Germany
German crafts create a cultural experience for kids of all ages. The European country offers a rich heritage and culture with symbols, clothing and architecture that inspire craft ideas. The projects teach about Germany's history using a more creative format, making them a good supplement to a social studies unit on the country.
Bavarian Hat
The southern Bavarian region of Germany is known for its traditional green hats worn by men. This craft project helps kids make their own hats out of construction paper. Start with a 12-by-18 inch piece of green construction paper. Fold it in half to create a 9-by-12 inch rectangle. Bring the two creased corners to the middle and fold them to create two 6-inch triangles. This will create a point in the middle of the folded edge which will create the top of the hat. You will have about three inches that isn't included in the triangles at the bottom along the edge that wasn't folded. Fold each side of the 3-inch edge in half and then in half again. This creates the brim of the hat. These hats traditionally have a feather or an edelweiss flower on them. Cut out a flower from construction paper or glue a colorful craft feather onto the hat. You can also create a strap for the hat by attaching some elastic string on either side of the brim.
Castles
Castles are a rich part of Germany's history. Let the kids create their own castles using old cardboard boxes. Cover the boxes with gray construction paper or paint them. Draw lines to create a brick look on the exterior. Add smaller boxes at the corners to create turrets. Help the kids cut doors and windows in the cardboard box castle. Small dolls or plastic toy figures let the kids play with the castle after they create it.
Lederhosen
Lederhosen are Germany's traditional leather pants, often paired with a white shirt, suspenders and the traditional green Bavarian hat. Let the kids create their own German characters wearing lederhosen. Start by creating a template for the lederhosen, shirts and hats. The kids trace the patterns onto felt or poster board to create the basics of the characters. Glue the pants and shirt together. Add ribbon or string to create the suspenders. Glue two craft sticks behind the lederhosen to create the legs. Cut out a picture of each child's head to use as the character's face. Glue it to the top of the shirt. Add the Bavarian hat cutout to the top of the child's picture to complete the character.
German Flag
The flag of Germany consists of black, red and gold stripes.
The German flag is an easy one to recreate in a craft project for kids. The flag features three horizontal stripes. The colors from top to bottom are black, red and gold. Each child needs a rectangle of poster board. Draw horizontal lines to create the three sections of the flag. Let the kids paint the sections in the correct colors. Another option is to glue small squares of tissue paper in the colors in each section.
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