DIY Kids Face Masks: 10+ Free Sewing Patterns

Convincing your children to wear a face mask is difficult enough. They can cause irritation to the skin, and can also cause painful ear strain when worn for long periods, which could have a lasting effect. How are you supposed to convince them to put one on to protect them?

One idea would certainly be to buy them unique and funky face masks, such as ones themed after cute animals, or even ones with designs inspired by their favorite Marvel superheroes. The trouble is, such masks can be incredibly hard to find, and expensive when you do find them.

One of the best ways to save money on your face masks is to make them yourself. The great thing about constructing your own masks is that your children can also get involved, which will keep them occupied and use up their insatiable energy!

As well as this, if your child knows that their face mask has been handmade, they’ll be more incentivized to wear it!

So let’s go through some of the best mask sewing patterns out there that you can try. The best thing of all? They’re all totally free!

The Best DIY Kids Face Masks: Free Sewing Patterns

Face Mask With Fabric Ties By MadeEveryDay

We mentioned the problem of ear strain earlier. This persistent problem with many face masks occurs when the straps that hold the mask aloft begin to strain against the ears and cause them to ache. This can be incredibly uncomfortable for even the average person, and it is incredibly uncomfortable for a young child!

This amazing free mask pattern from MadeEveryDay chooses instead to secure the mask from behind the head, by tying fabric behind the head. This keeps the mask in place all day, without it ever straining against you, or causing you to ache.

Tying the mask from behind the head also makes this a far more affordable pattern than others, as you won’t have to hunt down any elastic which can be costly when you do find it!

This pattern is also easily adjustable to you and your child’s comfort, allowing you to insert extra components, such as filters if you so wish.

The pattern also takes only a few minutes to follow to completion, so you and your kids can make a massive set of masks so that you always have a lot of choices! These masks can also easily be washed after use, which also helps the planet! Awesome!

3D Mask By SeeKateSew

Another common problem with average face masks is how closely they hug the face. Most common masks are built with a flat construction that stretches over the face.

This is great for allowing the mask to fit any face shape, but it also means that the fabric presses right against the face, which makes it uncomfortable to talk, and can lead to incredibly dry lips! 

SeeKateSew has created a perfect solution to this common problem: The 3D Face Mask!

This mask features a slight popping shape, which holds the basic structure of the mask a comfortable distance from your lips and nose, while still keeping them sealed away, which makes them far more comfortable to wear for long periods. So much so, you’ll probably forget that you’re wearing one!

Despite having a slightly unusual shape, they are not difficult to construct and can be made with even basic sewing knowledge.

As well as that, they can also be easily folded to fit within your pocket when not in use, and can be washed amongst your usual laundry, so that you don’t have to exert extra effort towards cleaning them!

Child Size Face Mask By Kalaya Craft Work

Kalaya Craft Work has made mask construction an absolute breeze thanks to their comprehensive Youtube video guide. This step-by-step guide for greetings masks will have you creating the best and most comfortable masks in no time. 

This is a great mask project to get the kids involved with, as it involves some amount of precision and measurement, which means that it is a great way to teach your children some mental arithmetics, to keep their minds sharp!

This pattern can also be done with either a basic set of sewing needles or a fully equipped sewing machine. This is great because you can teach your children how to sew, which is a highly valuable skill that promotes creativity. 

The mask itself may appear rather basic, but if you use the right materials, and follow the guide properly, you will soon have a set of incredibly comfortable masks for both you and your children!

Kids Face Masks By Daisy Multifacetica

Daisy Multifacetica, a highly popular Youtube creator, has created a perfect way to utilize the best fabrics to create truly stand-out masks that look incredible!

The pattern itself has been designed to accentuate the design of whatever fabric you use to construct the mask.

If you have a piece of fabric with an amazing pattern or a cool design that you want to show off, this pattern will allow you to make the most of it, and still create a truly secure mask that will keep you and your kids safe. 

This pattern also makes use of leftover fabrics or multiple colors, to create the outer linings and the ear bands that hold the masks in place.

This allows you to create truly wild and crazy designs using whatever colors you desire! This makes for a great creative outlet for your children to express themselves, and provides an incredible incentive to get masked up!

Mask Sewing Pattern For Kids By Heather Handmade

Another genius designer who has taken note of the problem of ear strain! ‘HeatherHandmade’ has created some truly innovative masks here that will keep your child comfortable throughout long usage of the mask, and that won’t slip around and come loose. 

To put on the mask, the child simply places it on their face as usual and puts their ears through the rings, and then, with the help of an adult, seals up the neck support using the velcro patches.

This makes the masks easy to remove, without any knots or tangles, so that your child won’t be struggling to remove the mask, and you won’t have to worry about them breaking!

The velcro sealing system also means that the mask can be worn comfortably around the neck when not in use, as it can be loosened to allow it to fit. 

