Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October. It is named for the Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, who is credited with discovering the New World.
Like most other holidays, people enjoy creating crafts to celebrate. The following are some fun and creative ideas for Columbus Day crafts.
A Shadow Box is like a three dimensional scrapbook page. For this project, you will need a shoebox. The bottom of the shoebox will be the setting for your scene (the bottom will be stood upright, your scene stretching across the width of the box. The lid will be placed underneath to help stand it up). Following are suggestions for making your scene.
Inside your shoebox, create a scene of waves and sky (to represent the Atlantic Ocean). This can be done with paint, construction paper or card stock. Then make three origami sailboats: the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria (instructions on how to make the boats can be found at http://www.ehow.com/how_5575_make-origami-sailboat.html).
You can decorate these boats however you wish. When finished decorating, glue the boats in the box, in front of the ocean scene. You can also add different items to the box. For instance, you can draw equipment that would have been used on the voyage, such as a compass, a telescope or a map. After drawing them, cut them out and use fishing line, ribbon or thread to suspend them from the top of the box. You could also display the poem, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Take a piece of card stock and cut length-wise, about 1 ½ inches. Fold a quarter of an inch of the bottom, making a sharp crease (this is so it will stand up). Write the saying on the paper and glue it in your box.
Place the lid (flat surface down) underneath the box and secure with glue.
Story Book
Write about Columbus in your own words. For the covers of the book, you can use pieces of cardboard, card stock or even a cereal box. Decorate the covers using construction paper, paint or fabric.
Any paper will do for the inside pages of your book. Use notebook paper, copy paper, construction paper or stationary. Suggestions on what to write about include a biography of Columbus, a story of how Columbus sailed to the New World or the history of Columbus Day. It’s also fun to add illustrations to your story.
After completing your story, use a three hole punch on the border of your book and secure with ribbon (or anything else you might find appropriate). You can make it a tradition to read your book every year.
Here are other suggestions and websites for different craft ideas:
Milk Carton Spanish Galleon:
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/columbus/mmilk_carton_galleon.htm
Sailor Hats:
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/columbus/newspaper_sailors_hats.htm
Paper Mache Globe:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/globe/
Egg Cup Ships:
http://crafts.kaboose.com/egg-cup-ships.html
It should be pointed out that many people do not celebrate Columbus Day due to the controversy concerning the indigenous people who were already settled on the land that Columbus landed on. The shadow box craft and the story book can also be used to celebrate Native American heritage.
For example, the journey depicted in the shadow box could be changed to show a scene reflecting the life of Native Americans or the story book could tell a story of the history of the indigenous people.
Other crafts relating to Native American culture include:
Dream Catcher:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Dreamcatcher.shtml
Pinch Pot
http://www.teachersfirst.com/summer/pinchpot.htm
Cornhusk Doll
http://www.teachersfirst.com/summer/cornhusk.htm
Totem Pole
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/na/totempole/
However you choose to celebrate Columbus Day, make it fun and educational. It is a great feeling to be express yourself creatively, use your imagination and show off something that you have handmade.
