let us know in advance and your entertainer will play it on the day!

• Do entertainers wear masks?

  We find that some kids are afraid of masks so our general rule is not to wear them at parties. For our superhero parties, masks are usually worn on top of the head, away from the face and for Spiderman, he can wear the mask entering the party (unless asked otherwise) and will carry out the party with the mask off.

Our entertainers are Garda vetted and fully insured so if you wish to hold your party in a hall or venue that requires insurance just download our insurance policy here.

insurance pdf