How to Make a Homemade Masquerade Mask With Construction Paper

Use heavy construction paper to give your mask rigidity.

Masquerade masks are used for Mardi Gras celebrations, masquerade balls or for afternoons of whimsical make believe. Make a homemade masquerade mask out of construction paper and personalize it to match your style. Kids can make a different mask for every character when they play dress up. Construction paper, feathers, glitter and beads help the masks spring from their imaginations to real life. The masks are shaped like the letter B, making them a letter lesson as well as an entertaining craft.

Things You'll Need

• Construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Single hole punch
• Glitter
• Beads
• Feathers
• Sequins
• Plastic jewels
• Craft glue
• Tongue depressor

Instructions

1. Measure the width of the mask wearer's face from temple to temple.

2. Draw a capital letter B on the construction paper the same height as the face measurement in a block font style. This will be the base of your mask. The B will be turned on its side with the straight line going across the brows and the loops will become eye holes.

3. Cut the mask from the construction paper with the scissors. Punch a hole with the hole punch in the top and bottom loops of the B. Insert your scissors into the hole and cut the inside of the loops out, leaving an inch of construction paper as the loop border.

4. Hold the mask up to the face of the wearer. The holes will need to match up to his eyes so he may see without any obstruction. Adjust the size of the eye holes as needed.

5. Embellish the mask by gluing on glitter, beads, feathers, sequins and/or plastic jewels. Let the mask dry on a flat surface for 30 minutes.

6. Color the tongue depressor with markers while you are waiting for the glue to dry.

7. Flip the mask over. Glue the tongue depressor to the edge of the right side of the mask as a handle. Line the top of the depressor with the top of the mask. Let dry for 20 minutes before flipping the mask back over.

Tips & Warnings

• Make glitzy animal masquerade masks with feathers and pieces of fur.

• Supervise children while they are using scissors.

• Each child must be able to see out of the eye holes.

References

• Freekidscrafts.com: Letter B Mask Craft
• Activityvillage.co.uk: Masquerade Mask
• First Palette: Masquerade Mask