Who let all these animals loose?
What? Who let all these animals loose? I see jungle animals, farm animals and woodland animal masks everywhere!
Make your favorite animal mask
You and your kiddos can make your favorite animal masks from the Welcome To Nana’s free mask pattern and enjoy all the imaginative play that comes along with a new costume piece!
Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam
Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam are fun to make and for play. Perhaps the kids will be able to wear them to go Trick-or-Treating, but that isn’t looking hopeful. Why not have a family Halloween party, make masks, eat animal crackers and play some games together?
Craft foam- what a cool material
I was pondering what material to make these masks out of and remembered some craft foam down in my craft stash from a project long ago. The foam handled so nicely and glued together easily. Why haven’t I used this more often in projects? I’m excited for you to try it too!
I found a great stack of craft foam in a package. The package had craft foam in a variety of colors. There were 80 Bright Foam Sheets in 5.5 x 8.5 inches in size. The foam comes in larger sheets but this size was perfect for the masks.
Copy the free animal mask pattern
Print out two copies of the mask pattern. You will use one for the mask and the other to cut pieces to make the animal mask you choose to create. You can copy the Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam link here.
Note- I included an adult sized mask as well as a child’s sized mask. You may want one of your own you know.
Choose the animal mask to make
What animal strikes your child’s fancy? They go together fast so you might make more than one. How about a fox and a hound? Or an elephant and a mouse?
Cut out the mask
Cut a mask from the basic mask pattern out of the base color of the animal you have chosen to make. For example, the lion mask would be orange and the pig mask would be light pink. This basic mask will act as a base on which to glue the additional decorative pieces.
Draw the additional pieces for the mask
Draw the additional pieces for the animal mask on the second printed pattern. Sketch the larger ears, the nose and circles around the eyes and lashes of the pig for example.
Cut these pieces out of the designated colors of craft foam. Set them on the base mask to make sure they fit well and look as you would like.
Hot glue is the key
Glue the additional pieces on the base mask using hot glue. Sometimes there will be a layer of foam on top of a layer of foam on top of the base mask. The layers give the mask some dimension. Feel free to add extra touches of your own to the mask you are making.
Of course, using hot glue may be something you do for your children if they aren’t old enough to do this themselves. Watch your fingers as you push the pieces together in case some hot glue squishes out the side.
Ways to wear your mask.
The first way to wear your mask is to have an elastic band that goes around the back of your head. Make a hole in the base mask on either side, about ½ inch from the edge. We used a hand held paper punch. Use a heavy weight craft elastic to tie on one side of the mask, go around the back of the head and tie on the other side of the mask. Be sure to fit it to your child’s head size so it stays on and is comfortable.
The second way to wear the mask is to staple a large popsicle stick to one side of the mask and just hold the mask in front of your face.
That’s all there is to it.
See, there is time to make a couple more, isn’t there?
These masks can be used for acting out a story (The Three Little Pigs, or Chicken Little perhaps) as well as for Halloween or free play. Why the masks could even work to do a Christmas play with the nativity scene, perhaps with the song about the Friendly Beasts. So many possibilities.
Here is the link again to the free pattern for the Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam.
Send me some pictures of your little ones in their masks.
Supplies for the Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam:
- Craft foam
- TopElek Mini Glue Gun Kit with 30pcs Glue Sticks, High Temp
- Elastic Cord for Masks, ⅛ inch Elastic
- Jumbo Popsicle Sticks, 100 Pack (optional)
Enjoy!
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Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam
Equipment
- TopElek Mini Glue Gun Kit with 30pcs Glue Sticks, High Temp
- Scissors
- Pen or pencil
Items Required
- 2 copies Nana's Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam Template and Guide
- Craft foam in various colors, depending on the chosen animal mask
- Elastic Cord for Masks, ⅛ inch Elastic
- 1 Jumbo Popsicle Stick (optional)
Instructions
- Print out two copies of the mask pattern. You will use one for the mask and the other to cut pieces to make the animal mask you choose to create. You can copy the Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam link here.
- Cut a mask from the basic mask pattern out of the base color of the animal you have chosen to make.
- Draw the additional pieces for the animal mask on the second printed pattern.
- Cut these pieces out of the designated colors of craft foam. Set them on the base mask to make sure they fit well and look as you would like.
- Glue the additional pieces on the base mask using hot glue. Feel free to add extra touches of your own to the mask you are making!
- To wear your mask with an elastic band: Make a hole in the base mask on either side, about ½ inch from the edge. Use a heavy weight craft elastic to tie on one side of the mask, go around the back of the head and tie on the other side of the mask.
- To hold your mask: Staple a large popsicle stick to one side of the mask to hold the mask in front of your face.
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