Every year between December 26th and January 1st, many people gather to celebrate community and harvest during Kwanzaa. This seven-day-long celebration features feasting, giving gifts, and honoring the seven principles of Kawaida. Rich in the values of faith, family, creativity, responsibility, community, purpose, self-determination, and cooperative economics, this holiday honors African heritage and culture. Help children learn the principles and traditions of Kwanzaa with these fun, kid-friendly crafts. You'll need a lot of construction paper and imagination for these festive projects.
Since Kwanzaa celebrates harvest and culminates in a feast, having these
kinara placemats would be perfect for each child at your holiday table. Weaving each colored strip into the placemat represents the seven kinara candles. Atop each candle is a little yellow swatch of paper to complete the lit kinara.
Help kids learn the principle of
Umoja, or unity, with this
Kwanzaa chain activity. Using green, red, and black construction paper, each child will write his or her name on a strip of paper. Then, form each strip into a circle looping each link into a chain. Hang this chain atop a fireplace or along the wall so that the children can be reminded of their creativity and unity.
Children can use their
Kuumba, or creativity, when making this
Kwanzaa flag. With red, black, and green crayons, paints, or colored pencils, kids can color the flag in traditional Kwanzaa colors. Then, they can decorate the staff with yellow triangles, red hexagons, and green rectangles.
Using the principle of
Ujima, or collective work, kids can create this
Kwanzaa wreath featuring the seven different principles of Kwanzaa. Have each child trace his or her hand onto green, red, or black construction paper, and then they can cut out each handprint. Assemble nine handprints into a wreath, and mark seven with each Kwanzaa principle and the other two with "Happy" and "Kwanzaa." On the back of the principles, kids can write the meaning of each to memorize and cherish forever.
Make a
Kwanzaa kufi, or hat, with red, yellow, green, and black construction paper. Crisscross six strips to form the top of the hat, and staple each end to the black brim. Your children will love to wear these colorful hats while singing traditional Kwanzaa songs and learning more about the holiday.
