How can I make Halloween masks for children myself?
There are the a wide variety of spooky masks: from ready-made models made of rubber or plastic to elaborate, homemade masks made of papier-mâché, plaster bandages, or cardboard. We think: Doing it yourself is the best – and that's not only because it's often the cheapest option. A handmade mask is always unique and a lovely keepsake. And if it's not too complicated, most children have a lot of fun in creating their spooky Halloween masks themselves.
You can make a Halloween mask for both the half face as well as for the full face craft. A half mask leaves the mouth free and ends at nose level, a full-face mask ends below the chin. In addition to the eye holes, a mouth opening can also be cut in here.
Here's what you need to craft your spooky mask:
Template for Halloween mask
Grey cardboard or sturdy cardstock
Paints (felt-tip pens, wax crayons, ink, acrylic paints, etc.)
optional decorations like felt, decorative gems, wool threads – whatever fits the respective mask
Scissors
Craft glue
Hole punch
Elastic band or cord
Here's how:
Trace a template onto paper, cut it out and glue it onto a sheet of cardboard or cardstock, keeping it as wrinkle-free as possible. The image shown above can provide inspiration for the template.
When the glue has dried, cut out the mask outline with craft scissors, and also cut out the eye holes.
Paint and decorate the mask as desired: You can add gray or black wool 'hairs' to glue onto a spider, a little fire imp can get red glitter gems or small flickering flames made of colored cardstock, etc.
Depending on the craft template, the masks may still need to be glued together.
Punch holes in the edges of the mask with a hole punch, thread the elastic or cord through, and adjust it to your child's head once more before tying.
Terrifyingly beautiful ideas for crafting Halloween masks and costumes
A homemade cardboard Halloween mask is perfect for last-minute planners. It is easy to make and with a few rummages in the wardrobe you can quickly put together an entire costume. Get creative together – often when browsing through wardrobes of the family there are many accessories to complement the homemade masks.six craft tutorials, showing how you can make Halloween masks yourself and create full costumes.
Make a bat mask from black cardstock. Characteristic features are the large ears and the sharply curved eye holes that you cut out.
A matching costume can quickly be made from grey or black tights and a grey sweatshirt with 'bat wings': simply sew or glue black fabric panels between the side seams of the sweatshirt and the lower arm seams. If you like, you can wear thin black gloves with glued-on claws.
Guide 2: mysterious tree spirit
A tree spirit is a being from nature. For your Halloween mask you can therefore perfectly work with natural materials. Make a simple mask with two holes for the eyes from construction paper and decorate it as you like with leaves, moss or small twigs.
For the costume you need brown leggings or tights, plus a brown or dark green sweatshirt. With fabric paint — or if you need to be quick, watercolors or tinting paint — you can paint bark, moss or knot holes onto the clothing. The disguise becomes more effective if you, for example, sew small dry twigs and leaves criss-cross onto the shoulders and sleeves.
Guide 3: fiery little devil
Hell is fiery – accordingly your Halloween mask should be crafted that way. You can either paint the mask fire-red or cut flames out of red paper or tissue paper with scissors and glue them onto the cut-out mask. As further highlights, attach thick red wool threads as flame-hair.
A red pair of tights and a red sweatshirt or long-sleeve shirt go best with the flame-red and orange-painted mask. Red, yellow and orange strips of fabric or crepe paper that you attach in layers to the shirt and pants represent flames. You achieve an extra spooky effect by backcombing your kids' hair and coloring it with red hair spray.
Guide 4: creepy zombie
You can create the zombie mask in the style of Frankenstein's monster. Either paint it green or make it directly from green paper. For a stronger scare factor don't forget the stitches on the forehead. Our tip: Use a stapler and staple along the seams – that makes the Halloween mask look even more realistic! Punch the mask on the side with the hole punch and attach an elastic or cord. For your zombie mask you can simply wear old clothes with holes. The more rundown the outfit looks, the better.
Guide 5: eerie ghost
The mask for the ghost is of course white. Because a ghost is an intangible being, the outlines of the Halloween mask are wavy and curved. The mask looks particularly effective if you paint the eyes that peek through the holes black. Or you can outline the eyes on the mask with black paint. For that, it's easiest to wear white flowing clothing. Do you have an old bedsheet? Great, then just cut a ghost robe out of it for your little ones. Maybe you also have a rattling chain that can be worn around the neck.
Guide 6: creepy pumpkin
The Halloween pumpkin is characterized above all by its bright orange color and its characteristic round shape with small ridges. You can incorporate these features into your pumpkin mask. Simply cut the eyes jagged or as triangles with scissors.
A green stem looks cute on the head to match the pumpkin mask. For children with long hair, this can be attached to a high ponytail at the hair tie.
Halloween mask or Halloween makeup – which is better?
Children love makeup: A spooky make-up certainly makes a big impression. Creepy witches, zombies and devils look deceptively real . In addition, most children are big fans of makeup. It's fascinating how much the face itself can be transformed.
'Durable' costume: Especially for younger children are masks the more practical and usually also the more comfortable option. Because ordinary children's makeup or carnival makeup is usually not particularly smudge-proof. Often children have their makeup smudged already after a short time or 'sweated off' or the unfamiliar makeup begins to itch. An alternative is professional face paints, which are however quite expensive and require some practice.
Halloween masks are practical: A second advantage of Halloween masks is that they can be put on and taken off as desired. That is practical when eating or playing and especially when the party is over and bedtime approaches. In addition, the great spooky masks can always be reused – not just for Halloween. Not to forget: The crafting together is a lot of fun!
Image credits
Children lying on the floor wearing pumpkin masks © kegfire - stock.adobe.com
Halloween designs for mask crafting © Draco77 - stock.adobe.com
Girl with black cat mask © Anastasiia - stock.adobe.com
Girl with green monster mask © Anastasiia - stock.adobe.com
Children crafting for Halloween at the table © Syda Productions - stock.adobe.com