Masks with Kids

Constructing with unusual materials is a way of thinking creatively about making a face. I assembled a collection of odds and ends to pick from including tassels, glass stones, buttons, pipe cleaners, clothes pins, and spools. The fun comes in when you move the objects around to create different facial expressions, a tilt of the eyebrow changes everything. The face is cut from cardboard and wooden dowels are attached at the end to make the mask hand-held. White glue is used to attach the objects.

Masks and Dramatic Play

As an illustrator I enjoy creating an image that can be turned into a mask. As a part time art teacher at a Montessori school I enjoy making masks with children and watching them tell stories as the character that the mask has allowed them to transform into. With Halloween approaching we think more about masks and costumes, but for children the activity of role playing is an important tool in learning to interact with others and honing imagination and communication skills. When I was growing up we had a toy box in the basement that was full of "dress-up" clothes and plastic toy high heels that resembled the shoes that Barbie dolls wore. I loved walking around in those little heels and pretending that I was a grown-up. It's funny because I never wear high heels today. Having props on hand encourage creativity. There's an excellent article about the benefits of dramatic play here.

My masks are here.