When money is tight, but creativity abounds just before Halloween, it might be a good year to try making a mask rather than buying one. Most people think that making Halloween masks is a difficult task, but with the advent of the internet, it can actually be an enjoyable pastime that your children will love. The most difficult part of the process is actually deciding which character your child will be, considering the multitude of Halloween costumes for kids on offer.

Once you’ve chosen a suitable costume, the first part of the process in making masks for Halloween is to download a template from one of the many websites which offer them. This might be a very basic mask that simply covers the eyes and bridge of the nose, or it can be one which covers the entire facial area. Free masks can be found in the following categories:

• Politicians
• Movie stars
• Animals
• Scary monsters
• Cartoon characters
• Starwars characters

Once the decision has been made about which mask to make, the picture should be downloaded and printed on very heavy cardstock. Be sure that the printer being used is set to handle the chosen thickness. At this point, younger children may have fun just coloring their simple masks with crayons or felt tipped markers. Glitter, feathers, sequins, and other decorative items may be glued on if desired. The more complicated masks will print out in solid ink colors and will be ready for further treatment once printed.

To prepare the mask to be worn, the following materials will be needed:

• Scissors
• Heavy cardboard
• Craft knife
• Hole punch
• Clear tape
• Strong rubber or elastic string

Using the scissors, cut around the facial features of the printed copy, eliminating any none-printed portions. Then, hold the mask to the face to determine the positioning of the eye holes and mark them. Some masks templates are printed from the Microsoft Word program and allow adjustments on the positioning of eyeholes before the mask is printed.

Because cutting the eyeholes requires such precision, the mask should be placed on a piece of cardboard, and a craft knife used to create these openings. Parents should always do this job for young children. Next, place a square of clear tape on each side of the mask, about a half inch from the edge. Punch a hole through the tape with the hole punch to form a place to attach the rubber or elastic.

Insert about two feet of rubber or elastic string through the holes on each side of the mask, loop it around and tie it behind. Test the mask for size and adjust as necessary by cutting and retying until it fits properly and feels comfortable.

Many people find making Halloween masks to be such an enjoyable activity that they make it a traditional family craft event each year. It can certainly bring out the smiles and giggles faster than most other craft projects and allows every member of the family time to show their creative side.

You can find more ideas for a Halloween party, from cupcake recipes to party games, at HalloweenPartyIdeas.org.

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