DIY Carnival Masks

Every day can be Carnival Day! A fantastic time of the year for our little ones. A time to dress up, to be what and who they want, and a time to dance and have fun. While celebrating Carnival is widespread, even now, this has not always been the case. Do you know where this festival comes from?

It originated with ancient European festivals. In the Christian religion, it was to celebrate the end of one season—the cold, dark winter—and the beginning of another, the bright and fertile spring. During these special days, there was release from social obligations and hierarchies. Hiding behind a mask, everyone could be free from rules and make way for joking.
The name Carnival is from the Latin carnem levare, meaning “to remove meat.” In Catholicism, a 40-day period of fasting, Lent, follows the Carnival celebration where believers can eat neither meat nor confectioneries.

Nowadays, Carnival is celebrated all over the world. Canada’s oldest winter festival, the Carnaval de Québec, is held in Québec City, in early February, with ice sculptures, parades and concerts.

For the enjoyment of young and old alike, this celebration is a good excuse for wearing a costume. Here are some tips and ideas for creating unique paper-plate masks with your kids.

Creating Animal Masks

Owl, fox, bear, elk, lynx (or whatever animals you decide to create) can start with the same template and materials.

Materials

• paper plates
• wooden sticks or pieces of ribbon or string
• tubes of paint
• paint brushes
• scissors
• white paper
• glue sticks
• Glitter, feathers and beads to personalize the masks (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut a paper plate in half. Each side can be used as the base of a mask.
2. Make peepholes in the paper. Your children might need help with this step. Decide where to cut them by putting the half plate on your face and marking the eye positions with a pencil.
3. Carefully cut out two circles where the markings are, with the help of scissors or cutters. It is best to find an object that corresponds approximately to the desired size of the hole, such as the glue-tube cap, to have the same size for both holes.
4. Using the white paper, cut out different forms to create the ears and nose. Add a little glue to stick the pieces onto the mask.
5. Once the glue has dried, use gouache or acrylic to paint the masks. You can help yourself with idea books or online sites, for inspiration, or to create your own totem animal.
6. The mask is held by hand. You can attach a paper straw or a wooden stick to one side of the mask so you can hold it in front of your face. If you prefer to have free hands, simply tie a piece of ribbon to the back of a mask after making a small hole on the right and left side.

The masks can be used for Carnival Day, of course, but also for Halloween, birthdays or just for any regular day. It feels good to have fun with the whole family. Enjoy!