Making paper masks is a craft activity that can entertain children of all ages for hours. Using items on hand or recycled materials, parents can provide the supplies needed for this craft activity for kids.
Craft Supplies for Making Paper Masks
Craft supplies for making paper masks don’t have to be fancy. Masks can be made of items on hand and recycled materials. Craft supplies parents may have on hand that can be used to make paper masks include: Paper plates, cardboard boxes, string or yarn, Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors, markers, crayons, stickers, paint, pompons, sequins, pipe cleaners, glitter or glitter glue, tape and feathers. Use any or all of these craft supplies to make paper masks.
Basic Paper Masks from Paper Plates
The most basic masks can be made from a paper plate. Cut eye holes and a mouth hole in the paper plate. Add a string or yarn to keep the mask on the child’s head. Attach a string to the mask by using a hole punch to make holes on either side of the plate. To reinforce the holes, put a little clear tape on the inside of the plate before punching the hole.
Reuse Cardboard Boxes to Make Paper Masks
Any cardboard box can be reused to make masks by cutting the cardboard into a circle or a fancy shape of the child’s choice. String or yarn can be used to keep the mask on the child’s head. If Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors are on hand, they can be used to make Mardi Gras-style masks that are held in front of the face.
Create a Theme for the Paper Masks
After the basic mask shape is selected, children can decorate their masks with other materials on hand. Toddlers may use markers, crayons and stickers to decorate their masks while older children may want to use paint, glue and glitter, sequins, pipe cleaners and more.
Children can use their imagination to make animal masks, monster masks or characters from their favorite books or movies. Each child may want to make a few masks so there are several characters for their movie. Feed the kids lunch while their masks dry then move on to stage three of the activity: Videotaping a movie featuring the kids in their paper masks.
Keep Kids Busy Making a Mini-Movie
Once the masks are dry, set the stage for a mini-movie made by the children. Encourage them to dress up in costumes and decide how they are going to perform in their masks. The movie can simply be a toddler roaring like a lion in her mask and prowling around the “jungle” or a full production with characters from a book reliving a favorite scene. Give the kids creative license and let them play around with adding background music, props, singing silly songs and whatever sparks their imagination. When the movie is completed, pop some popcorn and show the movie to the entire family.
Parents looking for rainy day activities to keep kids busy may want to try making paper masks and creating a mini-movie. Children of all ages can make paper masks with craft supplies on hand and reused items like cardboard boxes. Other rainy day activities for children include making salt dough or creating a paper wall-hanging craft for the holidays.
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
Join the Conversation