Children's Kwanzaa Activities
Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration of community from December 26 through January 1. Whether you want to celebrate Kwanzaa in your own home or teach a classroom full of students about this holiday, there are many children's activities available to you. Use the principles of Kwanzaa and its colors and heritage as your guide while you plan meaningful and entertaining Kwanzaa activities for your children.
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Weaving
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Kwanzaa incorporates the colors of black, red and green. Traditional African items, such as fabrics and woven mats or baskets, also come into play as Kwanzaa decorations. Combine these elements when you teach your children basic weaving. Cut black construction paper into one-inch strips lengthwise; cut red and green construction paper into one-inch strips widthwise. Show children how to weave the red and green strips over and under the black ones to create place mats. Then you can tape them together on the back and laminate them to use in your Kwanzaa feast.
Modeling Fun
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Let children sculpt small animal shapes out of modeling clay. For younger children it may be easier to let them use small cookie cutters to cut out the shapes. The animals should be those traditionally found in Africa, such as elephants, lions and giraffes. Poke a hole through each animal and then let it dry or heat it; after it is dry, paint the animals and then string them onto necklaces along with beads in Kwanzaa's traditional colors of red, green and black. Children can wear their Africa-inspired necklaces during a Kwanzaa karamu, or feast.
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Calendar of Symbolism
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Kwanzaa has seven main principles, and each one comes with its own symbol and statement of beliefs. Children can create a Kwanzaa calendar, outlining one principle per day. For each day they can explain the principle in their own words and then plan something they can do to illustrate that principle, or rephrase the principle in their own words. Younger children can draw a picture to represent that principle in action. Then they can display the calendar in their homes and read through it each day of the Kwanzaa celebration.
Candle Holders
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Families light candles during the celebration of Kwanzaa. Let children decorate small glass candle holders for this event. Give them tissue paper in red, green and black and let them tear it into small, confetti-sized pieces. Then they can paint the outside of the candle holder with a mixture of half water and half glue, and cover it in the tissue paper pieces. Then they paint on a top coat of the glue mixture and let it dry. As the candle burns inside the holder the light will shine through the colorful paper.
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