Mardi Gras Activities for Preschool Students

Preschool aged students may not fully understand much about Mardi Gras, but they do understand that it is a day filled with color, music, and fun! These activities will help your preschool class get into the spirit of Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras Shoebox Floats

Give each student a shoebox for the base of their float. Flip the shoebox upside down and let each student paint their box in Mardi Gras Colors: purple, green, and yellow. Provide strips of crepe paper, sequins, beads, ribbon and strips of construction paper for students to decorate their floats with once the paint is dry. Display floats in your classroom or in the entryway or hallway of the preschool.

Mardi Gras Bead Shapes

Have students sit in a circle and give each student a string of Mardis Gras beads. Ask students to use their beads to make shapes, such as a circle, a square, a diamond, and a triangle. For younger preschooler, you may want to draw patterns on construction paper for students to outline with their beads.

Mardi Gras Masks

Give each student a mask shape cut out of heavy cardstock in purple, yellow, or green. Attach a heavy straw or wooden stick to one side of the mask for students to hold their masks to their face or attach two ribbons to tie the mask to students faces. Let students decorate their mask with glitter, beads, ribbon, and feathers.

Mardi Gras Beads

Give students purple, green, and gold beads to thread onto a string to make their own Mardi Gras necklaces and increase their fine motor skills.

King Cupcakes

Bring in vanilla cupcakes, white icing, and green, purple, and yellow sprinkles. Let students ice and decorate their own version the traditional Mardi Gras' King Cake.

Mardi Gras Parade and Dance

When the masks are dry turn on the jazz music and let students dance with their masks, beads, and tambourines. Teach students the song "When the Saints Go Marching In" in the weeks prior to Mardi Gras so they can sing this traditional Mardi Gras favorite. Toss plastic doubloons for students to collect during the festivities.

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