Mardi Gras Mirror Matching Activity for Preschoolers
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Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French, and is one of the most iconic holidays celebrated around the world, especially in New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. Each year, Mardi Gras begins on January 6 with the Christian celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany and ends on the day before Ash Wednesday, exactly 47 days before Easter.
The classic colors green, gold, and purple are observed in their vibrant parades, colorful beads, and carnival celebrations, which are the most recognized characteristics of this fun holiday, enjoyed by thousands of tourists who travel for the festivities.
This year, Mardi Gras will be celebrated on March 1st, and it’s a good opportunity to use it as a social studies lesson for your preschoolers. Use the video below for more information.
Mardi Gras Mirror Matching Activity
If you know me by now, you know I like to use every opportunity to change things up and bring new activities to keep our little learners engaged and interested. This FREE Mardi Gras Mirror Matching Activity is fun and educational, and it will require very little prep time.
This set includes four different pages of matching cards, with three pairs of cards each, for a total of twelve different designs.
Matching activities help children develop a wide range of important skills that build the foundations for later concepts. This type of activity requires young learners to identify patterns, similarities, and differences, which involves visual discrimination, memory, problem-solving, one-to-one correspondence, and fine motor skills.
Mirror matching activities add a little extra challenge by requiring children to focus on shape details, since they cannot rely on color to match the cards.
These skills will also help them develop the ability to differentiate between letters and numbers, which will improve their literacy and math skills.
How to Get the Activity Ready
To get these cards ready, you only need a handful of materials, which are:
- FREE Mardi Gras Mirror Matching Activity (found at the end of this post).
- Printer.
- White paper or cardstock.
- Laminator and laminating sheets.
- Scissors or paper cutter.
Print all pages, cut out the cards, and laminate them for durability. Have the children match the colorful pictures with their black-and-white mirrors. You can also use these cards to play a memory-matching game, having the children place the cards upside down and try to find the matching pair. Consider your children’s different levels of development, and use all or fewer cards accordingly.
Books About Mardi Gras
Below are some books related to Mardi Gras. You can find them at your local library and used bookstores, but if you want to expand your collection, click the names to go directly to Amazon through my affiliate link, where you can purchase them.
- Mardi Gras ABCs by Connie Toledano. This book takes you on a colorful, educational ride through New Orleans Mardi Gras traditions while reinforcing the letters of the alphabet and keeping your child entertained with vivid illustrations and clever rhymes.
- Delphine, Denise and the Mardi Gras Prize by Brittany Mazique. This joyful picture book explores the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the holiday through vibrant, festive illustrations.
- Mardi Gras with Facts About the Holiday by Meggie S. Venice. Kids love holidays and traditions, and with this book, your kids learn new words, the alphabet, and fun facts about Mardi Gras.
- I Spy Mardi Gras by Foxes Publishers. This fun, interactive guessing game is designed to teach preschoolers and kindergartners the beginning sounds of the alphabet while they enjoy the festival.
- The Little Purple Mardi Gras Bead by Julie Rowley. When Carnival rolls around in New Orleans, everyone gets into the celebration—including the beads! This heartwarming tale offers opportunities to discuss bullying, self-worth, and inclusion with children.
- The Night Before Mardi Gras by Gail Perkins Nettles. The children are so excited it’s Mardi Gras Day. They love seeing the floats, catching beads, and dancing to the music. They’re sad when it’s over but can’t wait for next year’s fun.
- Phoebe Cakes the Bulldog A Mardi Gras Tail by Michelle Dumont. The dynamic illustrations and clever rhyming verses guide readers to discover the sights and sensations of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Pin It For Later
If you are in a rush and don’t have time to read the post and download the printable but want to save it for later, pin this to one of your boards on Pinterest.
Don’t forget to grab your FREE Mardi Gras Mirror Matching activity below. Just type your email for an immediate download. This will subscribe you to my weekly newsletter, where you’ll receive freebies every time.
I hope you and your preschoolers enjoy this activity and have tons of fun learning about Mardi Gras.
Be happy, safe, and creative. I wish you well.
Love,
P.S. Please let me know if this activity works for you. If you would like an article or printable on how to make something specific, please let me know, and I will do my best to create it for you. My goal is to help you in any way I can, and I don’t like anything better than posting something you might find useful.
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