Beginning of World Crafts for Kids
Since there are so many stories and theories about the beginning of the world, it can be a confusing concept for children. Crafts can help children think through complex concepts in order to gain a better understanding of a subject. Whether the focus is on a scientific theory or creation myths, there are several project possibilities.
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The Big Bang Theory
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This theory explores the idea that the expanding universe is a result of an explosion that happened about 15 billion years ago. Over time, through various stages of heating, cooling and a bonding of materials, Earth was formed. Create a timeline diorama craft dealing with this theory. Have the kids pain a picture of an explosion. Next to that, the kids can glue some grains of sand onto a black background. As the timeline goes on, use larger pebbles and rocks. Once the Earth is formed, create scenes that highlight dinosaurs or ice ages. The ending can be a scene of what the world looks like today, outside the window.
Navajo Creation Story
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The Navajo believe that the world that exists today is a result of events that happened in three underworlds. Because of this, the world we know today is called Fourth World. The First Man and First Woman were created in the clouds before coming to Fourth World. Children can make displays showing First Man and First Woman in a variety of ways. For instance, First Man was made in the east by the White and Black Clouds. Use plain cotton balls for the white clouds, and cotton balls painted with thinned tempera paint for the black clouds. The two cloud banks can meet and mix together a little in the middle. Have First Man emerge from the clouds. He can be a doll, or a perhaps a painted craft stick figure. The same can be repeated for First Woman, as she came from the west, from the Yellow and Blue Clouds.
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Japanese Creation Myth
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One beginning of the world story in Japan centers around a young man and woman that were sent from the heavens to a newly created world. They were given a spear to rule and further create the world. This spear was large, and heavily decorated with gems. As the couple came down into the new world, they touched water with it, and the drops that fell from the spear became the Island of Onokoro. Let kids make their own creation spears with long paper tubes, and a spear tip and handle made of construction paper. Have them glue fake gems all over the shaft of the spear, decorating it with markers in between the gems.
Their Own World
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Discuss different ideas about the beginning of the world. Then have the children think about what they would want in their world, if they could make one of their own. Let them put together a scene that shows the beginning of their world. They can build it in a shoebox, like a diorama. Grass and trees, gathered from outside, can be glued into place. Blue paint with glue spread over it can be used for water, and pictures of animals drawn by the kids can inhabit the world. Pictures of what the people in their world can also be added.
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References
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