10 Easy African Cultural Crafts for Kids (Holiday-Friendly Projects)

calendar_today Dec 26, 2025
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The holidays are here! Time is a wonderful opportunity that comes with this time of year. It's time to unwind, make connections, and pick up new skills. Rather than relying exclusively on digital distractions, let's create physical cultural artifacts from basic, easily accessible home items. For the holidays, we've curated ten amazing projects that showcase traditional African crafts for kids. This is the epitome of active cultural learning!

Why Crafting Teaches Culture

Crafting is a sort of storytelling, and it also serves as a living connection to our cultural history. When we participate in basic African art projects for children, we are utilizing techniques and ideas that have been passed down through generations of artists. This type of learning solidifies memories, solidifying historical and cultural themes in ways that a static image or text cannot. The most common question we receive is how to teach culture through crafts. The depth of the lesson is found not only in the completed project, but also in the context of the symbols and the simplicity of the materials employed.

10 Easy Cultural Crafts

The exciting part is about to begin! These projects are low-mess (usually!) and use household items, making them ideal kid-friendly African craft ideas for school break. They are also specifically created to answer the question: Which African art projects fit young learners? We have focused on crafts that highlight striking colors, recurring patterns, texture, and straightforward methods that produce impressive outcomes.

1. Adinkra Symbol Stamp Art (Ghana)

Adinkra symbols carry powerful meaning and are perfect for teaching pattern and history. This craft is an excellent way to introduce them using a simple stamping medium.

Materials: Large potato, paper, acrylic paint (black or red is traditional), a plastic knife (adult supervision).

Steps:

An adult cuts a large potato in half.
Use a plastic knife or pencil tip to carve a simple Adinkra shape (like the Duafe comb symbol for beauty) onto the flat surface of the potato half. Make sure the design is raised.
Dip the potato stamp into a shallow dish of paint.
Stamp the symbol repeatedly across the paper to create a uniform, meaningful textile pattern.

Variations: Instead of potatoes, use foam cutouts glued onto a small wooden block. Try using metallic gold paint on black paper for a rich, royal look.

2. Kente Cloth Paper Weaving (Ghana/Togo)

Kente cloth is famous for its vibrant, complex, geometric patterns, traditionally worn by Akan and Ewe royalty for significant events. It teaches precision and color theory.

Materials: Construction paper in four or five bright colors (red, yellow, green, and black are traditional Kente colors), scissors, and glue stick.

Steps:

Cut a piece of construction paper (Color A) to be the loom (e.g., 8.5 x 11 inches).
Fold the loom paper in half lengthwise and cut slits starting from the fold line toward the edge, stopping about an inch from the edge. Unfold.
Cut strips (about 1 inch wide) from the other colored papers (Colors B, C, D).
Weave the strips over and under the slits of the loom, alternating the pattern with each new strip. Glue the ends down securely.

Variations: Instead of weaving, use markers to simply draw bold stripes and checkerboard patterns onto a long paper strip, mimicking the Kente look.

3. Ethiopian Mesob Coil Basket (Ethiopia/Eritrea)

The Mesob is an iconic, woven, hourglass-shaped basket used for serving the staple injera bread. This craft introduces the structural art of coiling.

Materials: Stiff paper plate or cardboard circle (base), thick yarn or rope (for the coil structure), colorful embroidery thread or thin yarn, white glue.

Steps:

Cut a small, circular base (about 4 inches wide) from the cardboard.
Start the coil: Glue the end of the thick yarn/rope to the edge of the base.
Begin wrapping the colorful embroidery thread tightly around the thick yarn/rope structure. Use vibrant colours like reds, yellows, and greens.
As you wrap, coil the thick yarn and thread combination around itself and glue it firmly to the cardboard base, slowly building the wall of the basket.
To shape the Mesob, stack the coils straight up, then gradually decrease the diameter of the coil for the "neck," and finally expand the shape again for the lid section.

Variations: Simply make small, flat, circular placemats or coasters using this technique to practice the tight coiling method. Use raffia or natural twine for a more textural result.

4. Lega Bwami-Inspired Mask (Democratic Republic of Congo)

The Lega people's Bwami Society uses small, highly stylized masks to represent social status and moral teachings. We will create a simple, small mask inspired by these abstract forms, which often feature minimal, geometric faces.

Materials: Small piece of cardboard or heavy cardstock, white paint, black marker, small coffee beans or dried lentils (for texture/eyes), raffia or string, white glue.

Steps:

Cut the cardboard into an abstract, elongated, or slightly heart-shaped oval. This represents the face plane.
Paint the entire surface white or a light ivory color and let it dry completely.
Glue the coffee beans or lentils near the top of the mask for the eyes, maintaining the abstract feel.
Use the black marker to draw a simple, stylized line for the nose and a small circle or line for the mouth, keeping the features highly controlled and minimal.
Glue raffia or string around the edges or along the top as a simple "hair" or framing element, adding a raw, textural feel.

Variations: Instead of a mask, try creating a miniature stylized standing figure or doll using a toilet paper tube covered in white paper, adding simple features and raffia.

5. West African "Junk" Drum

Music and rhythm are central to many West African cultures. A homemade drum is the perfect instrument for kids, teaching them about sound and percussion.

Materials: Empty, clean coffee can, oatmeal container, or plastic tub, brown paper bag or fabric scraps, duct tape, string, markers, and paint.

Steps:

Cover the container completely with the brown paper or fabric, securing it neatly with duct tape.
Cut a circle of heavy paper or thin cardboard slightly larger than the drum's opening. Stretch this tightly over the top (the drum head) and secure it firmly around the edges with strong duct tape.
Decorate the sides with bright colors, stripes, or patterns inspired by traditional African textiles.

