Looking for a fun activity for your little ones that involves some of their favorite characters? How about some make-believe play using character masks! Nick Jr. has great links to printable masks or for the more adventurous, custom masks that you can create!

Why masks? Masks are a fun way to play. You can incorporate them into dress up activities, or they can be used all on their own. Either way, your child is going to be able to use their imagination to recreate one of their favorite stories from a show, or maybe even create some of their own! Imaginative play is an important part of a child’s social and emotional development- giving them the opportunity to have fun and explore thoughts, feelings, and scenarios in a safe way. It’s also easy for parents or siblings to join in the fun! And, for kids who are particularly shy, wearing a mask may give them the comfort they need to really get involved.

If you homeschool (like me) or even if you don’t, having some of these masks in the dress-up play area (mine are laminated to extend their useful life) is an easy way to add a great addition to their dress-up choices. They would probably work well in daycares, too!

There are several other masks that are not listed here- this is just a sampling (those characters that have multiple mask types listed). Check out the Nick Jr. site for other masks pertaining to different seasons, holidays, or characters!


Go Diego, Go!
How about a wild safari! The Fiercest Animal Masks on this page are all easy to print and cut with directions for how to wear them. Choose from Gorilla, Hippo, Jaguar, Grizzly, Lioness, and Tiger masks!
http://www.nickjr.com/go-diego-go/diegos-fiercest-animals/fiercest-animal-masks/

Ni Hao, Kai Lan!
Check out these masks that show both happy and sad faces! Another print and cut activity, these masks are glued back to back and attached to a stick- so you can easily show the change in your mood!
http://www.nickjr.com/printables/kai-lan-china-mask.jhtml

Bubble Guppies
Although marketed as Halloween masks, I’m sure your kids would have fun with these anytime! These are a little more work, but the result is really nice. A list of supplies is included, and this makes a great activity for kids who can cut and paste on their own.
http://www.nickjr.com/crafts/bubble-guppies-halloween-masks.jhtml

Yo Gabba Gabba!
Got a Yo, Gabba Gabba Fan? Check out these masks! There’s one for each of the characters in Gabba Land. These easy print and cut masks are a great way to encourage imaginative play!
http://www.nickjr.com/printables/printable-monster-masks.jhtml?path=/printables/yo-gabba-gabba/paper-crafts/all-ages/index.jhtml