DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Handprint Mardi Gras Masks
The thing I like most about this mask is that the hands are the perfect size for the face not matter who makes them!
Materials:
- construction paper (we prefer yellow).
- glue,
- scissors,
- tape
- something to color/decorate with (green and purple markers would be nice as would sparkle glue).
- Piece of thin cardboard (we like to use cereal boxes).
- 2 drinking straws OR a Paint Stir Stick OR an unsharpened pencil
- Optional:
- sequins
- lace scraps
- feathers
Instructions:
Trace handprint onto construction paper or coloured cardstock. We prefer yellow -- it's a mardi gras color and is light enough to decorate.
- Trace a second handprint. Try to keep your fingers spread about the same as you did the first time.
- Cut out both handprints.
- Overlap the palms of the handprints with the fingers facing up the same way and glue.
- Glue the whole thing onto a sheet of thin cardboard (cereal box).
Make sure you glue the edges firmly so they don't peel up during play.
- After the glue is dry, cut out your mask -- this may require adult assistance.
Cut a circle for eyes in the palm area of each hand.
- Decorate your mask however you like -- I actually prefer it with just the handprints and maybe a green or purple line of marker or glitter glue around the eyes. I find if you decorate too much, you lose the fact that it's hands.
- If you'd like to practice fine motor skills, encourage the children to draw a border with purple marker all the way around the mask.
-
If you're using straws, slide one straw into the other one
- I crimped the end of one straw.
- Kaitlyn struggled for 5 minutes to slide the one straw into the other and finally managed it -- she was very determined to do it herself.
Heaven help the mommy who tried to assist!
- tape the joint of the two straws.
- not all straws are created equally.
- Our straws were sturdy enough to hold the mask without bending (after about 4 hours of heavy duty play, we had to reinforce ours too).
- If yours aren't sturdy, wrap them once all the way up in scotch tape or masking tape before attaching them to the mask. This will reinforce them.
-
Optional: Tape some feathers to the end of the straw. We'd used a bendy straw for the top, so could tilt the feather end a bit.
Print friendly version of these instructions.