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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Make a brilliant bear mask

Oh no, lots of bears! Turn Squirrels into bears with this mask making activity.
Plan a session with this activity

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You’ll need

  • Paint brushes
  • Scissors
  • Glue sticks
  • Paper plate (one plate between 2 people)
  • Paint
  • Brown card
  • White card
  • Black felt tip
  • Paper straw
  • Sticky tape

Before you begin

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.

Planning this activity

  • Some young people might struggle to use scissors or cut out. You could prepare some materials in advance or let the young people do it themselves with lots of support and supervision.
  • There are lots of books about bears that you could read before doing this activity. Some suggestions include ‘Where's My Teddy?’ by Jez Alborough, ‘Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?' by Martin Waddell, and ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen.

Making the mask

  1. Explain that today you’re focussing on bears. Tell everyone that you’re going to make bear masks to turn everyone into bears and then you’re all going to read a bear related book together.
  2. Get everyone to sit in a space or at a table.
  3. First, you’ll need to cut each paper plate in half. Each person needs half a paper plate to make their mask.
  4. Everyone should draw two circles for eyeholes on the back of the mask. They should then cut them out, with adult help and supervision.
  5. Everyone should paint the paper plate with the paint and allow to dry.
  6. Next, with adult help and supervision, cut out 2 semi-circles from the brown card. Then, use glue or sticky tape to attach them to either side of the top of the paper plate. These are the ears.
  7. Again with adult help and supervision, cut out a circle from the white card. Use a black felt tip or crayon to draw a nose onto the white card, then glue this to the front of the paper plate.
  8. Everyone can add any other decoration to their bear if they want to.
  9. When finished, with an adult’s help, position a paper straw on the back of the paper plate and use sticky tape to secure it in place. This can be used as the handle for your mask.
  10. When everyone’s finished, get everyone to practice being a bear while wearing their new masks. What noises do bears make? How would they move?
  11. Read your bear related book with your group. Why not wear your masks when reading the story?

Reflection

This activity gives everybody the opportunity to be creative, develop their skills and try something new whilst making a bear mask.

This activity was all about making a bear-rilliant mask. Is this the first time you’ve made a mask? How did you find it? Did you help anyone else help make theirs? How did it feel wearing the mask after you made it? Could you wear it again for a different activity? If so, what day?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Scissors

Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Glue and solvents

Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.

Depending on their age and ability, some Squirrels might struggle to do the cutting. You know your Squirrels best, so you can prepare some in advance, or let them give it a go!

Make it accessible

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Squirrels Get Creative Activity Badge
Beavers Creative Activity Badge

Why not use your bear masks for other activities? You could have a teddy bears picnic or venture out into the woods to see where bears might live.

You could also try our ‘Make a bear paw stamp’ activity to make some bear footprints.

Rather than having the mask attached to a paper straw, you could put a hole on either side of the mask and thread elastic through the holes, so the mask can go around their head.