Young children love to be creative in the art area. By creating simple Kwanzaa crafts, children can learn more about this winter holiday.
Kinara – Kwanzaa Candleholder
Make a simple kinara out of paper or felt. A simple kinara shape is like two staircases of three steps each, meeting at the top step for a total of seven steps. They are often made of wood, so use a brown or gold color. A black candle will go on the top. Three red candles will go on the left three steps; three green candles will go on the right. Cut the mishumaa saba, or candles, to be the same size, in their respective colors. Cut seven yellow flames. Mount the kinara on a background and “light” it by setting up the candles and flames.
Bendera – Kwanzaa Flag
The Kwanzaa flag, or bendera, consists of three horizontal bands. The top band is red, the middle is black, and the bottom is green.
Cut strips of red and green paper or felt to glue on a black background. Or, use a ruler to measure and draw your own bendera, then color or paint it.
Mkeka – Kwanzaa Placemat
Make a simple placemat, or mkeka, out of paper. Fold a piece of black paper in half. Starting the cut at the fold, cut slits, leaving 1/2 an inch at the edge. Weave strips of red and green paper through. Laminate it or cover it with contact paper to protect it.
Ujamaa Piggybank – Cooperative Economics
Make a piggybank to save up all the money for the day of Ujamaa, or Cooperative Economics, on December 29th. Wash out a plastic milk jug. Decorate the outside with permanent markers, acrylic paint, or decoupage tissue paper on the outside. Cut a slit in the plastic lid through which you can drop the money. Avoid the temptation of “borrowing” from the bank by hot gluing or super-gluing the cap.
Zawadi – Homemade Kwanzaa Gifts
An important Kwanzaa tradition is the making of homemade gifts, or Zawadi, for friends and family. Design a bookmark on poster board or cardstock. Punch a hole in the top and thread yarn through as a tassel.
Write and illustrate a storybook. Rewrite favorite folktales. Capture favorite family stories and histories. Make a scrapbook of this year’s celebration to give next year. Share biographies of personal heroes.
Use self-drying clay to make a decorative bowl, cup, vase, or other sculpture. Make a homemade kinara out of clay. Make beads and paint them. Use the beads to create homemade jewelry. Or, pre-purchase beads or kits in an arts and crafts store.
Create any of the Kwanzaa crafts to give to someone special. Gifts can be specially exchanged on December 31 at the special Kwanzaa feast, or one gift on each night of the celebration.
Creating Kwanzaa crafts can contribute fun to a Kwanzaa celebration. It’s also a great way to teach children about this cultural holiday.
Andrea Coventry - Andrea Coventry is a Montessori child, now Montessori educator, with 25 years' experience with children, publishing online since 2007.
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