this blog<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>Three T\u2019s of Children: Section Five<\/h2>
One of the most important things you must learn as a mascot is how to approach different types of children.<\/p>
The first \u2018T\u2019 stands for \u2018Terrific Children\u2019.<\/strong> These children love mascots. They\u2019re excited, and they treat you with respect. Often time, these children range from four to ten years old. Follow all the basic rules and guidelines for performing and these children will continue to be your biggest fans.<\/p>The second \u2018T\u2019 stands for \u2018Terrified Children\u2019.<\/strong> These are the children who may scream, cry, or run away when they see mascots. Most of the time, these children are younger in age. In order to deal with these kinds of children, you must follow these steps:<\/p>- Mark your distance. Take one or many steps back to calm the child.<\/li>
- Drop your level. Mascots are tall, so it\u2019s important to get down on a knee or to completely sit down so you\u2019re less intimidating.<\/li>
- Play games. Waving or playing \u2018peek-a-boo\u2019 can be helpful tools when trying to win over a terrified child.<\/li>
- Look away. Often times, children will be scared if a mascot keeps staring at them. Looking away can help you seem less creepy.<\/li>
- Keep smiling. This means you need to maintain a positive body attitude and posture.<\/li>
- Offer your hand. Children may be more accepting if they realize you are soft and friendly.<\/li>
- Interact with parents. High fiving or hugging parents can make a terrified child realize that a mascot is nice, not scary.<\/li>
- Walk away. Some kids may never get over their fear of mascots. If you\u2019ve tried the other steps without any success, then it\u2019s simply time to leave the child alone.<\/li><\/ol>
The third \u2018T\u2019 stands for \u2018Terrifying Children.<\/strong> These are the children that want to chase, taunt, poke, hit, and with mascots. Typically, terrifying children are a bit older. Similar to the terrified children, you should deal with terrifying children by following a set of steps:<\/p>- Calmly diffuse. Be playful and try to get the child to divert their attention from harassing you to interacting with you.<\/li>
- Give the \u2018hearty handshake\u2019. This is a handshake where you should apply enough pressure to let the kid know that they should stop, but not too much pressure to cause any harm.<\/li>
- If a child still won\u2019t stop, it\u2019s time to signal for help. Let your helper intervene to distract the child.<\/li><\/ol>
Simply walk away. Interacting with children can be one of the toughest parts of being a mascot, but it can also be the most rewarding and fun. You\u2019ll encounter all three types of children, but always be sure to follow these steps and tips.<\/p>
Mascot Props & Skits: Section Six<\/h2>
In the last section, we are going to talk about two tools, that if used correctly can help any mascot portray humor.<\/p>
Prop usage<\/strong> can be spontaneous, or it can be pre-planned. Using a prop in a manner other than intended is one of the best ways to get a laugh.<\/p>Prop usage also works very well in skits<\/strong>. Unlike random prop usage, skits need to be pre-planned. Your handler, your skit participants, and your organization needs to be aware of what the skit will entail before you perform. The best way to achieve this is to schedule a meeting prior to performing the skit.<\/p>As long as everyone is on the same page about skits, they can be extremely successful tools for any mascot to use.<\/p>
In summary, this video has covered the preparation; items necessary to perform; costume malfunctions; performing basics; essential do\u2019s and don\u2019ts; the three \u2018T\u2019s\u2019 of children; and how to incorporate props and skits. Remember, being a mascot is an important responsibility, but you also need to have fun. Practice makes perfect!\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t