Make a Mardi Gras Mask for Toddlers

Mardi Gras is all about fun and celebrating. What better way for a toddler to enjoy Mardi Gras than in his or her own mask? Toddlers love to make things and a Mardi Gras mask is an easy craft for the toddler to enjoy.

Let the toddler choose what kind of mask to make. Mardi Gras masks usually come in three designs. The Mardi Gras masks come in just the eye cover, the full face mask, or the half mask. Mardi Gras colors are green, purple, and gold. The items to decorate the mask with should be Mardi Gras colors, but any color for a child's craft will work.

Decorations for the Mardi Gras mask can include feathers, long or short, glitter glue, paint, crayons, and string. Let the toddler decorate the Mardi Gras mask how he or she wants it to look. Set the supplies on the table in reach of the toddler or toddlers.

Regardless of which type of mask the toddler chooses, a paper plate can be used to make the mask. A parent or adult should cut the mask out of the paper plate. Here are suggestions on how to make each type of mask.

Items needed for each type of Mardi Gras mask includes:

Paper plate

Scissors

String/Yarn

Pencil

Glue

Glitter

Feathers

Crayons/paints

Small Beads

EYE MASK for Mardi Gras:

Hold the plate up to get an estimate of the size of the child's face. If you have to, while you hold the paper plate up to the child's face, mark on the paper plate with the pencil. Make sure you know where the eyes need to be. Once you have made ovals or circles for the eyes draw a figure eight around the eyes. The figure eight will need to be revised once drawn. You will want the eight to come to a point on each end. The Mardi Gras mask will look better with the pointed angles on the sides. The middle of the eight will be where the nose of the child will be. Cut the eyes out and around the figure eight to make the mask. Now the mask is ready to decorate.

FULL FACE MASK for Mardi Gras:

A full face mask for Mardi Gras will be the easiest for a toddler to make. The full face mask for Mardi Gras only needs eyes cut. The rest of the plate does not have to be cut unless you want to angle the plate at the chin around the cheeks. To make the full face mask toddler size, you may want to cut the outer circle off the plate. Once the eye holes are cut in the full face mask it is ready for your toddler or toddlers to decorate.

Half Face Mask for Mardi Gras:

The half face mask is the hardest mask to cut out. There are several ways to cut the half face mask for Mardi Gras. After you draw the figure, eight you cut at the center of the figure eight up to cut half the mask away. You still keep the eye coverings of the mask. So you will have half a paper plate plus the covering around the eye.

The other way you can cut your paper plate is to cut half in a straight line at the top of the figure eight and at the bottom of the figure eight cut it at an angle. More of the mouth and face will be exposed when you cut the plate at an angle. Once you have cut the paper plate it is ready for your toddler's decorations.

Regardless of the face mask you and your little one choose, enjoy the Mardi Gras celebration.