How to Make Paper Plate Masks for Kids

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Draw eye and nose holes

   Start by estimating your eye holes and nose areas and drawing them on the paper plate.
   
   We chose to remove the bottom halves of the paper plates to leave noses and mouths freer, but you can keep the paper plate a whole circle if you prefer.
   
   Note: If you have more than one child making paper plate masks, it might be easier to get the eyes and nose correct on one plate, then trace them onto a second paper plate.
   
   
   
   Here are some possible shapes for your paper plate masks.
   
   

2. Add additional features

   If your costume requires ears, you can cut them out of a paper plate and attach them with staples or a glue gun. Same goes for a beak.
   
   

3. Paint and decorate your mask!

   You can use any paint, but we used tempera paint sticks because they are mess free and fast drying.
   
   
   
   After you paint the mask, embellish the mask with feathers, pompoms, sequins, glitter, yarn, pipe cleaners, paper, cotton balls, etc.
   
   Tacky glue works well for this (sticky and relatively fast drying) as does a glue gun.
   
   
   
   

4. Fit Mask and Add Elastic String

   Once the mask is finished, tie the elastic string through one hole, fit the mask to the head, and tie it off on the other, trimming off the excess.