Four months ago we might have laughed at the idea of our kids putting up with wearing masks on a regular basis. Fast forward to today and they’ve done a pretty darn good job of adapting!
Masks have become a part of daily life now for many of us, and with school approaching and a possible second wave of cases (ugh), we thought it might be nice to compile the best face mask hacks and share the coolest designs we could find. Here goes!
Face Mask Hacks
We’ve discovered the best way to get the kids to actually wear a mask is to get designs or colors they like. Give them a few options and let them pick a favorite.
The CDC recommends washing cloth masks after every use. Hang a mesh laundry bag on a doorknob or wash machine and drop in each mask after you’ve worn it. We prefer air-drying the masksâjust drape over a hanger.
Ear loops too big? Slide a bead on each and adjust to fit smaller ears! If the elastic is thin, you can also snip and tie but that doesn’t work super well with thicker straps (like jersey knit).
There’s nothing worse than scrambling to find masks for everyone before you leave the house. Make a designated mask spot: on the side of the fridge, on hooks behind the door, in a basket, whatever works.
Super Cool Kids Face Masks
1/ Lightning mask with replaceable filter and adjustable loops by vistaprint. 2/ SuperSoft adjustable mask by Socialite. More cute patterns available! 3/ Etsy has a wide variety of masks to suit every taste, like this Festival Pineapple mask by i land i style 4/ Auggie Froggy makes tie masks in some of the best prints we’ve seen! 5/ All proceeds from this set of two rainbow masks from Uncommon Goods go to NYC’s public hospitals. 6/ More masks from Etsyâthese brightly colored ones are made of soft t-shirt material!
7/ Space masks! From Christy Dawn. 8/ Bold patterns and stretchy ties on these masks from Lilla Barn! 9/ Reversible masks made with hand dyed cotton on one side and hand-drawn illustrations on the other from GREYBOY Shop 10/ Glitter masks! via the Mighty Company 11/ Maisonette stocks this sailboat mask along with other cute kid prints 12/ Hedley & Bennett used Rifle Paper Co fabric for these fantastic masks. They’re only available in one sizeâgood for teens or high school age kids.
I’ve heard several people who know much more about pandemics and epidemiology than I do give advice to settle in with these precautions for the long haul. Consider masks to be a part of your wardrobe when leaving your home. Practice social distancing everywhere possible.
As much as I’m hoping for life to return to normal (including hello hugs and sidewalk smiles), this was a good metric for me to use as we close out one season and begin another. If we’ve got to wear masks, let’s at least make them fun!