Embark on a colorful journey into the world of African art with these engaging and educational projects designed for kids. Perfect for celebrating Black History Month or enriching your art curriculum, these activities offer a hands-on experience that fosters creativity, cultural awareness, and artistic skills.
1. Capturing the African Sunset
Even though I moved to Australia when I was a child, I was originally born in South Africa. Something I still remember, and that Australia just can’t compete with, is the beautiful African sunsets. I’ve never seen those deep red colors anywhere else. If you love those colors too, then make this African Sunset Shadow Tracing Art with you kids. This is a fun art project if you want to try shadow art for kids, or just to explore some wonderful African animals.
Materials:
- Red, orange, and yellow paper
- White paper
- Glue
- Wild animal toys
- Black pen
Instructions:
- Tear the red, orange and yellow paper into long strips. These will be the base of your African sunset. Of course you can choose whatever colors you want or have handy. I like tearing instead of cutting because it gives an interesting edge to each of the paper pieces.
- Use a regular piece of white paper and use it as a base for your African animal art. Glue the colorful strips onto the base in an alternating pattern, until the entire white sheet is covered.
- Grab any wild animal toys you have on hand. I know these aren’t traditional craft supplies, but that makes it even more fun. Head outside on a sunny day and arrange the animals at the edge of your background. I used some foam blocks to change the height of the baby giraffe because I wanted it to look like there was a giraffe in the distance.
- Use a black pen to trace around the shadow outlines.
- All done.
2. Constructing Galimotos: Wire Toy Cars
This activity for 3rd or 4th graders is part of a series of lessons on Kenya (or another African country) with the focus being a child’s life and experiences. Inspire your students with the story of Kondi from the book "Galimoto," who builds his own toy car out of wire.
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Galimoto waving flag
Materials:
- Wire-a variety of copper, steel, or dark galvanized easily purchased in a hardware store.
- Pipe cleaners, washers, bolts, misc.
- Popsicle sticks (optional)
Instructions:
- Read Galimoto aloud to the group. Focus on how Kondi decides to build a galimoto and then sets to his task. Discuss with the class what a galimoto is. The word galimoto is nicely explained in the book.
- Explain to the group that everyone will have the opportunity to build a galimoto. On paper, have each child draw a pencil sketch of the galimoto he/she wants to build. Although the actual toy they build will probably be different from the sketch, this will help to focus the ideas. It is also helpful for many children to look at the toy cars and trucks.
- Help the children begin the galimotos by building a base for the vehicle. The heavier wire should be used on this part of the galimoto. The popsicle sticks wrapped with wire make a good base for children who are having difficulty with just wire.
- As the galimoto takes shape, the children can add other materials to give the toy detail and character. Pieces that can be used for wheels or decoration are fun to add. Be careful to watch that the galimotos are still being made with wire.
- When the galimotos are complete. the children can have the opportunity to share their toy and talk about how they made it.
For teachers doing this lesson, it is important to have extra adults on hand to help with the cutting and bending of wire. It is difficult to give specific directions for building the toys. With the supplies and an idea of what they will be doing from reading and discussing Galimoto, the children were able to initiate construction without much direct instruction. Several children did need assistance with the implementation of their designs.
3. Tie-Dyeing Adire Cloth
Explore the vibrant textile traditions of Nigeria with tie-dyeing, a technique used to create Adire cloth. This can be an exciting but messy endeavor in the classroom. It works best if you have 4 or 5 adults available (parent volunteers perhaps) to help with every phase of the tie-dyeing.
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Materials:
- White cotton cloth squares
- Dye (indigo or other colors)
- String, rubber bands, or thread for binding
- Newspapers and towels
- Iron
Instructions:
- The material needs to be bunched, folded, sewn, pleated, etc.
- When the material is ready, immerse in the dye until the cloth is very dark.
- Squeeze slightly to remove excess dye. At this point the cloth can dry as is, or you can unbind it.
- To speed up the drying time in the classroom, you can have the children unbind their fabric and have an adult iron the square. This helps seal color and remove dripping water. You need a thickly newspapered and toweled surface on which to do this step.
- By unbinding at this point, you allow the children to see their tie-dyeing immediately.
When the squares are dry, attach poems with tape or glue. The tie-dyed fabric squares can be used as a mounting for a poem. The poem provided is one the describes the fabric weavers in a village. You can use this poem as a jumping-off point for the children to write their own poems.
4. African Mask Art Projects
Ready to teach a Black History Month activity that’ll keep elementary art kids engaged? This African mask art project will boost confidence and creativity. Kids will appreciate understanding the reason why people make and wear masks. Moreover, they’ll enjoy making their own mask design with exciting patterns! And, it’ll help time-starved teachers like you create art lesson plans based on African art. During this art project, your class will discuss ceremonies, rituals, and traditions surrounding African masks.
Materials:
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- Cardboard or heavy paper
- Paints, markers, or crayons
- Scissors
- Glue
- Various decorative items (beads, yarn, fabric scraps, etc.)
Instructions:
- Students will expand their understanding of the element of shape by drawing an African mask with many shapes.
- Let students choose a project, create multiple projects, or choose one based on materials on hand while learning about African masks and B
- Students apply inspiration from the masks to create their own symmetrical mask d
5. Crafting Kente Cloth Weavings
Introduce children to the background and meaning of kente cloth created by the African cultural traditions in Ghana in this series of four elementary art lessons. Use the done-for-you digital storybook to look at different examples of kente cloth and how it is made while learning a brief history of tradition. Then use the digital presentation with step-by-step art project directions to guide young artists as they create their own kente-inspired weaving art project.
Materials:
- Construction paper in various colors
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions:
- This African Kente Cloth drawing art project will help your students develop ruler skills.
- Your students will also learn how to use the elements of shape and line to create geometric shapes that will become their own Kente inspired designs.
6. More Creative Art Projects
- Anansi the Spider Art: Bring the tale of Anansi to life through art, focusing on key details and artistic elements like lines.
- African Djembe Drum Art: Explore the community aspect of drum making and let kids paint their own drum designs.
- African Dance Art: Celebrate African dance by drawing characters in motion, using provided sheets to create complete figures.
- Adinkra Symbol Crests: Learn about Adinkra symbols from West Africa and create personalized handprint crests.
- Animal Research Projects: Combine art with science by creating animal crafts (zebra, impala, lion, meerkat, elephant) and writing research reports.
- Tribal Necklaces: Create colorful tribal necklaces using paper plates and simple materials.
7. Integrating Art History
Deepen your students' understanding of African art by exploring its influence on famous artists and movements:
- Aaron Douglas and the Harlem Renaissance: Introduce students to the life and work of this key figure in the Harlem Renaissance.
- Face Jugs: Discover the history of this distinct pottery style created by 19th-century slaves in the American South.
- Picasso and African Art: Examine the influence of African masks on Picasso's art, comparing his works with the masks that inspired him.
These projects offer a fantastic way to engage children in African art, fostering creativity, cultural appreciation, and a deeper understanding of art history. Have fun exploring these diverse and enriching art forms!
