Munchkin Monday: Family Friendly Mardi Gras Ideas

Tuesday is Mardi Gras so I thought I would share some family friendly ideas for celebrating the occasion.  I have to admit I had no idea what Mardi Gras even was, so I did some google searching and found this article on wikipedia explaining it all! There is also a short video clip explaining the history of Mardi Gras found on National Geographic Kids. And I apologize in advance if this post doesn't make any sense...I have been sick in bed all weekend. :(

Masks- Work together as a family to create your own individual and unique masks. Grab your art supplies lying around the house and let your creativity soar! I am thinking lots of feathers and sequins would add bling to your masks. I found a DARLING handprint mask idea from Family Crafts that would be not only be simple, but a handprint memento as well. I just love handprint crafts!
When the masks are complete, make up a family puppet show or parade around the house. And don't forget to take a family photo showing off your new creations!

Kingcake- This is a big Mardi Gras tradition. Follow this scrumptious recipe found at Taste of Home and don't forget to include a small trinket inside the cake. From what I have read online, the most common item added to the kingcake is a baby doll said to represent Jesus. Whoever finds the doll (or other item) in the cake can be the king or queen for the day! And if you have lots of little ones, I would have multiple crowns on hand to avoid hurt feelings.
As a side note, If you are hankering for some good old Louisiana food check out this recipe for lobster and shrimp creole. It would be kinda fun to have a traditional southern dinner!

Parades- This is another big Mardi Gras activity. If you have lots of kids (or you can round up the neighborhood) it would be fun to pull out the musical instruments, make your own floats, and march around! I am thinking with my little girl we will just stick to watching parades on Youtube. Maybe, if I can round up the energy maybe we will decorate Jackie's bike and scooter with streamers and ride around in our basement. Maybe.

Bead Game for Kids- I am not sure what the traditional bead game is, but I am making up my own games that are kid friendly. You will need lots of plastic bead necklaces (found at the Dollar Tree). During the day, if you notice your kiddos doing something extraordinarily good or kind, give them a plastic bead necklace. At the end of the day talk about how making these good choices made us feel inside. Cheezy, I know. But that's just who I am!
Another idea for the bead game is to hold mini races or contests with your family, with the winner receiving a necklace. After all, the family that plays together, stays together!

Don't forget to decorate with lots of purple, gold, and green. I am thinking streamers, balloons, and paper plates/utensils...heck, maybe we will even wear those colors! For more family friendly ideas, I started a Mardi Gras board on Pinterest.

Happy Mardi Gras!

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties: