Do you find yourself wondering how in the world you’re going to get your kids to wear face masks every day when it’s hard enough to get them to put on regular clothes in the morning? It’s important to wear face masks to prevent infection and slow the spread of COVID-19, but actually putting it into practice is another matter entirely.
Before you throw up your hands and decide it’s easier to force your kids to stay inside all day, I have some good news for you! I’ve figured out a way to make mask wearing not only less dreadful, but—dare I say it?—fun! The key is to make it seem like you’re playing a game. Here are five fun face masks that your kids will actually love to wear. You can thank me later.
1. Character Fabrics
This first mask can be made by following any online DIY mask pattern for kids. The only thing special about it is the fabric it’s made from. Go out of your way to choose a fabric that features your child’s favorite cartoon character or animal. Better yet, let your child choose the fabric! That way he or she will feel personally attached to the mask and will be more likely to wear it without complaint. Win/win!
2. Cat or Dog Mask
For this cute little face adornment, make a mask from white fabric using a DIY kid’s mask pattern you can easily find on the internet. Once you’ve made it, take a black marker and draw a cute little cat or dog nose on the mask, right over your child’s nose. Add some whiskers and a mouth, and voila! What your kid once viewed as a torture device has now become his or her favorite accessory. Add a dog or cat ear headband to finish off the look.
3. Star Wars Fun
Do you have a little Star Wars fan on your hands? Capitalize on that interest by buying a few simple white children’s face masks and drawing Darth Vader’s mask on them using black marker. Or, you can turn your little cutie into an Ewok, R2-D2 or a storm trooper. Permanent marker may not be the best choice, because the fumes can make it unpleasant to wear the mask. Refer to online drawings of these characters to give you inspiration as you create your kids’ face masks.
4. I Mustache You a Question
Do you have a little dude who would love to look like his dad? Make a kid’s mask out of black fabric and sew a cute little white mustache onto it. You’ll be amazed how much easier it will be to get him to wear a mask when it makes him look like a grown up. Even little girls are likely to find mustache masks hilarious to wear.
5. Coloring Party
Have you ever noticed how possessive kids are about the things they create? They’re so possessive, in fact, that you have to sneak out at night to tuck old scribbled-on papers into the bottom of the garbage can where they can’t see them. You can use this natural possessiveness to your advantage by letting your kiddo color his or her own mask. Use markers for best results. You can even provide stencils for kids who don’t have a lot of natural artistic talent. Glittery glues, stickers and jewels create further opportunities for full customization. Your kids will have so much fun decorating and then displaying their favorite DIY masks!
There you have it. Five creative and (best of all) easy ways to create masks that your kids will love to wear. Give one or all five a try today and see for yourself how effective they can be!