Variations: Fill the container with a few dried beans before sealing the drum head to give it a slightly shaky rattle, creating a different percussion instrument that combines drumming with a maraca sound.

6. Egyptian "Pharaoh" Collar (Ancient Egypt)

The usekh or broad collar worn by ancient Egyptian royalty and nobility was highly symbolic. We can replicate the dramatic, intricate design using a paper plate base.

Materials: Paper plate (large), scissors, glue, yellow or gold paint, sequins, plastic gems, metallic markers.

Steps:

Cut a circular hole out of the justify of the paper plate (large enough to fit over the child's head like a necklace).
Cut a slit from the outer edge to the justify hole so the collar can be slipped on and off.
Paint the entire surface gold or yellow.
Once dry, draw semicircular rows of patterns using markers, and glue on plastic gems, buttons, or sequins in concentric lines to create the dramatic, layered look of the traditional broad collar.

Variations: Use colored markers and glitter glue to draw powerful protective symbols like the ankh (key of life) or the Eye of Horus onto the collar's surface.

7. Zulu Coil Pot (South Africa)

Zulu baskets and pots are recognized for their clean lines and tightly coiled construction. This is an excellent project for developing fine motor skills and understanding ceramics techniques.

Materials: Air-dry clay, or simple salt dough (flour, salt, water), a small plastic bowl (optional, for shaping).
Steps:

Roll the clay into long, skinny "snakes" or coils, ensuring they are even in thickness.
Start with a flat circle for the base of the pot.
Begin wrapping the first coil around the base, spiralling outward and then upward.
Stack subsequent coils on top of each other, scoring the clay and using a little water to join the coils firmly. Smooth the inside surface with a finger.
Let it dry according to the clay instructions before painting.

Variations: If using salt dough, paint the dried pot with earth tones or abstract black geometric patterns. If using air-dry clay, use a toothpick to press small, repeating patterns into the surface before it dries to replicate a woven texture.

8. Adire Tie-Dye (Yoruba People, Nigeria)

Adire is a beautiful resist-dyeing tradition from the Yoruba people, often using natural indigo. This simplified tie-dye technique introduces the concept of resist patterning.

Materials: White cotton fabric (old t-shirt, bandana, pillowcase), rubber bands, string, small buckets, fabric dye (blue or indigo is traditional).

Steps:

Pinch, twist, or fold sections of the fabric into patterns (e.g., tightly rolling a section to create a line, or pinching a corner to create a burst).
Wrap rubber bands or string tightly around the pinched or folded sections. The areas covered will "resist" the dye.
Following the dye manufacturer’s instructions, mix the dye bath in a bucket.
Submerge the fabric and let it soak.
Rinse until the water runs clear, carefully cut off the rubber bands, and unfurl the stunning resist design.

Variations: Experiment with different folding techniques to create varied patterns, or use natural food dyes like turmeric or hibiscus for a non-toxic, natural-materials experience (the color will be lighter).

9. Shona Soap Carving (Zimbabwe)

The Shona people of Zimbabwe are internationally famous for their magnificent stone sculptures, often depicting human or animal forms. Soap is a soft, safe, and easily accessible medium for kids to try this sculptural art form.

Materials: A soft, plain bar of soap (like Ivory or Dove), a plastic knife, or a spoon/blunt carving tools, a tray to catch shavings.

Steps:

Draw a simple animal shape (like a bird, fish, or elephant) onto the bar of soap.
Carefully use the plastic knife or spoon edge to scrape away the excess soap, gradually revealing the animal shape you drew.
Use the blunt tools to smooth the surface and round the edges.
Rinse the finished sculpture gently with water to remove any remaining shavings and reveal a beautiful, waxy sheen.

Variations: Instead of an animal, carve an abstract, smooth, organic shape. Once finished, rub a small amount of vegetable oil onto the soap for an extra shiny, "stone-like" finish.

10. Kuba Cloth Resist Painting (Congo)

The Kuba Kingdom is known for its intricate geometric patterns etched or painted onto raffia cloth. We can mimic the signature raised texture and detailed patterns using white glue as a resist medium.

Materials: Cardboard or heavy paper, white liquid school glue, black or dark brown acrylic paint, thin paint brush.

Steps:

Use the bottle tip of the white glue to "draw" an intricate geometric pattern onto the paper (triangles, zigzags, repeating lines). The glue must be applied thickly and stand up from the paper.
Allow the glue to dry completely (this may take 12 to 24 hours!).
Once the glue is rock-hard and transparent, paint over the entire piece of paper and the dried glue lines with black or dark brown paint.
The dried glue lines create a textured 'resist' effect, allowing the original paper (or a background color you painted previously) to show through or creating a tangible, raised outline.

Variations: Use a toothpick to drag through the wet glue lines right after application to give them a rougher, more woven texture before drying, mimicking the feel of raffia embroidery.

Display & Share

Even after the glue dries, learning continues. Talking about and sharing the creations is the last and most important phase. The cultural teachings you learnt from your kid-friendly African craft ideas for school break are made stronger by this method.

At Home

Your just-created simple African cultural crafts for children are ideal for giving your interior design a unique, international flair. Putting these things on display lets your kids know that their efforts are appreciated and that the cultures they have studied are relevant. They can be used for meaningful gifts to loved ones, cultural displays in the living room, and seasonal decorations.

In Class

Presentations or report assignments are often provided after the holidays. These activities offer a wonderful, concrete link to academic disciplines, especially geography, art, and history. In order to highlight the richness and complexity of the African continent's art traditions, encourage kids to group their work by nation or region. This will allow them to create a little museum that they may showcase to friends or classmates.

I hope these simple African art projects for children inspire a wonderful holiday break filled with creativity and cultural discovery! Happy crafting!