February is busy. Between packed schedules and limited planning time, French teachers often want festive activities that still feel purposeful. Mardi Gras is the perfect opportunity to do both — especially with interactive, low-prep resources.
Here are engaging French Mardi Gras activities that students genuinely enjoy while building language and cultural understanding.
Start with “What Is Mardi Gras?” Activities
Before jumping into creative or speaking tasks, students need a clear understanding of what Mardi Gras actually is.
A bilingual Mardi Gras activity packet works especially well for Core French and French Immersion because it allows teachers to:
Introduce Mardi Gras in English and French
Check comprehension at multiple levels
Support diverse learners
Short presentations paired with comprehension questions help students grasp:
Who celebrates Mardi Gras
Where it is celebrated
Why it exists
From there, students are ready to engage more actively.
Get Students Talking with a French Mardi Gras Chat Mat
Once students understand the basics, it’s time to get them speaking.
A French Mardi Gras chat mat is an easy, no-prep way to encourage conversation without pressure. With:
Themed Mardi Gras vocabulary
High-frequency verbs
Sentence starters and prompts
Students can discuss:
Carnival traditions
Costumes and masks
Food and celebrations
Chat mats are perfect for:
Pair or small-group discussions
Bell ringers
Fast finishers
Low-stress speaking practice
Even reluctant speakers feel more confident when the language support is right in front of them.
Get Students Talking with a French Mardi Gras Chat Mat
Create a Collaborative Mardi Gras Quilt Display
For a creative and memorable class project, a Mardi Gras quilt activity brings everything together.
Each student contributes a square featuring:
Mardi Gras symbols (masks, beads, music, costumes)
Cultural facts
Drawings or written reflections
This collaborative approach:
Reinforces cultural understanding
Encourages creativity
Creates a vibrant bulletin board or hallway display
With pre-made informational squares, blank templates, and coloring options, the project is easy to differentiate for different grade levels.
Why Students Love These Mardi Gras Activities
These French Mardi Gras activities work because they:
Balance structure with creativity
Include speaking, reading, and visual learning
Feel festive without losing educational value
Students stay engaged, and teachers don’t feel overwhelmed.
Make Mardi Gras a Meaningful Part of Your French Curriculum
Mardi Gras doesn’t have to be a one-day celebration. With the right mix of cultural introduction, speaking practice, and collaborative projects, it can become a memorable mini-unit that students talk about long after February ends.
When students understand the why behind Mardi Gras — and get to explore it creatively — French culture truly comes to life.
👉 Click here to download 30 FREE activities to help your students speak more French!