Paper Bag Monster Masks

Very easy and fun. If you don't get too scared.

ADDED July 21, 2009

Length:  30 to 45 minutes

Parental Involvement:  Cut holes for scary eyes and mouth.

Kids Should Be Able to: Do some basic decorating.  Enjoy scary monsters.

 

Halloween is still a ways off, right?  We've still got a few months, do we not?  Therefore, Today is Fun should not be posting activities that entail monsters and masks, don't you agree?  That type of scary stuff should be relegated to the week before Halloween.

I wish someone would please sit my kids down and read the preceding paragraph to them.  Because my children are simply enchanted by monsters.  When they are not talking about monstrosities, my kids are acting like them.

So in honor of my little monsters, today we present a time-honored, classic activity:  paper-bag masks.

(As diligent recyclers, we're trying to bring our own canvas bags with us to supermarkets.  Inevitably, though, we wind up with one or two paper grocery bags, and that's okay.  Especially when they take on a new life as kids' masks.)

Making such a mask is quite simple, we're glad to say.   All your kid needs to do is flip a brown paper bag upside down and wear it as a head- and upper-torso- covering.

Of course, eyes and a mouth will need to be cut out, and an adul should probably be in charge of the scissors.  (Cutting a hole out of the middle of a paper bag is a bit tricky, especially for kids.  A sharp pair of scissors works better than a dull, safety pair.)  Though you are the designated cutter, please discuss with the artist-in-charge as to what kind of eyes and mouth need to be cut.  Your kid could draw the outlines for you.  (And if your kids like monsters the way mine do, they'll want to draw squinty and angry, "bad" monster eyes!)

Make the eyes and mouth large enough so that the mask-wearer feels comfortable and not claustrophobic!  You may also need to cut large holes on the sides of the bag for arms to stick out.

Apart from the scissors-work, the kids are in charge of decorating their masks.  (Please don't use the word "decorating" in front of my kids, though.  Monsters don't decorate.)  For decorating the mask, you guys might want to use:

•  crayons, markers,
•  felt
•  string
•  glitter
•  stickers

You guys could also make some very odd creatures by using saved toilet paper tubes (horns, anyone?) or egg cartons (scaly bumps?).

Because we at Today is Fun are pro-reading, here are two of my boys' favorite monster books that they've practically memorized.  (This one has a lot of pictures and words in it.  It's good for older kids and for hours of poring over.  This other one is simple and fun for younger kids, too.)

This craft is easy, a lot of fun, and — if you live in my house — kind of scary.  Just don't count of these masks lasting until Halloween!

art supplies needed,

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