Types of Children's Pageants

Natural Pageants

• Natural or natural beauty pageants restrict the amount of artificial hair and makeup that contestants can wear on stage. The goal of a natural pageant is to showcase a child's natural beauty, so most natural pageants prohibit spray tans, hair extensions, fake teeth and excessive makeup. Natural pageants still include a beauty category in which children model clothing, but there are bans on heavily adorned outfits or revealing clothing like small bikinis or miniskirts. Children are encouraged to dress and act in a way that is appropriate for their age. Natural pageants are encouraged for first-time pageant children because elaborate routines and complicated costumes are not required to win prizes.

Full Glitz Pageants

• Glitz pageants include elaborate and extravagant hair, makeup, costuming and dance routines. Glitz pageants encourage parents to significantly alter their children's appearance through spray tans, false eye lashes, heavy makeup, hair pieces and false teeth called flippers. Children often wear several outfits throughout the competition, including a glamour gown and a swimsuit, and each outfit is expected to be over-the-top in terms of color, glitter and decoration. The talent portion of glitz pageants requires children to use props and perform routines in dance, singing, gymnastics or other talents. Glitz pageants are the most competative type of children's pageants, and supreme winners are often rewarded with prize money, a large trophy and a rhinestone crown.

Semi-Glitz Pageant

• Semi-glitz pageants combine elements of both natural and full glitz pageants. Semi-glitz pageants place individual restrictions on certain costuming elements while allowing others. For example, one semi-glitz pageant might allow spray tans but not flippers (fake teeth) while another prohibits both. Semi-glitz pageants discourage the use of heavy makeup, but permit contestants to use minimal foundation, eyeshadow or blush. Costuming is generally not as elaborate are full glitz pageants, but contestants are still asked to model more than one type of outfit and participate in a small-scale talent portion of the show. Semi-glitz pageants are typically advertised as transitional pageants for contestants moving from natural pageants into more competitive pageantry.

Choosing a Pageant

• The first step in choosing a pageant for your child is to identify the types of children's pageants available in your area. Small local pageants are typically either semi-glitz or natural. Larger glitz pageants attract contestants from all over the state and country to provide more competition for experienced pageant kids. Your next consideration should be cost. All pageants require an entry fee, and full glitz pageants tend to be more expensive than other types of pageants because the prizes are larger and more extravagant. In addition to the fee, parents are responsible for providing all hair, makeup and costuming. In a natural pageant, the cost may be minimal, but expenses for a full-glitz pageant can easily expand into thousands of dollars for professional hair and makeup, customized outfits and professional training for talent competitions.