Paper Plate Mardi Gras Mask

Have your kid make a traditional feathered Mardi Gras mask.

Submitted by
Kayla Chong

Is your kid looking for a great getup for Mardi Gras? Have her make a traditional feathered mask out of a paper plate and chopsticks. Looking chic was never so cheap!

Mask maker:
Your kid.
Large, sturdy paper plate
Tempera paint and paintbrush:
Purple, yellow and green.
Scissors
A chopstick:
Great excuse to order Chinese!
Embellishments:
Feathers, rhinestones, sequins, glitter … the more festive the better!
A pair of sunglasses
Hot glue gun and glue sticks:
Kids and hot glue don't mix, so make sure you do all the gluing!
White glue

Find a pair of sunglasses and help your kid trace the outline of them onto a paper plate. Help her draw out the top edge a bit to make the shape more like cat-eye glasses than Victoria Beckham's shades.
Help her cut the shape out.
Use your scissors to carefully cut eyeholes out of the glasses shape, where your kid's eyes will be. She'll need to see through her mask or else she'll be the clumsiest (but most glamorous) gal at the Mardi Gras parade.
Next, have her paint her mask in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple, which stands for justice; green, which represents faith; and gold, for power. Coax her into painting the chopstick as well and you'll buy yourself three more minutes of activity time.
Let it dry for 15 to 20 minutes. Invite her to decorate the mask with the feathers, sequins, glitter etc. As anyone who has been to Mardi Gras will tell you, the gaudier the better.
Finally, hot-glue the chopstick to the side of the mask to create a handle.
When she gets a look at her fancy finished product, she'll probably insist on dressing up in her Mardi Gras finery (or at least one of her costumes), which is absolutely appropriate, as far as we're concerned. Heck, make a mask for yourself and bust out that hideous bridesmaids dress your sister-in-law made you buy. See, you really did wear it again!