How to Make an Indian Headband

Make simple Native American headbands.

Making Native American headbands works well as a follow-up activity for cultural studies or a fun Thanksgiving craft. It encourages students and children to explore Native American culture and reinforces previous lessons or activities. After making your headbands, children or students may play traditional Native American games or create and act out stories using Native American characters.

Things You'll Need

• Fake leather
• Chalk
• Ruler
• Flexible tape measure
• Scissors
• Liquid stitch
• Tempera paints
• Colorful feathers

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of fake leather about 2 inches wide and about 2 inches longer than your head is around. Use a flexible measuring tape to measure around your forehead. Use a ruler and chalk to draw your strip before cutting it out.

2. Draw Native American symbols on the shiny side of your leather strip with chalk. Use a reference from your textbook, or use the meaning chart from Kiva Trading.com. Choose symbols that go with your personality, like a coyote for a playful trickster.

3. Paint over your chalk pictures with tempera paints. Work slowly and let one color dry before applying another one. Allow the paint to dry for an hour.

4. Wrap the leather strip around your head, overlapping the ends so the band is snug. Glue the ends together with liquid stitch. Use more liquid stitch to glue feathers to your headband. Let the liquid stitch dry overnight and wear your headband proudly.

References

• The Holiday Spot: Indian Crafts for Thanksgiving
• Mommie 911: Make Indian Headbands
• Kiva Trading: American Indian Symbol Dictionary