So I got my dates a little wrong this year but most of the kids do not understand Mardi Gras as it is not really celebrated here so we had fun creating masks.
We started with 2 basic shapes, a butterfly and a bird's head half mask then gave them sequins, mardi gras beads, gems and feathers to use to create their own masks. Last we punched holes in the sides and added chenille stems for ties. Each one is a unique creation.
This was fun and everyone made a cute lizard from bakable polymer clay. I found a softer clay to use, Premo Sculpy, that really helped in forming the shapes and attaching their parts. In the past the clay has been hard for kids and adults alike to kneed enough to be successful.
Each table was given several chunks of different colored clay and told to make a long body by kneading the clay then rolling it until it was long and skinny on one end. On the other end we pinched the clay around to form a head and made a hole or slit for a tongue. We then made legs and added feet and spots or stripes. Some even have toes or eggs. It was easy to press the body over the legs to make them mold together, Everyone went home with the baking instructions. Making them on foil makes it easy to bake them too.
So I got my dates a little wrong this year but most of the kids do not understand Mardi Gras as it is not really celebrated here so we had fun creating masks. 
