Face painting has a wide spectrum of usage. Not only can it be used as a major component of an art and crafts class, or as a competitive activity (or otherwise) for occasions like birthday parties or festivals like Halloween, but it can be simply picked up as an activity for a great bonding time with your kids. Add to that the advantage that it serves the purpose of developing all those skills that we mentioned before, and you literally have yourself a complete activity. What's more, it can be taken up by kids of several different age groups and be used optimally well by each of them. This then brings us to the next point in order--what to paint. We understand that not everyone is adept enough to take a brush to the face and paint masterpieces, let alone the kids. So instead of having them paint just about anything, there needs to be a direction provided. This is where face painting stencils come handy. They help save time, and they help create wonderful designs - all one has to do is simply hold the stencil on the child's face and apply paint over it. You do have the option of buying face painting stencils, but that will cost you anywhere between US$10-20. Instead, you can choose to make a few on your own, which won't take you more than a few minutes. When making these stencils, you need to make sure that you keep the designs simple. You can customize the size according to your preference, but remember that it is meant for a child's cheek. A stencil measuring around 2 inches or less will be an ideal option. Basically the design you choose should symbolize the event. If Halloween is the occasion, you can opt for a Halloween pumpkin, thunder bolt, moon face, spider, bat, cat, ghost, etc. If the occasion is a birthday party, you can opt for superhero masks, flowers, stars, etc. Some examples of designs you can choose to make face painting stencils have been given below. Ideally, you can use acetate, polyester, or still plastic to make face painting stencils. The foremost thing to do would be to choose a design for your stencils. You can either draw the design on your own or download some from the net; most of the websites offer them for free. Once you have selected the design, place it on the material you are using, and draw its outline. You can tape the design on to the material, so that it doesn't move and distort the cutting pattern while you are working on it. Take a cutter and cut along the outline of the design. You should cut it in such a way that only the areas which are to be painted are cut, leaving the rest of the material intact. You need to make sure that you don't leave any sharp edges as it may bruise the child. Keeping the design simple will allow the kids to use the stencils on their own. These stencils will make your work relatively easy, and the kids will have loads of fun painting each other's face. You don't have to be a stalwart to make these stencils. Just the thought of seeing a smile on your child's face should inspire you to give your best.