Mardi Gras kids party and activities

February 20, 10:44 AMParenting ExaminerKaren Deerwester

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Cookies by Design Mardi Gras Basket

Who says Mardi Gras is not for kids?  Your child can Mardi Gras mambo with friends and have a Cajun good time!  Mardi Gras 2009 is Fat Tuesday, February 24th.  Start with some green and purple helium balloons and hang some streamers.  Here's more ideas for a great kids' party or Mardi Gras playdate. 

Mardi Gras Music:

• Choo Choo Boogaloo by Buckwheat Zydeco
• Papillion.com Cajun, Zydeco music & storytelling for kids
• Calling All Children to the Mardi Gras by Louisiana Music Factory

You can even set out the instruments (cardboard or toys will work) and let the kids improvise their own zedeco band; washboards, accordians, guitars, drums, tamborines (tin pie plates work well too).

Mardi Gras Beads and Masks:

• DLTK-Kids has templates for mask-making
• Oriental Trading Co. has beads and decorations
• MardisGrasDay.com has beads, decorations and much more

Have your own neighborhood Mardi Gras Parade.  Let the children decorate bikes, wagons and riding toys.  Parade with instruments.  Blast your favorite Mardi Gras music and throw cheerio necklaces (beads) to the all the neighbors.

Mardi Gras Art:

• Mardi Gras "king" and "queen" crowns - cut out construction paper crowns and decorate with glitter.
• Parade Wands - cut long streams of green ad purple curling ribbon and staple to long straws or tie to paint stirring sticks from your favorite building supply store.
• Party Hats - tape 12x18 construction paper into a cone shape and decorate with stickers, ribbons, confetti or even balloons. 

Mardi Gras Food:

• Veggie Gumbo recipe from Scholastic.com
• Traditional King Cake from MardiGrasDay.com (history of King Cake)
• Make your favorite individual cupcakes with green and purple frosting but hide a mardi gras baby inside each one
• Order Mardi Gras Cookie Basket from Cookies by Design (pictured above)

Now, get in the mood for the best Mardi Gras ever by watching 6 year old Princess Bo-Pah playing her drums.  The video is a little long so you might want to grab a cool hurricane (recipe below), sit back and enjoy!