These masks require a little more patience than others to make, thanks to their more advanced construction, but they will still look fantastic whether you’re an expert or a complete novice! This makes them perfect for teaching your children how to sew, and how to problem-solve to get the best results.

Olson Face Mask For Children By SewCanShe

If you just want a basic and simple mask without the bells and whistles, but with plenty of room for creativity and expression, then this free pattern from ‘SewCanShe’ is the one for you! This pattern can help you to make multiple masks in bulk so that you and your children are always prepared whenever you need to head out. 

You can follow this pattern with any fabric or design of your choice so that you can really get the perfect look. This also makes this pattern great for adults who want to create masks that complement their outfits.

Your children can also customize their masks in any number of ways, to create really wacky ideas that will have their imaginations running wild!

If you don’t have much experience with sewing, then you needn’t worry, as ‘SewCanShe’ has put together a truly comprehensive guide with detailed instructions for every single step, so you will never be lost for what to do!

Face Mask For Kids By Billie Marie

With a folded design that stretches out to fit faces of all sizes, this pattern from Billie Marie is perfect for creating all manner of masks that will fit anyone. When the mask is worn, the fabric stretches out and unfolds over the face, to keep it securely covered in a comfortable manner.

When it is not in use, it will automatically fold down and become small and compact, which makes it perfect for carrying around wherever you go, and for putting it amongst your laundry.

This pattern is incredibly simple and only requires a small few materials so that you don’t have to hunt around for the right stuff.

If you wanted, you could also even use leftover fabrics, perhaps from old t-shirts. This is an extra thrifty way to save money, while also helping out the planet, and creating some truly unique masks for you and your whole family.

Pleated Face Masks By Sarah Maker

If you can’t find any elastic ear loops to add to your masks to make them stay up, don’t fret! This pattern from Sarah Maker has a perfect method that allows you to use both elastic ties and fabric ties so that you can cater your masks to your needs, or what you have at hand. 

You can also add additional extra layers for extra protection, such as a filter layer, or just another layer of your fabric, to make your masks extra safe.

These masks from Sarah Maker are truly perfect for achieving exactly what you need from your masks, while also still having a simple construction method. So you won’t find yourself confused!

This mask again makes use of the folding pleated method, which allows the mask to easily conform to any number of face shapes and sizes, which makes them incredibly comfortable, and great for those who have specific needs.

You can also follow this free pattern with whatever materials you choose to use, such as old t-shirts or brand new fabric. This way you can really take control over the amount you spend on your masks!

3D Children’s Face Mask By Sweet Red Poppy

Further proof that 3D masks are the way of the future; Sweet Red Poppy has taken the idea even further to create truly personalized masks that will sit comfortably on the face, while also looking great. 

These masks in particular feature cute adjustable ear straps, so that you can fit any mask to your child comfortably. These straps can be adjusted by using the beads that are attached, to increase or decrease the tightness as needed, so that the mask can stay firmly fixed in place.

Those beads also don’t have to be dull, and you can choose to use beads of all manner of colors to personalize, or to match the color scheme of the rest of the mask.

The great thing about this pattern is that you can also apply it to adults, by simply adjusting the measurements to suit larger faces, so you and your children can sit down for a craft day and create any number of masks together.

This would be a great way to teach your children a new craft, while also creating valuable memories.

Best Kid’s Face Mask By Rae Gun Ramblings

Do you want to create a face mask for your child that doesn’t have elastic ear straps? Are you finding that some of the other patterns above for such masks are a little too daunting or complex? Don’t worry, because we have found the perfect sewing pattern from Rae Gun Ramblings!

This sewing pattern makes use of basic elastic that, instead of wrapping around the ears, wraps around the back of the head.

This makes these masks perfect for comfort and reliability, as they won’t slip around. The elastic straps also mean that these masks will fit children of all ages and sizes while preventing aches and strains that can develop from ear straps. 

The steps towards creating these masks are also simple and fun to follow, meaning your children can enjoy the process of creating without becoming stressed. This teaches them important problem-solving skills and will lead to them feeling rewarded and accomplished when they produce a good mask!

DIY Kids Face Masks: Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Prevent Glasses Fogging Up When Wearing A Face Covering?

One of the major problems that many people encounter when wearing masks for extended periods is fogging on glasses. Because of the way masks are shaped, they often blow air up towards our eyes, which causes the dreaded fogging!

In order to prevent this, you should make sure that your mask is worn high up on your face, and as close to your eyes as comfortably possible, this means that the air you breathe out will not hit your glasses directly.

It is also recommended to wear your glasses slightly lower down on your nose than usual. This may be uncomfortable or unwieldy to start with, but you will soon adjust. 

Do Face Shields Work?

Many people opt to also wear face shields alongside face masks, for an added layer of protection. Face shields do work, and help to protect the wearer from spittle from other people, and can prevent their air from reaching another person if they choose to wear the shield without a mask. 

However, face shields can fog up quickly if not worn correctly, as you will often be breathing directly onto them. 

See more: where to find free sewing patterns online