The seven candles set in a kinara are an important part of the Kwanzaa celebration. Creating a kid-friendly kinara at home is not only a teaching moment about the candles' significance, but a lot safer than handing matches to children. Help your child cut an egg carton lengthwise to create two rows of six cups. Cut one row in half to create two sets of three cups. Cut one cup from the other row.
Remove excess material from the cups and turn them upside down, making sure they are level. Attach the single cup in between the two sets of three cups using a hot glue gun. Cut a small slit in the top of each cup with a pair of scissors. Paint the cups brown. While they dry, paint one craft stick black, three red and three green. Explain the colors' significance to your child. Help your child cut a flame shape from yellow construction paper, then a smaller flame shape from orange paper. Glue the smaller piece onto the larger to make a flame, then glue it to the craft stick. Let your first grader Insert the "lit" candles into the egg carton cups.
Gifts are a big part of Christmas, especially for children. This craft will not only teach children the importance of saying "thank you," but throw in a dose of fun, too. It will also give your first-grader a chance to practice her new penmanship.
Give your child three red buttons and have him glue them to the center of the card. Cut out strips of red and green ribbon; then glue them to a blank card's border. Draw holly berry leaves around the buttons using a green marker. Ask your child who she wants to write a "thank you" to, then have her pen a sentence or two about the gift.
The mysterious and generous figure of Santa Claus is a hallmark of Christmas. Make this Santa Claus mask for fun make-believe play.
Give your child pink or beige paint to paint the back of a paper plate. The curve of the plate will cover the child's face. While the paint dries, have your child cut out out a triangular hat for Santa out of red construction paper. Cut out eye holes when the paint is dry. Draw a face on Santa; practice on scratch paper first if you want. You'll need a mouth, rosy cheeks and nose. Glue cotton wool onto the plate to make Santa's hair and beard. Attach the hat using glue or clear tape. Glue a Popsicle stick to the bottom of the plate, so that one end extends vertically for a handle. Or, punch holes on either side of the mask and thread string through the holes to tie around the head.