DIY egg carton masks
Is inclement weather keeping the kids inside? Or, do your kiddos just have a creative itch? Spend a fun and creative crafternoon making DIY egg carton masks. All you need are a couple of empty egg cartons, acrylic paint and a few basic supplies you probably already have stuffed in a drawer at home!
What’s fun about this project is that you and the kids can repurpose items from around the house to make any species of animal! We had yellow and brown feather boas on hand, which inspired us to make a fox and a lion mask. The sky is the limit!
To structure the mask, use scissors to cut along the fold to remove the top lid of the egg carton. Set the bottom half, where the eggs typically sit, aside. You will use that half to make ears and noses later.
Next, cut the top lid in half so you have two rectangular pieces, roughly 3″ x 5″. Remove the inner recesses (the part that makes a rectangle in the lid and may have holes in it) with scissors so the pieces overlap perfectly to form a smaller rectangle mask. Put several dollops of hot glue on the one piece then overlap the other piece to attach and let the glue cool.
Using the hole punch, make a hole on each side of the mask, making sure they align. When you are done painting your mask, you’ll attach ribbon to the holes so the mask can be tied on.
To create a face for your mask, trace the mask on card stock. Cut out the face shape then draw your desired eye shape and cut out the eyes with scissors or an X-acto knife. When you’re done, glue the card stock face on top of the mask using hot glue.
Using the egg carton bottom you previously set aside, cut out ears, nose and any other facial features you desire using scissors then hot glue to your mask.
Now it’s time to get out the paint brushes and acrylic paint and paint your face mask. When finished, set the mask aside to dry.
Hot glue embellishments to dry mask then thread ribbon through each punched hole and knot to secure in place. Before you know it, your living room will be filled with wild creatures!
- 1 empty cardboard egg carton
- scissors
- hot glue
- hole punch
- pencil
- card stock
- X-acto knife
- acrylic paint
- paint brushes
- ribbon
- desired embellishments (we used pieces of feather boa and colored craft pom poms)
- Download the DIY egg carton masks instructions.
- Remove lid from egg carton by cutting along the fold and set bottom half (where the eggs sit) aside. Cut top lid in half so you have 2 pieces, roughly 3″ x 5″, then remove inner recess with scissors so pieces overlap perfectly. Put several dollops of hot glue on bottom piece, attach top piece and let the glue cool. Use a hole punch to make hole on each side of mask, making sure they align.
- Trace mask face shape with pencil on card stock. Cut out face shape then draw eyes on card stock. Cut out eyes on card stock using scissors or X-acto knife. Glue card stock on top of mask.
- Cut out ears, nose, etc. using egg carton bottom (where eggs sit) and attach onto mask using hot glue.
- Paint mask with acrylic paint then set aside to dry. Hot glue desired embellishments like fur. Cut and tie ribbon through the holes you punched on each side of the mask. Just make sure the ribbon is long enough to wrap around and tie in the back.
