Lately, I've been having this wild urge to create DIY animal masks for the kids! You know that smile they get when they pretend to be lions or bears? It warms my heart every time. I think about how magical it is to see their imaginations run wild—who wouldn’t want to be a fierce tiger or a silly monkey for a day? Just last week, my little one crafted a paper plate cat, and oh boy! The joy in her eyes when she wore that thing was simply priceless! But I can't help but wonder, what if we could take it up a notch? What if each mask could be not just a craft, but a doorway to adventure? Let’s bring these furry friends to life together!
Items You’ll Need
- Paper plates
- Craft paper (colored)
- Glue sticks or liquid glue
- Markers or crayons
- Scissors (kid-friendly)
- Elastic bands or string
- Feathers (craft feathers)
- Pom poms
- Googly eyes
- Pipe cleaners
- Balloons (for animal noses, optional)
- Template printouts for animal faces (PDF downloads)
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Gather Materials
First, I gather all my materials: paper plates, craft paper, glue sticks, markers, scissors, elastic bands, feathers, pom poms, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and balloons for noses. I also make sure to have the templates ready for the animal faces!
Step 2: Choose Your Animal
Next, I ask the kids what their favorite animals are. We decide together to make a lion, a bunny, and a butterfly. I print out the templates for these animals so we can use them as guides.
Step 3: Cut Out the Paper Plates
I take a paper plate and show the kids how to cut out holes for the eyes. I help them with the kid-friendly scissors while they focus on making the holes big enough to see through. Safety first!
Step 4: Decorate the Base
Now comes the fun part! We each get to decorate our mask base with markers and crayons. The kids really enjoy coloring the paper plate to create the base of their animal’s face.
Step 5: Add Animal Features
Using the craft paper, the kids cut out shapes for ears, noses, and any special features their animals have. For example, we cut long triangles for bunny ears and snouts for lions. We glue these pieces onto the paper plate.
Step 6: Create Texture
To make our masks more fun, I bring out the feathers and pom poms. We stick some feathers on our bunny ears and use pom poms for the nose. It really brings the masks to life!
Step 7: Add Eyes
I hand out googly eyes and we each choose a pair for our masks. The kids love the wobbly nature of them! We use glue to stick them on securely.
Step 8: Finish with Pipe Cleaners
For some added flair, we use pipe cleaners to create whiskers or antennae. The kids twist and bend the pipe cleaners as they like and glue them onto their animal masks.
Step 9: Attach the Band
After finishing the decorations, I help the kids attach elastic bands or string to the sides of their masks. We measure their heads and make sure the masks will stay on securely.
Step 10: Try Them On
Now that our masks are ready, it's time to try them on! The kids have so much fun putting on their new animal disguises and taking turns showing off.
Step 11: Create a Mini Parade
Once everyone is wearing their masks, we create a mini animal parade around the room! The kids pretend to be their animals and have fun while laughing and playing together.