When was the last time you did “chin faces?” (Also sometimes referred to as “chin puppet”)
You know, where you draw upside-down eyes and a nose on your chin, lie down, cover up your nose and forehead, and become a chin face?
If you’ve never tried this with (or without) your kids, I sincerely mean this: you’re missing out.
Now, with all the crazy AI filters on Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook Messages (they even did a chin face one a few years back!), it’s easy to use the phone to get some good laughs.
But there’s just something wholesome and hilarious about taking some eyeliner to the chin and doing it the old fashioned way.
Chin faces, or “chin puppets,” have been so ingrained in my sense of humor throughout life, that many of my friends associate chin faces with me. No joke.
People share chin face videos with me all the time saying, “This made me think of you!” I consider it a compliment and am honored.
It’s been a favorite activity since my childhood. I never stopped. Throughout my career as a professional actress, I’ve made it a point to round up the cast and make a “chin face” version of just about every show I’ve been in.
I even got Broadway stars Eden Espinosa and Ben Crawford on the chin face train when we did Evita here in Nashville! Check out our ridiculous rendition of “Chinita:”
And How the Chinch Stole Christmas, The Musical!
And “Chins on Broadway!”
I could share so many videos here, but I’ll stop there for now.
During the pandemic shut down, my sister and I even did Facebook live chin face shows from across the country to make our friends laugh. We called ourselves “The Chinsters.”
Milestone Chin Face Moment:
Last night, my stepdaughter was watching some of my CHINfluencer videos on my phone. It was almost bed time. Suddenly, she looked up at me and said,
“Mia, I wanna make a chin face video right now.”
I responded, verbatim:
“Be still my CHINNY HEART! I thought you’d never ask!!”
You see, I’ve been trying to get her to do this with me for a long time. She just wasn’t into it before.
So, I thought, “To hell with bedtime. This is a golden opportunity!”
I grabbed my eyeliner, that I use more often on my chin than on my eyes (not joking). We threw her hair in a ponytail around her chin, and hilarity ensued. We were cracking up and having such a good time together.
I could tell my toddler was getting close to a bedtime meltdown, so I even nursed him while upside down, doing my chin face video. My stepdaughter accidentally caught him in the shot, so here’s a screenshot for proof!
It may sound ridiculous, but doing this silly activity together was a really special bonding moment for my stepdaughter and me.
As my husband was tucking her in, she said “Dad, can we PLEASE make a chin face video tomorrow together? I have the perfect idea!”
And when her mom came to pick her up, she was showing her the spot in her bathroom that was going to be a “chin face bin” for chin face accessories. So silly and cute.
This made my heart swell. I don’t always have the time or energy to play with my kids the way I wish I could. But I believe that when I can make moments count like this and have genuine connection, it makes up for it.
Want to try this with your kid?
Here are my expert (yes, expert) tips on making chin faces or “chin puppets” with kids:
1. Consider being the one to go first. When your child sees how hilarious your upside down chin face looks, they may be feel less apprehensive about being so goofy and more inclined to join in on the fun.
2. Big, expressive mouth movements make for the funniest result. I’m talking giant grins, sticking out your tongue, tight-lipped frowns, and chattering teeth. Just trust me.
3. Chin costumes and accessories can really bring out the creativity and fun.
4. Have a goal for your video. Rather than just winging it, it helps to have an objective like:
- A “chinterview,” where you interview the chin character (Oprah CHINfrey style)
- A chin version of a song (“Ques-CHIN…?”)
- A chin fairytale (“Chinderella”)
- A chin documentary of a loved one (For example, dress your kid’s chin up to look like Dad for Father’s Day and make a delightfully weird and hilarious video to surprise him!)
Okay, who’s going to try this?
Do you have some CHINspiration for my new CHINfluencer character, “Chinda” on CHINstagram? Please give me your ideas in the comments!
Hi! I’m Mia.
Mom, stepmom, wife, songwriter, performer, and theater educator.
I love sharing ideas, tips, and templates for connecting with kids through low-to-no budget, waste-free, creative play.
[…] Click here for more “chin-spiration,” hilarious videos, tips, and ideas for this ridicul… […]