Kwanzaa for Kids
Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri!
What is Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday celebrated mainly in the US for the
week between 26th December and 1st January each year.
The holiday was established in 1966 to help African Americans remember and
celebrate their heritage. The word "Kwanzaa" comes from the Swahili language and
means "first fruits". Each day of the seven days is dedicated to one of "The
Seven Principles of Kwanzaa", which are
1. umoja - to maintain unity in the family and community
2. kujichagulia - self-determination, to be responsible and speak for oneself
3. ujima - collective work and responsibility, to build and maintain a community
4. ujamaa - economic co-operation, to help and profit one another
5. nia - purpose, to build and develop the community for the benefit of the
people
6. kuumba - creativity, to do everything possible to leave the community more
beautiful and beneficial for future generations
7. imani - faith, to believe in parents, teachers and leaders.
A candle is lit each day on the special candlestick, the "kimara", to
represent these principles. The kimara is placed on a mkeka, a traditional straw
mat, and one ear of corn is also placed on the mat for each child in the family.
A fruit basket, called a "mazao", is also displayed, along with a special
"unity" cup, out of which everyone drinks. Families decorate their homes with
traditional African crafts. The colors red, green and black - representing the
African flag - are used. Gifts, known as "zawadi", are given on the last day of
Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa Crafts
We have a collection of Kwanzaa crafts for you to enjoy,
inspired by traditional African handicrafts and the colors of Kwanzaa - red,
green and black.
Kwanzaa Crafts for kids
Perhaps you could fold 7 candles in Kwanzaa colors?
Origami candle and candleholder
Kwanzaa Puzzles
Enjoy our collection of Kwanzaa crosswords and word search puzzles.
Kwanzaa puzzles
Kwanzaa Printables
We have a new collection of notebooking pages and mini foldable booklets of
famous African-Americans.
Famous People Notebooking Pages
Have fun dressing our collection of paper dolls
Paper Dolls
More Kwanzaa Activities
Corn coloring page
How to Incorporate Kwanzaa Into Your Homeschool Curriculum
Learn
Official Kwanzaa site
http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml
Learn about the history of Kwanzaa
Count to ten in Kiswahili
NEW!
http://www.kwanzaaland.com/children/counting.html
More about the culture of Kwanzaa
http://www.nhm.org/africa/
The symbols of Kwanzaa, explained for kids
http://www.afro.com/children/fun/kwanzaa/symbols.html
Learn Swahili
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/9754/learnkiswahili.html
Learn about the Kwanzaa candles with this interactive book
http://www.lil-fingers.com/kwanzaa/index.html
Print
Print and colour your own place mat (free registration required)
NEW!
http://www.bhg.com/holidays/kwanzaa/crafts/kinaras/
Banner craft printable worksheet
NEW!
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/kwanzaa_craft.pdf
Greeting card templates
NEW!
http://www.hooverwebdesign.com/free-printable-kwanzaa-greetings-card.html
Print and make this lovely Kwanzaa paper doll
http://www.makingfriends.com/friends/f+kwanzaa.htm
Print and make your own family tree chart to help celebrate your family this
Kwanzaa
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/familytree/semicircle/
A large selection of Kwanzaa themed worksheets to print
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/kwanza/
Printable Happy Kwanzaa bookmarks
http://www.clipartandcrafts.com/papercrafts/bookmarks/kwanzaa-bookmarks-corn.pdf
Kwanzaa bookmarks to print
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/kwanzaa/bookmarks/set1.html
Print, assemble and fill this mini book for Kwanzaa
http://www.billybear4kids.com/TinyTitles/Kwanzaa.html
Print these red, black and green frames and make a Kwanzaa family tree
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/kwanzaa/family-tree/frames.html
Coloring
Kwanzaa coloring pages are here
Make
Make a unity cup
NEW!
http://www.ehow.com/how_4612677_kwanzaa-unity-cup.html
Tissue paper Indian corn
NEW!
http://www.freekidscrafts.com/tissue_paper_indian_corn-e566.html
Harvest basket collage
NEW!
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/autumncrafts/a/blhrvstbwl.htm
African Drum
NEW!
http://www.makingfriends.com/music/african_drum.htm
Make a grass mat for Kwanzaa
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/crafts/KWANZMAT.HTM
Make a Kwanzaa hug card
http://www.makingfriends.com/world/kwanzaa_hug_card.htm
Make your own Kwanzaa hat
http://www.makingfriends.com/world/kwanzaa_hat.htm
Make a special candle to store your sweets
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/kwanza/candles/
Instructions for how to make and play the traditional game of Oware
http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/kwanzaa_owaregame.htm
Make and play this Kwanzaa counting game
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jsp?storyid=/
templatedata/bhg/story/data/12071.xml
Make a papier mache bowl for Kwanzaa
http://crafts.holidays.net/view_craft.php?id=47
Make a rain stick
http://crafts.holidays.net/view_craft.php?id=48
Do
Kwanzaa word scramble to print
NEW!
http://www.kwanzaaland.com/children/wordjumble.html
Kwanzaa word search to print
http://www.kwanzaaland.com/children/wordsearchhard.html
Kwanzaa crossword to print
http://www.kwanzaaland.com/children/crosswords.html
Play
Colour online
NEW!
http://aakulturezone.com/kidz/kool/coloring/headwrap.html
Large selection of online Kwanzaa jigsaw puzzles
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/kwanzaa/puzzles/index.htm
Online coloring pages
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/kwanzaa/index.html
Play this Kwanzaa online pairs game
http://www.lil-fingers.com/holidays/kwanzaa/
Enjoy
Wallpapers
NEW!
http://www.kwanzaaland.com/wallpaper.html
Kwanzaa clipart
NEW!
http://www.kwanzaaland.com/graphics/
Send a Kwanzaa e-card
NEW!
http://greetings.aol.com/category.pd?path=63307
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