Mardi Gras is our favorite time of year in New Orleans and in Pensacola! The parades, the beads, KING CAKE, and all the fun!
Preschoolers like to get into the carnival spirit too. We have some Mardi Gras Preschool Activities, a Mardi Gras sensory bin idea and a Mardi Gras Preschool Printable for you to download!
Mardi Gras Sensory Bin
Everything in the Mardi Gras sensory bin can be found at Walmart, Party City or the Dollar Tree and of course everything is purple, green and gold.
In our Mardi Gras sensory bin:
- beads cut in various lengths
- confetti
- doubloons
- feathers
- Mardi Gras Cup
- measuring cup and spoon
- Mardi Gras Rubber Duck
- plastic fleur de lis
Mardi Gras Preschool Printable
Mardi Gras Preschool Pack Includes
- Coloring Sheets
- B is for Beads Writing Page and Puzzle
- M is for Mask Writing Page and Puzzle
- 3 Part Cards
- Beginning Sounds Cards
- Patterning Cards
- Counting Cards
- Size Sorting
- A mask to decorate
Download – Mardi Gras Preschool Pack
Mardi Gras Books for Preschoolers
Books are a great way to teach children about Mardi Gras. Here are a few of our favorites that are perfect for Preschoolers.
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- Gaston Goes to Mardi Gras
- Little Purple Mardi Gras Bead
- Mimi's First Mardi Gras
- Mimi and Jean-Paul's Cajun Mardi Gras
- Spy Boy, Cheyenne, and 96 Crayons: A “Mardi Gras” Indian's Story
- The King Cake Baby
- Jenny Giraffe's Mardi Gras Ride
- Juju and Jazz in Courir de Mardi Gras Razzmatazz
- Mary Pasnootsie Learns Her Lessons Well: Sharing
- The Little Float that Could
Mardi Gras Crafts for Preschoolers
Jester Hats
Using this pattern and purple green and gold construction paper, you can make your own Mardi Gras Jester Hats.
You can color them, add glitter, and jewels. Get creative and let the kids have fun!
Mardi Gras Shakers
There are two ways you can make these.
One is with paper plates. You'll need 2 plates per child, some beans or rice (beads could work too) and markers and glitter to decorate. Put the rice or beans inside one of the plates, then staple or tape the other plate on top, Now have the kids decorate their shakers with markers, glitter, and paint.
The second way is with water bottles. You need one empty / dried bottle per child, beads, beans, or rice, paint and hot glue. First fill the bottle with the beads, beans or rice, then hot glue the lid securely on. Next have the kids paint their bottles with purple, green and gold paint.
Mardi Gras Masks
There are several ways you can make Mardi Gras masks.
1) Using the pattern in the Mardi Gras Printable Pack. Print on cardstock, cut out the eyes and glue a straw on the side for the stick. Kids can decorate the mask with feathers, paint, glitter, markers etc.
2) Paper Plate Masks: you'll need paper plates cut into masks shapes, straws for the sick, glue, crayons, markers, pompoms and pipe cleaners. Let the kids decorate the masks with the pipe cleaners, markers, crayons and pom poms then glue the straw to the side of the mask as a stick.
3) Handprint mask like these from That's what She Said.
Bead Painting
This is one of the simplest crafts you can do with preschoolers.
All you need are some beads cut into strips, purple, green and gold paint and a heavy paper like contruction paper.
Have the kids dip the beads into the paint and use them to paint with instead of brushes.
Mardi Gras Recipes
Mini DIY King Cakes
These king cakes are super easy for kids to make.
What activity did your preschoolers like the most?
That does look like fun. What a great craft idea.
Thanks!
That’s a fun sensory box with all those textures and bright colors. Great idea on this!
Thanks! The kids love it!
Oh how fun! I am not sure our schools do anything for Mardi Gras or not, but if they don’t – I think they are missing out on a great opportunity!
I think so too! There is so much more to it than most people think!
I don’t think my school ever did anything for Mardi Gras. But it looks like so much fun to celebrate with little ones!
I think this is a cute creaft idea for people who celebrate Mardi Gras. It is also an idea that can be adapted to be used for other holidsys and events as well.
Yes it can! I have a few other sensory bin posts up from different holidays!
This is a great idea. I have two full bins of Mardi Gras decorations and accessories from Girl Scouts 13+ years ago. My mom kept EVERYTHING in hopes that one day we would need it again. My daughter would even love to use everything for dress up!
Thank you for the cute printable! The bin looks like it is full of fun.
I had my first sensory box with my toddler just recently and she loved it. I may have to give yours a try. I didn’t realize all the benefits that come along with these sensory boxes. Love them now!
My kids love sensory bins, so much to explore,they are great!
what a cute and fun idea!! i bet my kids have no idea what mardi gras is
I think this is such a cute bin and know my girls would enjoy learning about Mardi Gras this way!
This is great! My toddler would love exploring this box!
What a fun idea! Mard Gras is a great topic for a sensory box and so much fun to have the kids explore and play along with these parade/party items. It’s great for creative play.
What a great sensory box. I just love those things.
Oh, this is such a fun idea! My son loves sensory bins and I love the theme!
My toddler would have so much fun with this sensory box. The colors. The items. Love it.
Awesome idea for Mardi Gras preschool celebrations! I have been wanting to make a sensory bin, and this one just looks so cool!
I need to make one of these for my little boy! He would have such a ball with it and it looks easy enough to get together. Thanks for the idea!
Already!! Wow this year is flying by….slow down please. What a great idea for preschoolers – I’ve got one so I will check it out further. Thanks
What wonderful treasures to explore! This bin looks like a lot of fun.
I love this idea. What neat objects for a sensory box. Love the alphabet part of it too. What a great idea. Thanks for the printable.
*sigh* Mardi Gras is ONE of the things I miss most about living in Louisiana. It really does include everyone of all ages and everywhere in the state. These are such great ideas to include young ones in the Mardi Gras celebrations 🙂
How fun! I love mardi gras and I love that you turned into something for preschoolers!
I love this! Thanks for the printable.
What fun activities!! I love that preschool pack.
Thank you for taking the time to create this. I was looking for a Mardi Gras themed activity for a play date I’m planning.
What a great sensory bin! I never would have thought to do one for a Mardi Gras activity!
This is so fun! I would love to donate one of these to my preschoolers classroom.
I love sensory bins! They are so awesome and fun!
I love the printable! This is great. I also love Ashley’s idea to donate one to a preschool classroom. I bet my daughter’s preschool teacher would love that.
I thought Mardi Gras was all about semi-naked people dancing around provocatively in the streets where there was lots of alcohol involved.
At least that’s what I’ve seen, or is it something different in the US?
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a family friendly affair! It’s pretty PG rated and the kids have a great time!