Set up a staging area for finger-painting or brush-painting for the students to work in. Students can draw scenes of parades or parties. Distribute photographs and images of Mardi Gras celebrations so that the students can get a good visual grasp of the events. Students can also incorporate feathers and sequins into their pictures. Make certain that you use washable acrylic paints. Hang the paintings in the hallways, in the classroom or send them home with the students.
Beads are signature items for the Mardi Gras festivities. Preschoolers can paint, decorate and string their own beads. The more decorations available the more creative the students can be. Feathers and sequins can make for excellent flourishes.If you can stage a small parade, the students can then imitate the adult krewes by tossing beads to a standing crowd. Take precautions to make sure the paint and glue are dried by the time the beads are worn or distributed.
Preschoolers can also decorate models of floats or decorative masks worn in New Orleans. This will take some work in building paper mache or cardboard scale models or masks beforehand. (Older students will be able to build them independently.) Then, students can apply paint or other decorations to the models. You will need paint, glue, extra cardboard, small pieces of cloth and other materials, like construction paper. Let the students work in a well-ventilated, open space, and allow the masks to dry before use by students.