Learning about Native American culture with young children can turn into an interesting adventure.

We are now in a month that honours Native American Heritage and even though we have no direct ties with this cultural background, we still give a great deal of attention passing onto generation how amazing Native American culture is in many ways.

So far my children have only encountered anything Native American through Pocahontas cartoons. There isn’t  much there revealing the culture besides some clothing and closeness to nature.

Since my girls love drawing, coloring and dressing up, I decided to introduce them to Native American dance shawls and created a simple but fun craft for them that encouraged them to ask more questions about Native American culture.

Materials needed:

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2 old sheets or pieces of plain cloth (we had some crib mattress covers which we used)
Scissors, if necessary
Fabric markers, stamps or paints
Fringe (optional, and for much older children – we didn’t use for this craft)
Cardboard

Process:

1. Lay the sheet over the cardboard – it is easier to draw and color!

2. Let the children decorate the fabric.

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3. Tie the fabric around shoulders or body and using some Native American music let your spirit dance!

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Optional:

1. Decorate the sides of the shawl with fringe. You can make it out of a yarn or a thicker crochet thread. Or get the ready-made. You would need a needle and thread to stitch them onto the fabric; or make holes and tie them.

2. Make headbands out of the fabric: simply cut a long chunk of fabric , decorate it and tie on the head.

I hope you enjoy this simple craft while learning about Native American Heritage!

Native American Heritage Month | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Welcome to our second annual celebration of Native American Heritage Month!  All month long we’ll be sharing posts about sharing these rich cultures with kids.  Find our full schedule of posts below, and don’t forget to link up your own as well!  We’ll also be having a big giveaway (details coming soon!)  You can find even more ideas on our Native/Indigenous Cultures Pinterest board:

Follow Multicultural Kid Blogs’s board Native/Indigenous Cultures on Pinterest.

November 2
Castle View Academy on Multicultural Kid Blogs: The Elders Are Watching

November 4
Kid World Citizen: Visiting the Wounded Knee Museum with Kids

November 6
Hispanic Mama

November 9
Crafty Moms Share

November 11
Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes

November 13
Tiny Tapping Toes on Multicultural Kid Blogs

November 16
The Mommy Factor

November 18
Creative World of Varya

November 19

Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes

November 20
Crafty Moms Share on All Done Monkey

November 23
Castle View Academy

November 25

Crafty Moms Share

November 27

Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes

November 30
Back of the TapTap

Enter Our Giveaway!

Native American Heritage Month Giveaway: Grand Prize | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Grand Prize Package

Tribal Nations Map

From Five Star Publications: Nanisé, a Navajo Herbal (US Shipping Only)

From Jeff Altabef: Wind Catcher & Brink of Dawn

From Wisdom Tales Press: The Hunter’s Promise and Thunder Egg (US Shipping Only)

Native American Heritage Month Giveaway: First Prize | Multicultural Kid Blogs

First Prize Package

$50 Gift Certificate to Zazzle

From Groundwood Books: Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox, P’ésk’a and the First Salmon Ceremony, and The Outside Circle

From Wisdom Tales Press: Red Cloud’s War (US Shipping Only)

Native American Heritage Month Giveaway: Second Prize | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Second Prize Package

From Daria – World Music for Children: Handmade owl pottery from the Jemez Pueblo (US Shipping Only)

From Birchbark Books: The Birchbark House (US Shipping Only)

From Candlewick Press: X-Indian Chronicles and I Am Apache (US Shipping Only)

From Wisdom Tales Press: Pine and Winter Sparrow and Whispers of the Wolf (US Shipping Only)

Bonus Prize Collage

Bonus Prize Package

From Candlewick Press: The Aztec News and Starfields (US Shipping Only)

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Link up your own posts on sharing Native American heritage with kids!