How to Make a Paper Frankenstein Mask
Encourage kids' creativity and add to the fun of Halloween or a party with a Frankenstein mask-making activity. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein monster inspires empathy and fear in people of all ages. From the monster in Shelley's original novel to frightening movie monsters to goofy-looking cartoon drawings, Frankenstein has entertained generations. Let kids draw their own Frankenstein or print out a mask for the kids to color. Womensday.com and DisneyFamilyFun.com both provide printable masks for kids to make.
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Things You'll Need
- Newspapers
- Card stock from a stationery store or lightweight cardboard such as stiffeners from T-shirt packages
- Erasers
- Pictures of Frankenstein as models
- Scissors
- Adult assistant
- Crayons or nontoxic thick marking pens in green, black, gray, white and red
- Cotton rat-tail cord or black ribbon from a fabric store
- Hole punch
Instructions
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Cover your work surface with newspapers. Set out the supplies. For a group Frankenstein mask craft, provide enough materials and tools for all the kids.
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Give kids pictures of Frankenstein to draw from or provide printouts of masks.
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Help kids who want to draw to start the mask using a printout mask as a pattern. Allow time for them to draw a Frankenstein face. Check that they make the drawing wide enough and long enough to wear as a mask. Gently hold the paper to the child's face and mark the eyes in pencil so they will be in the right place to wear as a mask.
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Help create a sample Frankenstein mask. Show how to outline the eye holes in red or black to make them scarier. Demonstrate how to use gray to add highlights to the black hair and how to use a thicker layer of green to create shading on the monster's cheeks. For marker-colored masks, allow the ink to dry.
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Punch a hole with the hole punch next to the eyebrow--a half-inch from the edge of the mask on each side. Cut out the eye holes. Cut them large enough so the child's vision won't be impaired.
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Cut a 1 ½ inch slit under the Frankenstein paper mask nose for breathing, or poke ¼-inch nose holes with a scissors.
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Cut two 8-inch lengths of ribbon or rat-tail cord for each mask. Tie one cord through a hole on each side of the mask.
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A frowning Frankestein drawing makes a scary paper mask. Assist the kids in putting on the masks and tie them on with the cords. The cord goes above the tops of the ears to help the mask stay in place.
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Tips & Warnings
Manila file folders also work well for mask making.
Yarn works for mask ties.
Play spooky music during the Frankenstein mask-making craft.
Put scissors out of reach of children when a supervising adult is out of the room.
References
- Photo Credit Frankenstein"s monster image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
