Comedy and Tragedy Masks

What You Do:

1. Have your child begin by cutting out two oblong pieces of paper – one for a smiling mask, one for a frowning mask. Make sure each sheet of paper will cover his entire face.
2. Encourage him to think about the differences between a smiling face that represents comedy and the frowning face that represents tragedy. Let him look in a mirror and note the differences between his own smile and frown.
3. Have him transfer his observations to his paper masks. He should use a pencil to sketch out the outline of a face as well as the eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth.
4. Help your child use scissors to cut out the eyes and mouth from his paper masks.
5. Now it's time to decorate the masks. Have him start by coloring the background of each mask.  What color would he pick for a happy mask?  A light color or a dark color?
6. Ask your child if he want to make a mask for a specific character.  A frowning face with green pipe cleaner curls is easily recognizable as Medusa.  A frowning mask with lightening bolt hair could be Zeus.
7. For the finishing touch, help your child tape a string back for the mask that will fit snuggly against his head.
8. Once he's done, he can wear his mask proudly -- and maybe even startle a few of his friends!