Projects for kiddies

[wyo_rose]

With all the discussion of cheesey and stereotypical projects in schools, does anybody have some good ones for little kids?

My grandson's preschool teacher has asked my daughter to do some kind of presentation for a "Native American" day. She is going to have someone make frybread. Some of her friends are going to put on a dance demonstration.

I wish I was down there to help her, but I'm proud of her for organizing this on her own.

Anyway, can you think of some good, easy, and cheap projects for 4-5 year olds?

[amarie49]

I help to organize American Indian Student Association meetings for elementary kids and we do different projects once a month. For one of our meetings we had a printout of the Lakota starquilt pattern and our students colored the star as they listened to us talk about it. I brought in a starquilt that was given to me so that they could see what they looked like. This is pretty easy for little kids and very inexpensive.

[2lineCarrandMorgan]

whill in walmart today in the craft place i thought of sand painting,you could get play sand mix some color in big jars after dry
for the kid put colors sand in pixie cups give them some heavy paper and glue sticks and tell them the story of the care of the land and trees and the animal and thay get to make sand paintings whille hearing the need to love the land and for everthing that lives on it.

or
rattles to help with ego, to big it close the eyes, so one can olny see thier own reflection.
rattlen helps remind one to let go of ego.

just some thought on it also you could let them read poetry
a class of poems and how to expres thier heart in words

[wyo_rose]

Hey, that's a great idea Amarie!! She even has a star quilt with her. And I have some of the blanks to color in.

Thanks for you input, too, 2lineCM.

[2lineCarrandMorgan]

Hey, that's a great idea Amarie!! She even has a star quilt with her. And I have some of the blanks to color in.

Thanks for you input, too, 2lineCM.

your welcome i must have missed the part of them being 4 to 5 years old.
and may i ask you what it the tag you added to my name?
oh my bad , just me pulling a dory {nemo} or going moogu...lol
thank you

[Nezbah]

:D

Well I have organized a Native American Club for the kids, of all ages, and their families. This is our 2nd year, and its going good. We didn't want to center it around powwow, even though this year the boys have started their own drum group. So last year, since we had mostly girls, I had to quickly think of projects for lil ones and easy enough to do in one session:

Last week we made paper mache' pottery. Get your balloons but only cover 1/2 of them to make a bowl or pot, get some newspaper or even paper towels (the brown kind) or even brown paper bags, cut them up. Mix your paste, combined flour and water, then have the kids make their bowls. Let them dry, for the next meeting, then you can paint them. Show them samples of pottery from all different tribes, then let them make their own. Its always fun to see what kids come up with.

We also taught them to bead, with bigger beads, not using sharp needles, its great for the kids to make things for mom, especially with xmas around the corner. Teach them the basics but show them the real 'pro' beadwork too. Tell them the history and what is put into beadwork. Its a great confidence builder.

We also have taught them to weave and built their own looms, using dye charts, history, etc. I still have my lil 'coaster' my son weaved for me on my desk. Its just cute.

Need any more help? just PM me.......... We have lots of fun and make all our meetings potluck style. Everyone is fed and families make good connections. We have also developed good friends too. Some of our families came back this year and some are recruiting more. Its just fun.

Oh......another we're gonna work on this year, making quilt patches from each of the families so at the end of the year, we'll have made our own quilt to give to the school as a appreciation gift.........

[wyo_rose]

your welcome i must have missed the part of them being 4 to 5 years old.
and may i ask you what it the tag you added to my name?
oh my bad , just me pulling a dory {nemo} or going moogu...lol
thank you

Sorry, I just abbreviated your handle. I guess I could have copied and pasted. Oh well.....

I think I'll send down my bucket of plastic crow beads and cheapy conchos and they can make keychains or bracelets or whatever.

The paper machier pottery thing sound cool too!! I'm not sure how they're set up for crafty (slightly messy) things.

[Nezbah]

The paper machier pottery thing sound cool too!! I'm not sure how they're set up for crafty (slightly messy) things.[/QUOTE]


Actually all we did was put a roll of paper down and then let the kids have at it....haha.

This past week I was able to get some hide, rings, feathers, beads, and sinew to have the kids make their own dream catchers.....it was fun. We have so many talented youngsters it was great to see what they came up with. Next week, we're planning on making 'mini' drums so they can get that concept, working with rawhide, etc. I hope we're able to make enough to sell for fundraisers for our powwow and even enter them into the state fair. We also have the older kids acting as 'peers' to the little ones, so its coming along..... we're just having fun.....