Kids Craft: Koala Mask with Template

We love playing dress ups at home, and with Halloween coming up I thought it would be fun to make a cute Koala Mask inspired by the Aussie Animal cards we’ve been collecting. Get the kids involved with tracing, colouring, cutting and pasting, it will keep them entertained for a little while and will hardly cost you a cent.

This mask is easy to make and it’s likely you’ll have most of the materials required at home already. It’s a great way to upcycle cereal boxes, and I used the faux fur from the collar of an old coat I picked up at the op-shop (thrift store) for only $1. If you can’t find faux fur inexpensively try fluffing up some cotton balls.

You will need:

• Mask Template
• Pencil
• Black Marker
• Cereal Box (grey recycled cardboard) or grey card
• Scissors (craft blade and cutting mat optional)
• Hole punch
• Masking tape
• Glue Stick
• Thin elastic or hat elastic
• Faux fur (anything fluffy is fine eg. cotton balls or grey wool roving)

How to make a Koala Mask:

1. Print Koala Mask Template at 100%, feel free to increase or reduce size for child (or adult) of different size.
2. Collect your materials. Try to recycle a cereal box, the grey recycled lining is the perfect koala grey.
3. Trace template onto inside of card/box by pressing really hard with a pencil, it will leave a slight mark.
4. Colour in nose and eyes with black marker.
5. Cut out mask shape.
6. Reinforce area where you will punch holes on the back with masking tape, and then punch out holes as indicated on template.
7. Cut out fur slightly larger than ears and glue on. I glued fur onto the back of ears also to cover the printed cardboard and make it look neater when worn.
8. Carefully cut out eyes, I used a craft knife to get a neat finish.
9. Attach elastic with a knot through each hole

All done!

Wear with grey clothing for an instant koala costume. Perfect for Halloween, costume parties and school dress-up days.