Mardi Gras Crown

What You Need:

• Gold poster board
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Liquid glue
• Glitter
• Sequins or gemstones
• Feathers
• Stapler

What You Do:

1. Give your child some facts and history about Mardi Gras. It is a traditional winter celebration before Easter and before the week of Lent, a time when Catholics often give up something they enjoy in order to focus on their religion. “Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday,” the last day of enjoying the thing you will give up for Lent! Mardi Gras originated in France. Some French customs, such as a crown symbolizing the French King’s court, are still part of Mardi Gras. The French brought Mardi Gras to America (and especially to New Orleans, Louisiana) around 1699. Every year, kings and queens of the festival are elected and crowned in lavish ceremonies.
2. Measure around your child’s head, then add 2–3 inches so there will be some overlap in the crown’s base for stapling the two sides together. Cut that length off a 3-inch wide rectangle from the gold poster board.
3. Cut a few 4-inch gold triangles from the poster board. Staple these to the crown base so that points of the triangles point upwards from the crown base.
4. Let your child decorate the crown base and attached triangles with liquid glue and glitter, gems, sequins, and feathers.
5. When he has finished adding decorations and the glue has dried, wrap the crown base around his head. This will help you find a good point for stapling the two ends of the crown base together. Take the crown off his head before stapling.
6. Then he can wear his crown with pride and march in any real or pretend Mardi Gras parade. Long live the king!