Native American Preschool Theme Crafts

by Aunt B

Copyright 2004-2006 Story Soup Kids, a division of Enchanted Corner

Native American Crafts for Kids

Vest

Items you will need:
Brown Paper Bag
Scissors
Glue
Construction Paper
Markers, Crayons, Paints
Take a brown paper bag and cut arm holes in sides of bag, as if head was the bottom of the bag. Cut up front of bag towards bottom of bag. Cut circle at bottom of bag for neck. You should be able to put the bag on as a jacket with your arms through the holes on the side. Cut fringe at the bottom of the jacket (which is the top of the bag). Paint/color Indian patterns onto jacket. Cut out shapes from construction paper, or cut fringe and paste onto vest.

Indian Corn Necklace

Items you will need:
Indian Corn
Needle 
Thread
Water 
Small bowl
Paper Towels
After you pluck off corn off the corn husk, soak the corn kernels in water. Once the kernels are soft use your needle and thread and put it through the middle of the soft Indian corn. You can do this until you have a necklace or a bracelet, your choice.

Tee Pee

Items you will need:
Construction Paper (any color)
Scissors
Tape
2 to 3 Straws
Take a piece of construction paper, any color, and wrap it into a cone shape and tape. Trim around the base so the cone will stand flat. Next cut a flap in your teepee by making two cuts vertically about 2 inches long about 2 inches apart, then fold the teepee flat up. Stick drinking straws through the top if you want to have more support for your tepee. That's all there is to it! Decorate your tepee with some great Native American designs, pre-cut designs and shapes. 
* You can cut your teepee shape ahead of time decorate it with/ Native American designs and then assemble it.*

Recommended Books to read

Squanto and the First Thanksgiving
Written by: Theresa Celsi
A simple biography of the Wampanoag Indian who helped the Pilgrims survive in their early days in the Plymouth colony. 

Nickommoh : A Thanksgiving Celebration 
Written by: Jackie Koller
An interesting depiction of the Native American celebration of Nickommoh. This was a traditional celebration of the Narragansett people.

The Story of Thanksgiving
Written by Nancy J. Skarmeas
A story of how the pilgrims came to America on the Mayflower in search of religious freedom, how they landed at Plymouth Rock, and how the Native Americans taught them to plant and then joined them in a Thanksgiving feast.

Cooking with Kids

Native Symbols Painting

White Bread 
Food Coloring 
Milk 
Directions:
Mix a few drops of food coloring with one teaspoon of milk. Make several colors. Provide the kids with new clean paintbrushes. Let them paint native American signs on a piece of White Bread. Toast on normal setting. 
Pictures become vibrant in color after toasting, and this is a healthy and fun snack.