Danish Crafts

The Danish flag, the Dannebrog, translates to "Danish cloth."

Denmark, one of the oldest kingdoms in the world, dates to the 10th century and has since established a strong historical lineage that ranges from regal rulers to becoming a leader in renewable wind power. With such a vast amount of history, it can be challenging to decide what to focus on for craft projects. For a well-rounded perspective of Denmark and the Danes, choose crafts that encompass old and modern Danish themes.

Flag of Denmark

The Danish flag, called the Dannebrog, is the oldest national flag still in use in Europe, according to Enchanted Learning. The flag was a square, but was later elongated. For your craft project, give your kids the supplies to create two flags of Denmark: the original, square flag and the elongated flag. Using red craft foam, have the kids cut out the shapes of the flags and then paste on the white Scandinavian crosses -- also made from craft foam. Use straws or long bamboo skewers as flag poles. Glue the foam flags to them.

Paper Vikings

Vikings are iconic to Danish culture, having lived and sailed around Denmark from 800 to 1050 AC, the Copenhagen Portal website states. The Vikings were craftsmen and shipbuilders who traveled the Atlantic Ocean in search of trade routes and merchants. Due to their adventurous lifestyle, Vikings wore horned helmets and carried shields to protect them in battle, along with leather boots and long fur coats or capes to keep them warm in the winter while sailing. Create a Viking template out of paper for kids to color and cut out. Include the Viking outfit essentials, such as the helmet, hammer, sword, shield and boots. Kids glue the individual pieces together on a large sheet of construction paper to recreate a Viking.

Sausage Wagons

Food is an important part of the Danish culture. Portable fast-food sausage wagons, called Pølsevogns, give Danes a quick way to satiate their appetites on the street, according to the Copenhagen Portal website. As a tribute to this Danish delicacy, tell kids to design and draw sausage wagons. Show them pictures of Pølsevogns and instruct the kids to invent the next generation of new and improved sausage wagons.

Windmills

Denmark is windy and home to the world's largest sea-based wind farm, Rødsand 2, which produces 800 gigawatt hours every year, the Copenhagen Portal website states. Teach kids about the power of Danish windmills with a craft project to construct miniature windmills. Use a toilet paper roll to make the windmill's base and allow kids to decorate it with markers to look like brick or stone. Cut out four rectangular strips of card stock to use as the windmill's blades. Glue them onto the top of the toilet paper roll.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Flag of Denmark
• Copenhagen Portal - Travelers Tourism Website and Cultural Guide: The Viking Era in Denmark
• Hurstwic: Clothing in the Viking Age
• Copenhagen Portal - Travelers Tourism Website and Cultural Guide: Danish Food Culture
• Copenhagen Portal - Travelers Tourism Website and Cultural Guide: The Danes and Their Denmark

Resources

• DLTK's Growing Together: Viking Paper Craft
• DLTK's Growing Together: Windmill TP Roll Craft