Now that the trees are in leaf and many of the flowers in our gardens are beginning to bloom, I thought we could try making decorative eye masks using natural materials.

Wearing decorative masks can be traced back to history of Venice and its carnival celebrations. The tradition of mask-wearing started in the 13th century when Venetians held many celebrations and parties.  They would wear elaborate masks to hide their identity, just like you may do at Hallowe’en.

Click on the Sway below to find a step-by-step guide for making your own mask.  It’s very simple, and you need only a few resources.  Remember to ask for an adult’s permission first!

Here is another quick tutorial:  How to make a Leaf Mask

Don’t worry if you can’t find any leaves or flowers – you could cut out leaf and flower shapes from coloured tissue or paper, or even draw your own.

Here is a link to a simple mask template which you can download and print out:   Mask Template

Once your mask is finished, why not make up a short play and then act it out while wearing your mask?  I look forward to seeing all your creations!