A Lego Ninjago love affair.....

Caelan has had a love affair for the last six months with Lego Ninjago. For his birthday he received a story book and his interest was renewed. We've discouraged him from collecting any of the Ninjago range because I don't  feel that it promotes the values that I'm trying to install in my son. As a seven year old he is highly impressionable, all his friends are into Lego Ninjago so he thinks that we should get him some pieces so that he can keep up with his friends. I've been arguing regularly with Caelan about when I'll buy him some Lego or why I'm being so mean and not buying it for him.

So I thought I'd compromise, I decided that I'd make a Ninjago mask for him and Mackenna. I wanted to make something that would look similar to one of the Lego figures while also being a little different. Caelan had drawn something up in Art class while at school. What he'd done wouldn't hold up to been played with because he'd used a sheet of A4 paper to construct his mask. Mackenna also wanted to play with Caelan's paper mask so I decided that I would make her one as well. Having Caelan's paper mask meant that I had a template that was the correct size and shape for what Caelan wanted.

I didn't take any photographs of the process but it's rather easy and the good thing about these masks is that you can create any shape you want as long as you decorate the mask to resemble a cloth wrapped around the head. So I got some cardboard from one of the many moving boxes that we had floating around the place to achieve a more user friendly mask. I Googled the Lego Ninjago to get an idea about the various colours used, the different shapes and how much of the face was covered up. Mackenna's favourite colours are purple and pink and none of the Lego Ninjago figures are pink or purple so I had to create my own special Ninja just for her.

Source

What you will need

cardboard (any kind will do but the more heavy duty the better)

scissors

pencil

black felt tip pen (whiteboard marker)

coloured paint

paint brush

hole punch

string

Method

1. Using a pencil draw the shape you want to create onto your cardboard, making sure that you draw on the side you'll be painting on.

2. Cut out your mask and round of any edges that might be sharp.

3. Hold your mask up to your child's face and mark the idea location for their eyes. If the mask is going to be a surprise estimate were the eyes will be located. Using the point of your scissors (or any other sharp pointed object) push the tip into the area that needs removing. Carefully cut out the area so that your child will be able to see out of once they are wearing their mask.

4. Using your felt pen draw the outline of how the folds would be if your face had been wrapped with fabric. Remember to outline the eye area and the outside of your mask.

5. Now paint the various sections different shades of the selected colour or just paint the entire mask the same colour.

Caelan's Blue Ninjago Mask

Mackenna's Girly Ninjago Mask

6. Using your hole punch create a hole either side of the mask, try to make sure these are level.

7. Take your string and cut two equal lengths, this will allow you to loosen or tighten your mask when needed. Attach each piece of string to the mask.

8. Present the mask to your child and tie the mask up for them. If your little girl wears her hair in a ponytail secure the mask to her face by using the ponytail to help hold the mask in place.

Let the kids outside and watch them have hours of fun running around playing Ninjas. As you can see I never got to add the string and this is because Caelan decided that he now likes Star Wars Lego so I'm hoping he doesn't want me to make him a storm trooper mask.

Megan

NOTE: This is not a sponsored post all the thoughts are my own.