In these trying times, what better way to inject some school spirit than with a cuddly, yet charismatic mascot? While mascots have become a critical component of all professional and amateur sports, many elementary schools have also joined the mascot bandwagon, much to the delight of children country-wide! This creates an identity for your school within the greater community, brings the children together, and instills spirit among pupils and the faculty alike.

Of course, you always need to consider the unique interests and preferences of young children when you are conceptualizing an elementary school mascot. It needs to be kid-friendly and suitable for an institution that educates kindergarten to the sixth grade (perhaps a Roman gladiator mascot, as an example, would be more appropriate within a high school setting).

So, what exactly should you be keeping in mind when designing an elementary school mascot that is both appropriate and appealing to a young audience? Let’s explore.

How to Make a Kid-Friendly Elementary School Mascot Design

As a general rule, it is always wise to air on the side of sensitivity when deciding upon a mascot character. You do not want to generate buzz for the wrong reasons. One of the worst things that could happen is your elementary school making the news for something that may have seemed benign, but quickly turned into a hot button topic.

Creating a kid-friendly mascot is a collaborative effort that involves two main steps: the brainstorming session and the design process. The former will be integral in producing a plan, while the latter will be important to executing your blueprint.

The Brainstorming Session 

Unsurprisingly, a great deal of thought goes in to creating the perfect kid-friendly elementary school mascot design; you have to strike the critical balance to create a costume that can pleases most of your students, not to mention their parents, and showcases the spirit of your institution.

Here are some questions and elements you need to consider during a brainstorming session:

• Where is your school located, and what is culture of your community?
• How old is your school or the community? You might find a common theme in its early years.
• Are there any prevalent colours throughout the school?
• What are some of the more popular sports or activities in your institution?
• What is your budget for designing the mascot?
• Who will be wearing the outfit?

It’s a great idea to involve the student body in imagining your future mascot. Invite them to submit ideas or even sketches for what the school mascot should be, offering a prize for the student whose proposal is selected by the administration.

As most brainstorming sessions play out, it’s all about running ideas up the flagpole and seeing who salutes it!

The Design Process

Once you have a mascot character agreed upon, it’s time for the tricky part: the design process. You need to think about the diverse array of materials necessary to develop a mascot costume, as well as the costs to design and maintain the costume.

Here are a few things you need to consider when putting together the costume:

• The size of the outfit matches the body shape (height and weight) of a range of people who will wear the costume.
• The theme of the mascot is tailored to the theme of your elementary school.
• It is not too difficult to clean, which is important because kids will inevitably be touching the mascot.

One last important consideration: Is the mascot costume easily maintained? Particularly within an elementary school setting, a mascot costume will inevitably undergo some wear and tear; ensure that the final costume is easy to keep clean, and can be repaired at a reasonable cost in the event of damage or an accident.

Protecting your Performer

When you are brainstorming and designing your school mascot, it can be easy to forget about the needs of the person behind the mask (or in this case, the full body costume!). School mascot costumes can be heavy and hot, particularly when worn for a long period of time. Ensure that you’re keeping these tips in mind during the designing process to increase the comfort of the performer:

• Your costume needs venting so the heat can escape from the head (mesh screening and ventilation fan in discreet places).
• Ensure there is enough space for the performer to wear a cooling vest, if desired.
• Choose a costume design that makes it easily removable during performance breaks (e.g. avoid heads that are strapped in around the shoulders, etc.)
• Have one or two more pairs of various mascot pieces, such as gloves, chin straps, and shoe liners, in case a second person needs to jump into costume unexpectedly.

For optimal comfort, it’s a great idea to follow some best practices while performing (take breaks, stay hydrated), as well as following important mascot safety tips. This is especially true for non-professionals who are donning the mascot. Remember, it looks a lot easier than it is.

What better way to kick-off the school year than with a passion project that brings together your elementary school community? Designing and introducing a new school mascot never fails to inject a much-needed dose of enthusiasm and spirit for all parties involved, and during these uncertain times, we could all use a little spirit! Ready to start designing? Let the custom mascot pros at  Hogtown Mascots help you create an elementary school mascot that wows!