17 Mardi Gras Crafts for Kids: Colorful, Easy & Joy-Filled Ideas the Whole Family Will Love (2026)
Few things spark instant excitement like Mardi gras crafts for kids—think glittery masks, shiny beads, and bold splashes of purple, green, and gold. Whether you’re planning a classroom celebration, a cozy afternoon at home, or a family-friendly party, crafting is one of the easiest ways to bring the magic of Mardi Gras to life.
In this guide, you’ll find creative ideas designed for every age, from Mardi Gras Crafts For Toddlers with simple textures to playful Mardi Gras Beads Crafts older kids will love.
We’ll also touch on fun Mardi Gras Activities For Kids and how to use classic Mardi gras colors to set the scene. Grab the glue sticks—let’s make celebrating hands-on and unforgettable.
🎨 Crafting with Mardi Gras Colors: Setting the Creative Mood
Before jumping into specific projects, it helps to set the tone. Mardi Gras is all about purple, green, and gold, symbolizing justice, faith, and power. For kids, though, these simply mean bold, exciting colors that instantly feel like a celebration.
Quick setup tips:
- Cover tables with kraft paper or old wrapping paper
- Sort supplies by color to reinforce Mardi gras colors
- Play upbeat jazz or parade music while crafting
- Keep baby wipes nearby (trust me—glitter happens)
This small prep step turns simple Mardi Gras Activities For Kids into a mini event.
🥁 1. Paper Plate Mardi Gras Masks
Paper plate Mardi Gras masks are a staple craft—and for good reason. They’re inexpensive, sturdy, and endlessly customizable, which makes them ideal for both small family craft times and large classroom settings. With just a few basic supplies, kids can create masks that feel bold, theatrical, and uniquely their own.
How to Make It
Start with a standard white or colored paper plate. Use scissors or a craft knife (adult-only) to cut out eye holes. Once the base is ready, let kids paint freely using classic Mardi gras colors—purple, green, and gold. Some kids prefer solid colors, while others love patterns, stripes, or polka dots.
After the paint dries, move on to embellishments:
- Feathers for dramatic flair
- Sequins or stickers for sparkle
- Tissue paper fringes for texture
Attach yarn to the sides so kids can tie the mask on, or glue a craft stick to the bottom for a handheld version.
Why Kids Love It
Masks instantly unlock imaginative play. One moment kids are focused on painting carefully; the next, they’re transformed into parade leaders, mysterious royalty, or performers dancing through the living room. This natural shift from crafting to storytelling is what makes this project so engaging.
Age Tip
For Mardi Gras Crafts For Toddlers, prep is everything. Pre-cut eye holes, offer large foam stickers instead of small sequins, and skip glue in favor of tape or sticky dots. The goal is fun without frustration.
Related Article: 13 Carnival Crafts for Kids That Spark Big Smiles
👶 2. Texture-Based Mardi Gras Crafts for Toddlers
When crafting with toddlers, success isn’t about following steps—it’s about sensory exploration. Texture-based Mardi Gras crafts allow little ones to experience the celebration through touch, color, and movement without overwhelming instructions.
Easy Toddler-Safe Ideas
- Contact-paper collages: Tape clear contact paper sticky-side up to the table and let toddlers press on soft feathers, tissue paper squares, or foam shapes.
- Tissue paper crumpling: Offer purple, green, and gold tissue paper for squeezing, tearing, and gluing.
- Foam sticker masks: Use pre-cut mask outlines and let toddlers decorate freely with chunky foam stickers.
These Mardi Gras Crafts For Toddlers prioritize exploration over results, which is exactly what this age group needs.
Real-Life Win
These activities are perfect for daycare rooms, playgroups, or busy parents looking for a quick win on a rainy afternoon. Cleanup is minimal, attention spans are respected, and toddlers feel included in the celebration.
💎 3. Mardi Gras Beads Sorting & Craft Station
This activity looks simple, but it’s quietly powerful. A Mardi Gras beads station blends fine-motor skill development, early math concepts, and creativity into one playful setup.
What You’ll Need
- Plastic Mardi Gras beads in multiple colors
- Small bowls, cups, or muffin tins
- Pipe cleaners, shoelaces, or string
Activities to Try
- Color sorting: Toddlers can match bead colors to bowls.
- Pattern making: Older kids can create repeating color sequences.
- Jewelry crafting: String beads into bracelets or necklaces for parade day.
Why It Works
This station combines learning and fun seamlessly. Kids don’t realize they’re practicing coordination, counting, or pattern recognition—they’re just enjoying Mardi Gras Beads Crafts that feel celebratory and hands-on.
