Are Kids Afraid of Clowns?

Are kids really afraid of clowns? By Jamdealie D. Light

Some are, some aren’t, but parents who want to hire a clown to entertain for their child’s birthday party should not make the assumption either way. A young child that can’t separate ‘reality’ from ‘fantasy’, typically a child under the age of three, might actually have a fearful reaction to a clown. But even that is not a steadfast rule.

Don't Talk to Strangers!

We live in a different world these days. Parents today have to teach their child to be afraid of strangers, unfortunately a necessary common-sense approach to child safety. Most of us (adults) remember the days when we were assured that ‘any’ adult was to be respected and trusted. Those days are gone.

A professionally trained clown is taught how to recognize the reaction of fear in a child, and has learned techniques that (almost always) work to calm and assure the child. And parents can help with this by simply not ‘forcing’ the child to embrace the clown while dismissing their very real fear.

When a child recoils initially in fear, we often times have to help the parent understand that the worse thing the parent can do is to force the child or minimize the child’s reaction with words such as, “Oh for heaven’s sake, it’s just a clown, go ahead, give her a hug.”

My favorite reply to the parent is simply, “Momma says not to speak to strangers, it’s okay, I’m a stranger, she’s a good girl, she’s listening to momma.”

Don't Force

Part of the training acquired through The College of Clowning Arts teaches us that you then allow the child to warm up to you, to reach out to you. You never invade the personal space of a child or an adult for that matter.

Can you trust all clowns to be intuitive enough to ensure a fun and pleasant experience with your children? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Our industry is loaded with folks that know how to look like a clown, but they lack the formal training to deliver a quality performance and have not learned how to adapt to unexpected reactions of the audience.

One fearful experience with your child and an unprofessional clown can leave a lasting impression and though you, as parents, may love the joyful fantasy that clowns offer, your child may never be able to get past their first negative experience.

General rule of thumb

Most children under the age of three find it difficult to separate fantasy from reality. Unless you’ve exposed your young children to other fantasy characters up close and personal, or have read fun books about clowns, you may want to wait until your child is around the age of four before you hire a clown for a private birthday party.

If your child, regardless of age, meets a clown in a public place (fairs, carnivals, festivals) take your time and let the child come to the clown. Don’t force the meeting. It sometimes feels safer for kids to meet clowns this way, because the sense is that they can leave at any time by simply walking away from the clown.

The Fantasy Bridge

Clowns live in a fantasy world. It is this world that almost always resonates with children and with adults as well. It’s a connection, often times beyond mere words, that professional clowns are adept in creating. It is an invitation to play, to use your imagination, to laugh at the ‘fool’ brave enough to be the fool. A properly trained clown will not make you (or your child) the joke.

Don’t take a chance when hiring a clown for entertainment. Yes, a professional clown entertainer may cost a little more, but saving a few dollars and ending up with a horrible experience is a disservice to you and to your child.

Some of the graduates of the The Ohio College of Clowning Arts are featured on Clowns Entertain Jest For YOU!