Easy Haman Hat for Purim

Construction paper Haman hat, modeled by balloon

Your kid can make a Haman hat, with a little help.  Add an eye-brow pencil mustache, a black cape, and a sneer.  Make sure your child will not suffer emotional collapse when boo-ed by random adults and tiny peers.

and modeled by the maker

Use ordinary construction paper (9×12) for the quickest Haman hat.  Posterboard takes longer, but lasts longer, too. If you happen to have a black piece on hand, you’ll need a ruler and the patience to scroll all the way down for specific instructions. If you don’t have posterboard, grab  the construction paper and read on.

MATERIALS:

• 2 pieces black construction paper, 9 x 12
  
• Scissors
• Stapler

Photos go from left to right. I swear this is easy. Either look at the pics or read the instructions.  I doubt you’ll need both.

Fold both pieces of black construction paper lengthwise into thirds. Pretend they are business letters, destined for an envelope. Don’t measure—just eyeball it.

Piece A:  Take one piece and unfold it.  Cut along the fold lines to make three identical rectangles.  Staple two end to end, overlapping a bit and FLAT, to make a long strip.  Is this long enough to go around your kid’s head?  If so, staple it at the right place, in situ.  If not, attach the third piece, trim to fit, and then staple. This is the inner head-band, to which you will attach the triangle.

Piece B: Take the other tri-folded piece of paper, hold it closed, and trim each of the four corners just a smidge, so that the folded rectangle now sports rounded corners.

Unfold, and cut along the fold lines, which gives you three separate, identical strips.

Line up the end of one piece with the end of another—on top of each other—and staple that one end.  Take the free end of one of those pieces and do the same to the end of the third piece. You should end up with a triangle that stands up by itself.

Keep the triangle on the table and insert the headband into the middle.  Staple the three places where the headband snugs up to the triangle.  Do this with conviction, or loose staples will gouge your kid’s scalp.  Ask me how I know this.

Done. Your Haman is now ready for facial hair and garments.  Sing LaKova Sheli (My Hat, It Has Three Corners) with the hand motions for extra credit.

cutting posterboard for the headband

POSTERBOARD instructions:
Posterboard dimensions vary, but the long edge will definitely go around a child’s head with room to spare.  Measure a line 4″ up, mark it with a pencil and trim that long edge to produce a loooong strip 4 inches tall.  Fit it around the intended head, trim to fit, and staple. This is the headband.
Then, cut three pieces of 4″ tall strips, 12″ long.  These three pieces will be the triangle, stapled the same way as the paper version above.

GENDER:  Note I do not assume the child in question is male.  Haman can be an equal-opportunity villain. If a girl wants to be Haman, I’d be tempted to cheer, rather than boo.

VARIATION: Hamantasch Hat   Use tan paper/posterboard to make a Hamantaschen Hat.  If you only have white, remove the label from a tan crayon and let your child rub color all over the paper.  Red tissue paper stapled over the headband is cherry filling.