Article by Ian Smith

Children only need the tiniest amount of stimulus to set their imaginations racing. Buy them an expensive new toy, and more often than not, they are more interested in playing with the cardboard box than with the toy itself. Give them a cut out mask, and they have instantly invented a new character, who inhabits an elaborate world that only they could possibly dream up.Our fun, expressive and completely free collection of printable masks is inspired by children’s effortless ability to derive huge amounts of creative fun from the simplest of materials. Children are endlessly fascinated by nature, so there’s sure to be a friendly character from our choice of animal masks that captures their imagination. From pigs to chickens, we’ve got a whole farmyard worth of creatures on offer, and a few more exotic beasts to grab their attention too. Then there are our themed masks – superheroes, robots, aliens, wrestlers and spooky print out masks for Halloween – we’ve got a selection sure to make any special occasion a memory to treasure.Art activities provide a perfect outlet for children’s natural creativity and allow them to put their limitless imaginative skills to good use. Craft mask making is especially exciting for children because it allows them to create something really special; a new friend for play and adventures! Our simple print out mask patterns are designed to be easily cut out under adult supervision, painted, coloured in and embellished, and threaded with ribbon or string to secure to the face. Thin, printer friendly card can be used to make a sturdier mask, and young children will find it easier to colour in the face before the shape is cut out. As well as the visual and dexterity skills they’ll pick up from constructing and decorating their cut out masks, this activity has plenty of potential for fun learning. Your children will naturally be curious about the different animal masks they are painting; it’s a great way to teach them more about the animals and their habitats, who knows, you could even incorporate some subtle spelling tests into the activity.Check us out at http://www.masketeers.com remember it’s all free and new masks are being added weekly.