🎺 4. DIY Parade Shakers & Noisemakers
Mardi Gras is loud, joyful, and full of rhythm—and kids love being part of that energy. DIY noisemakers bring music and movement into your crafting session.
How to Make Them
Use plastic eggs, empty paper towel tubes, or small containers. Fill them with rice, beans, or pasta, then seal securely with tape or glue. Once sealed, let kids decorate with paint, stickers, or washi tape.
Story Moment
Once the shakers are finished, the crafting naturally turns into action. Kids march through the house, form mini parades, and pretend they’re walking through the streets of New Orleans. It’s a perfect example of how crafting feeds imaginative play.
🎭 5. Feather-Trimmed Crown Headbands
Crowns are universally loved because they feel empowering—every child gets to feel special. Feather-trimmed crown headbands are especially popular during Mardi Gras because they echo the drama and elegance of parade costumes.
Steps
Cut crown shapes from sturdy cardstock. Let kids decorate with markers, crayons, or glitter glue. Add feathers along the top edge for flair—hot glue works best for adults, while tape is safer for kids. Once decorated, size the crown and staple or tape it into a headband.
Why It’s Shareable
These crowns photograph beautifully. Whether it’s a classroom photo wall or a family snapshot, they make every kid look parade-ready, which is why teachers and parents love them.
🖐️ 6. Handprint Mardi Gras Art Keepsakes
Handprint crafts have lasting value. They freeze a moment in time while still letting kids fully engage in the creative process.
Creative Ideas
- Turn handprints into jester hats by adding bells and patterns
- Create peacock-style fans using Mardi gras colors
- Write the child’s name and date on the artwork
Why Parents Love Them
These crafts double as keepsakes. Long after Mardi Gras ends, parents still hold onto them as memories of tiny hands and shared moments.
🎨 7. Coffee Filter Tie-Dye Masks
This craft looks impressive but is wonderfully forgiving. The magic happens when colors blend naturally—no two masks ever look the same.
How It Works
Flatten coffee filters and let kids drop diluted paint or washable markers onto them. Lightly spray or drip water to encourage blending. Once dry, cut the filters into mask shapes and add yarn or elastic.
Why It’s Great
Kids get instant visual results, which builds confidence. Even kids who “don’t like art” tend to love this process because the outcome always feels successful.
🧠 8. Story-Based Mardi Gras Activity Stations
Crafting becomes even more meaningful when paired with storytelling. These stations turn art time into a language-rich, imaginative experience.
Example Stations
- Mask-making: “Who are you at the parade?”
- Crown crafts: “What would you rule?”
- Bead sorting: Counting and pattern challenges
These layered Mardi Gras Activities For Kids are especially effective in classrooms, homeschool environments, or mixed-age groups.
🪶 9. Shoe-Box Mardi Gras Parade Floats
This is where creativity truly shines. Parade float crafts invite kids to think big, plan ahead, and tell stories through design.
Supplies
- Empty shoe boxes
- Recycled materials (bottle caps, cardboard, paper rolls)
- Paint, beads, paper
Challenge Kids To
- Choose a parade theme
- Add characters or animals
- Explain their float’s story
This is a STEAM-friendly activity that blends art, engineering, and storytelling in one joyful project.
✂️ 10. Mardi Gras Confetti Art Collages
Confetti crafts celebrate freedom and self-expression. There’s no pressure to “get it right,” which makes them especially inclusive.
How to Prep
Pre-cut paper dots or shapes in Mardi gras colors. Provide glue sticks and large paper backgrounds. Encourage kids to place confetti however they like—dense, scattered, or patterned.
Low-Stress Bonus
There’s truly no wrong way to do this. That makes it ideal for mixed-age groups, kids with different abilities, or moments when you want creativity without instructions.
🎭 11. Printable Mask Coloring Station
Sometimes simple really is best—especially when you’re working with limited time, space, or a large group of kids. A Printable Mask Coloring Station is one of the most reliable Mardi Gras crafts for kids because it delivers high engagement with very little setup.
Why This Craft Works So Well
- Minimal prep: Print mask templates ahead of time and you’re done
- Easy for large groups: Perfect for classrooms, libraries, or party tables
- Budget-friendly: Paper, crayons, and markers go a long way
Kids love the freedom this activity gives them. One child might carefully color within the lines, while another turns their mask into a wild explosion of Mardi gras colors. Both are wins.
How to Elevate the Experience
- Offer crayons, markers, and watercolor paints so kids can choose their medium
- Add optional embellishments like stickers or glue-on gems
- Punch holes and add string so masks can actually be worn
Real-life tip:
This station is a lifesaver during transitions—early arrivals, post-snack downtime, or when you need a calm Mardi Gras Activity For Kids that doesn’t involve glitter cleanup.
