Let the Good Times Roll: Mardi Gras Crafts and Projects for Kids
Mardi Gras, with its explosion of colors, music, and joy, provides a perfect backdrop for engaging children in creative activities that celebrate this unique cultural festival. Whether you’re at home, in the classroom, or part of a community group, these Mardi Gras-themed crafts and projects are designed to captivate the imaginations of children, making the celebration both fun and educational. So, grab your purple, green, and gold supplies, and let’s dive into a world of creativity!
- Festive Mardi Gras Masks
Materials Needed: Paper plates or thick cardstock, paint, feathers, sequins, glitter glue, elastic string
Project: Every Mardi Gras celebration needs a mask! Children can cut the paper plates or cardstock into mask shapes, then decorate them with paint and embellishments. Punch holes on the sides to attach the elastic string, and voila—a Mardi Gras mask is born!
- Beaded Necklaces
Materials Needed: Plastic beads in purple, green, and gold, string or yarn, scissors
Project: Beads are a Mardi Gras staple. Have children string beads in patterns to create their own Mardi Gras necklaces. This activity is not only fun but also great for fine motor skills and pattern recognition.
- King Cake Decorating
Materials Needed: Plain cupcakes or a round cake, icing, colored sugar (purple, green, and gold)
Project: Bring the tradition of King Cake into your celebration by decorating cupcakes or a cake with Mardi Gras colors. Children can spread icing on the cupcakes and sprinkle them with colored sugar. It’s a tasty way to learn about the tradition of King Cake.
- Mardi Gras Parade Floats
Materials Needed: Shoeboxes, paint, construction paper, markers, glitter, and other decorative items
Project: Encourage children to create their own miniature Mardi Gras floats using shoeboxes as the base. They can design their float on a theme, decorate with materials, and even add small figures or toys as parade participants. This project sparks creativity and can lead to a mini parade of floats!
- DIY Mardi Gras Shakers
Materials Needed: Small plastic bottles or paper tubes, rice or beans, tape, purple, green, and gold paper or paint
Project: Turn everyday items into festive Mardi Gras shakers. Fill the bottles or tubes with rice or beans, secure the ends with tape, and decorate. Kids can shake these to the rhythm of Mardi Gras music, adding a sensory element to the celebration.
- Crown Crafting
Materials Needed: Construction paper or cardstock in Mardi Gras colors, stickers, jewels, feathers, glue
Project: Mardi Gras is the perfect occasion for kids to feel like royalty. Assist them in crafting their own crowns using paper, then decorating with stickers, jewels, and feathers. This can also serve as a fun way to discuss the history of Mardi Gras and its regal connections.
- Mardi Gras Wreaths
Materials Needed: Paper plates, tissue paper in purple, green, and gold, glue, scissors
Project: Create a festive Mardi Gras wreath by cutting the center out of a paper plate to form a ring. Then, have children tear or cut tissue paper into small pieces and glue them around the ring, mixing the colors to create a vibrant, textured decoration.
- Jester Hats
Materials Needed: Construction paper or felt in purple, green, and gold, bells, glue, tape
Project: A jester hat is a fun accessory for Mardi Gras. Using construction paper or felt, create a three-pointed jester hat and decorate with alternating colors. Attach bells at the points for the full effect. This craft is great for dressing up and adds an extra level of fun to Mardi Gras storytelling or parade watching.
Celebrating Together
These Mardi Gras crafts and projects not only provide a hands-on way for children to learn about and participate in the festivities but also offer a meaningful opportunity for family bonding. By creating these crafts, children can immerse themselves in the vibrant culture of Mardi Gras, understanding its traditions and the joyous spirit of community it fosters. So, this Mardi Gras season, let your creativity shine, and enjoy making these festive crafts with your little ones. Laissez les bons temps rouler—let the good times roll!
To learn more about Mardi Gras and get even more ideas of activities to do with your children on Mardi Gras, check out our blog post “Mardi Gras Magic: A Colorful Celebration for Families with Young Children” at https://languagekids.com/mardi-gras-magic/
Founder and Director of Education at Language Kids.
M. Ed.
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