The much-awaited time of the year is here. Official carnival celebrations kick off in Valletta on Friday and run until Tuesday morning, with the children’s carnival being held on Saturday morning.
Many children must be eager to don their new costume and many parents would, of course, have already bought or made a costume for their children by now. However, no costume would be complete without a mask. And why not? It’s fun to have more than one mask!
Creating carnival masks is also a great fun activity and can ensure some quality time with your kids.
Here are some ideas:
Animal masks
Lion: Use a paper plate, cut out eye holes, and glue on strips of yellow and brown paper for the mane. Add whiskers with pipe cleaners.
Owl: Cut out a mask shape from cardboard, add large round eyes and decorate with feathers and glitter.
Butterfly: Use colorful cardstock, cut out a butterfly shape, decorate with markers, stickers, and glitter.
Bee: Yellow and black stripes with little antennae on top.
Superhero masks
Superman or Wonder Woman: Use bright colours, logos on the forehead, and eye cut-outs.
Spider-Man: A red mask with a black web design, perfect for a bold superhero look.
Batgirl or Batman: A sleek black mask with bat-shaped ears.
Fantasy masks
Unicorn: Use cardstock to create a mask shape, add a horn made from rolled paper, and decorate with glitter and ribbons.
Dragon: Cut out a fierce dragon shape from cardboard, add scales with coloured paper, and paint for a dramatic effect.
Fairy tale characters
Princess or prince: A glittery crown on the mask with jewels and soft colours.
Pirate: A fun pirate mask with an eye patch, mustache, and a bandana.
Witch or wizard: A whimsical mask with a pointed hat and magical elements.
Tips to making masks
• Use safe and child-friendly materials like cardstock, foam, felt and washable paints.
• Ensure the mask is comfortable to wear by adding soft padding or fabric around the edges.
• Use elastic bands, ribbons, or craft sticks to hold the mask in place.
How to make a simple paper plate lion mask
- Use a paper plate as the base.
- Cut out the middle to leave a ring for the face. Cut eye holes as needed.
- Cut strips of yellow, orange and brown paper to glue around the plate for the mane.
- Add face details (nose, mouth, whiskers) with markers.
- Attach the elastic: punch two small holes (one on each side) of the mask near the edges. Thread an elastic string or ribbon through the holes and tie knots to secure it in place. Make sure the string is long enough to comfortably go around the child’s head.
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