🧵 12. Pipe Cleaner Jester Hats
Pipe cleaners are endlessly flexible, forgiving, and fun—making them ideal for hands-on creativity across age groups. This craft is especially great because it truly bridges the gap between Mardi Gras Crafts For Toddlers and older kids.
Simple Steps
- Shape pipe cleaners into cone, zigzag, or crown-like hats
- Add beads or pom-poms to the ends
- Attach the finished hat to a headband or yarn loop
Toddlers can twist and bend freely, while older kids enjoy planning more detailed designs.
Why Kids Love It
- Pipe cleaners feel like toys, not tools
- Mistakes are easy to fix—just bend again
- Every hat looks different, encouraging individuality
Story moment:
You’ll often see kids proudly comparing hats, naming their “jester character,” and parading around together. That imaginative play is what makes this one of those unforgettable Mardi Gras crafts for kids.
🎨 13. Canvas Mardi Gras Art for Older Kids
For kids who enjoy “real art,” small canvases instantly elevate the crafting experience. This project introduces a more thoughtful, expressive side of Mardi Gras while still keeping things playful.
What to Paint
- Festive masks with bold shapes
- Cascading Mardi Gras beads
- Fleur-de-lis symbols
- Abstract blends of purple, green, and gold
Using acrylic or tempera paints helps kids explore layering, blending, and composition.
Why This Craft Matters
- Encourages patience and focus
- Feels special and grown-up
- Creates display-worthy art
This project gently introduces the vibe of Mardi Gras Crafts For Adults in a kid-friendly way—perfect for tweens or mixed-age family crafting.
Practical tip:
Limit paint colors to classic Mardi gras colors to avoid overwhelm and muddy mixes.
🎉 14. DIY Mardi Gras Garland
Garlands have an instant impact. In just 20–30 minutes, kids can transform an ordinary room into a festive celebration space.
Garland Options
- Paper masks strung together
- Alternating beads and paper shapes
- Hand-painted cardstock flags
Provide pre-cut shapes for younger kids and blank templates for older ones.
Why This Craft Is So Powerful
Letting kids decorate the space they’ll celebrate in builds:
- Ownership
- Pride
- Excitement
Suddenly, they’re not just crafting—they’re hosting Mardi Gras.
Real-life example:
In classrooms, these garlands double as decor and conversation starters all week long.
🧩 15. Educational Mardi Gras Activity Mats
This is where creativity meets learning—and it’s a hit with parents and educators alike.
Activity Ideas
- Color-by-number masks
- Pattern tracing with beads
- Matching Mardi gras colors
These mats work beautifully as:
- Quiet-time activities
- Classroom rotation stations
- Calm-down moments during parties
Why They’re So Useful
- Reinforce skills like counting and pattern recognition
- Keep kids engaged without overstimulation
- Easy to laminate and reuse year after year
They’re proof that Mardi Gras Activities For Kids can be both festive and educational.
🖍️ 16. Recycled Mardi Gras Hat Designs
This craft is all about imagination—and sustainability.
Materials to Reuse
- Paper towel rolls
- Cereal boxes
- Egg cartons
With paint, paper scraps, and beads, kids transform everyday “trash” into parade-worthy hats.
Why Kids Love It
- There are no rules
- Every creation feels inventive
- It encourages problem-solving
Teachable moment:
This is a perfect chance to talk about reusing materials while celebrating—something parents really appreciate.
🎭 17. Family-Style Craft Night: Kids & Adults Together
Ending your crafting lineup with togetherness makes the celebration feel complete. A family-style craft night turns Mardi Gras crafts for kids into shared memories.
How to Host It
- Set up multiple craft tables with different projects
- Mix kid-focused and adult-friendly designs
- Play music and include simple snacks
Adults might work on detailed masks while kids bead necklaces nearby—no separation, just shared creativity.
Why This Matters
This is where Mardi Gras Crafts For Adults naturally blend with Mardi Gras crafts for kids, creating moments that stick long after the glitter is gone.
Lasting impact:
Kids remember who crafted with them, not just what they made.
Final Thoughts,
Celebrating with Mardi gras crafts for kids is about more than just decorations—it’s about shared moments, creativity, and joyful messes that turn into memories.
From easy toddler projects to festive ideas inspired by Mardi Gras Crafts For Adults, these crafts prove you don’t need a big budget or a large space to celebrate in style.
A few supplies, classic Mardi gras colors, and a little imagination go a long way. Whether you’re threading beads, designing masks, or planning themed Mardi Gras Activities For Kids, the goal is simple: have fun together.
Try one project or mix a few into your celebration, and don’t forget to let the kids lead the creativity. Your perfect Mardi Gras moment is just a craft away 🎭💜💚💛
