3 Clown Prop Ideas with Red Foam Nose

There’s nothing more iconic for clowns than a red nose.

When it comes to red noses, the red foam nose is one of the most recognizable noses. It’s round like a ping pong ball and squishy like a marshmallow. They are cheap enough to buy, easy enough to store, and certainly fun to give away.

But is there anything you can do with a red foam nose other than wearing it? We’ve put together two great ideas for walkaround props, as well as a bonus tip for the magicians amongst you.

Fresh Picked Noses

This idea comes to us from Leo. Leo had a big square egg carton with enough room for 3-dozen eggs, put the package in a sturdy box, stuck a purse strap to it, and hung it around his neck. This kind of thing is excellent for long parades as you don’t need to carry anything and the letters on the box are big enough to be seen from a distance like across the street.

The local clown group, the Clown Arounds, changed the idea up to make it suitable for close-quarters clownings, such as clowning around in nursing homes. Smaller cartons make it easier to pack up the noses and play with them. Even a smaller half-dozen carton would work well.

I love getting the sign laminated or covered with a transparent plastic page protector. This super quick and straightforward prop can be made with items found around the house.

How to Use Fresh Picked Noses

We used 1.5” foam clown noses, but it can work with any size of nose – as long as it will fit inside the egg box. I’ve also seen people make this prop using spray-painted ping-pong balls. Some people glue them into the box while others leave them loose so that they can hand them out.

You may come across someone that doesn’t get the joke. I’d have to recommend leaving one in the box not glued in, with the opening of the nose pointing up. That way you can stick your finger into the nose, and twirl it around next to your nose to show “picking” your nose.

If you’re going to give away the nose, then you could ask the audience member if they want to pick their nose or if you can choose it for them. For a short and sharp walk-around joke you can offer up a sales pitch, saying that they were freshly picked that morning, and mime twisting and picking your nose with a wink to the crowd.

This prop is great for parades and walkarounds. Put one together and have a lot of fun with it.

A Dozen Long-Stem Red Noses

Who says these flowers don’t smell? Noses are supposed to fell !

1. Get a dozen fake roses – which can be found at just about any craft store – and take the petals off them.

2. Pierce the stem into a red foam nose – use craft glue or hot glue if you’re going to wave them around or use them as a gag.

3. Complete the look by tying the bouquet together using a beautiful ribbon or display them in a vase with other greenery.

4. If giving the noses away as a gift, then don’t forget to include a silly card with the flowers, complete with a goofy message about how swell long-stem noses are and how you picked them yourself.

We’re sure that the recipient will be sure to hold on to their bouquet of red noses for a long time to come!