How to Make Hero’s Helmet

No knight would be ready for battle without a helmet. Make your own protective headgear, complete with a visor, faceguard, and feather plume. Or, if knights are too old-fashioned, whip up a superhero mask or racing helmet.

• Cardboard sheets
• Strong tape
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Paints
• Paintbrushes

Template PDF file

To make the frame, cut out two long strips of cardboard. Wrap one horizontally around your balloon stand at mouth height. Bend the other strip over the top, angling it toward the back slightly.

Stick the two strips together on either side of the join, using strong tape. Repeat on the other side.

Now bring the ends of the horizontal strip together, at the front of the balloon stand. Overlap the edges slightly and tape them together.

Trim the ends off the vertical strip, so they are level with the horizontal strip. Add extra tape on the inside to strengthen the joins.

To fill in the hole at the back of the helmet, cut out three cardboard rectangles. Position one of your rectangles centrally and secure it with strong tape.

Tape the other two rectangles on either side of the piece you attached in step 5, to cover the gaps.

To make the visor, draw a stretched semicircle shape on a piece of cardboard and then cut the shape out.

Bend the visor into a curved shape and tape the ends to either side of your helmet. Tape it on the inside too, to strengthen it.

Use the template to draw half of the faceguard on a piece of cardboard. Flip the template to draw the other half, then cut it out.

Fold the faceguard in half from point to point, then bend it into a curved shape on either side of the fold.

With the folded edge pointing outward, attach the ends of the faceguard to either side of the helmet, using strong tape.

Now make the plume. Lay your helmet on its side on a piece of cardboard and use it as a guide to draw the plume. Then cut out the shape.

To attach the plume to the helmet, cut out two cardboard rectangles. Fold the pieces in half to create tabs, then tape them to the plume.

Position the plume against the back of the helmet and tape the tabs down.

Your knight’s helmet is now ready to decorate. Use gray or silver paint to create a metal effect. Paint the plume in any color you want.

To make a racing helmet, make a wide visor which covers more of your face. Then you are ready to race!

For a superhero’s mask, make the visor a V-shape and position it lower. Cut out a gap for your mouth and add a nose piece.