Tomorrow is Mardi Gras and if you're looking for a festive decoration to go along with the event, check out this adorable door display from Trendy Teacher, Lauren Williams! The simplicity and student-made elements make it an easy display to put up, and the dynamic color combination makes the design perfect for the early childhood classroom! 

Lauren's Comments About Student Pictures...

If you're wondering how Lauren created awesome picture posters of her students, she kindly explained the process over at Trendy Teacher...

"At the beginning of the year, I took pictures of my just my kiddos face and blew them up to 11×17 size. I then backed them on white poster board and laminated them. I use them around my room and door as decorations throughout the year...[changing] out the mask or hat for each holiday."

Isn't that a neat way to include students in classroom decorations?!

{Student Project} Mardi Gras Masks

There are several approaches to making the Mardi Gras mask. Lauren had her students collage their card stock mask template with torn scraps of paper in Mardi Gras colors. You might also consider providing them with other decorative elements - sequins, gems, chenille stems (to curl!), feathers, etc. - to add more dimension and visual interest, or perhaps even allow them to draw and paint a design onto their mask.

[NOTE: We found several FREE mask templates over at First Palette - simply download, print onto card stock, and get to decorating!]

Mardi Gras Door Display

The design is quite simple - no background paper, title, or border needed! Simply arrange your students' picture posters around the door, adding their newly created Mardi Gras masks, and add several Mardi Gras "beads" cutouts by creating circles from purple, gold, and green construction or background paper and gluing them together to create "necklaces".