Paper Plate Day of the Dead Mask
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with a colorful Paper Plate Day of the Dead Mask. Kids can decorate their own printable skull mask, glue it to a paper plate, and turn it into a wearable mask or a bright classroom display.
This easy Day of the Dead craft is a fun way to introduce children to Mexican traditions, art, symmetry, patterns, and remembrance in a creative and kid-friendly way.
Supplies
- Paper plates
- Printable mask template
- White paper or cardstock
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
- Scissors
- Glue
- One-hole punch
- Ribbon or yarn
- Painter’s tape
- Optional: sequins, glitter glue, stickers, tissue paper, or paper flowers
Instructions
- Print one mask template for each child. Cardstock works best if the masks will be worn or decorated with heavier craft supplies.
- Have the kids color the Day of the Dead mask template with bright colors, flowers, hearts, dots, swirls, and other fun designs.
- Cut out the mask template.
- Glue the decorated mask onto the center of a paper plate.
- To make a wearable mask, carefully cut out the eye holes. Punch one hole on each side of the paper plate at about ear level. Thread ribbon or yarn through each hole and tie a knot. Help children tie the mask gently behind their head.
- To make a display mask, leave the eye holes uncut. Add loops of painter’s tape to the back and place the mask on a wall, door, bulletin board, or refrigerator. You can also punch one hole at the top of the plate, tie ribbon through it, and hang it up.
Fun Facts
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated in Mexico and by many families around the world. It is a time to remember loved ones who have passed away.
Decorated skulls, called calaveras, are often bright and colorful. They are not meant to be scary. They are part of a joyful celebration of memory, family, and tradition.
Many Day of the Dead designs include flowers, especially marigolds, along with hearts, candles, music, and colorful patterns.
Patterns, Templates and Printables
Click on the printable mask template to open it in a new window and print.
Teacher Friendly Educational Extension
Use this paper plate mask craft as a classroom activity during lessons about Mexico, family traditions, cultural celebrations, or world holidays.
Ask students to look at the patterns on their masks and talk about symmetry. Have them decorate both sides of the mask with matching shapes, colors, or designs.
For a writing activity, invite children to write a few sentences about someone special they remember, a family tradition they enjoy, or the colors and symbols they chose for their mask.
The finished masks can be displayed together on a bulletin board titled “Celebrating Día de los Muertos Through Art” or “Colorful Calaveras.”
Supplies
Paper plates
Mask template copies
Crayons and markers
Scissors
Glue
One-hole punch
Ribbon
Painter's tape
Instructions
Kids can color their copies of the mask template (find the template clipart at El Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead) They cut out their marks and glue their masks onto paper plates.
If kids want to wear their masks, they cut out eyeholes, punch holes at ear-level on the plates, thread ribbon lengths through the holes and tie knots, and put the masks on.
If kids want to display their masks on walls or doors or frigs, they don't cut out the eyeholes or bother with hole-punching or putting ribbon ties onto the plates. Instead they make loops of painter's (no-stick) tape, put the loops on the backs of the masks, and tape them onto walls or doors or frigs. Alternatively, a kid can punch one hole onto the top of a plate (with a mask glued on it), tie ribbon through the hole, and hang the mask up.
This craft reprinted courtesy of ThriftyFun.
Contributor
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