The first day of May is called both May Day and Maypole Day. It is associated with celebrations marking the arrival of spring. The idea of the Maypole dates back to the ancient Romans. They believed pine trees were sacred and they decorated them with flowers and danced around them on May 1st in honor of their goddess of flowers, Flora.
May Day is celebrated in many countries with a variety of customs. From hanging baskets of flowers on a neighbors doorknob without getting caught (least you get a kiss the tradition says), to wrapping flowers in a cow’s tail for a parade in France, to offering one another flowered leis in Hawaii, to delivering flowers in exchange for pennies to throw into a wishing well in London. The common theme for all May Day traditions is lots and lots of flowers.
Maypole Day celebrations include decorating a pole or tree with flowers, attaching ribbons (often ropes or streamers are used today) and winding them around the Maypole while circling it.
Maypole Day Crafts: The Easiest Paper Towel Tube Maypoles
Through out my many years of teaching, I’ve seen many versions of maypoles made from paper towel tubes. I’ve developed a maypole craft that doesn’t require paint, glue or tape which means that kids can enjoy it right away with no waiting for drying glue or paint. Also they can twirl and enjoy it without the worry of taped on ribbons falling off. Nothing bums out a maypole day celebration faster than having your maypole craft fall apart in seconds.
Materials Needed:
Paper towel tubes
Green tissue paper
(Although it could certainly be any color if you’re recycling. I always save the green floral paper from flower bouquets and that works great too.)
Ribbon
Beads (6 per Maypole)
A hole puncher
Directions:
Have kids roll the paper towel tubes in tissue paper and simply generously tuck the tops and bottoms into both ends.
Here’s where younger kids will need help. Now you want to use a hole puncher to punch six holes in the top through the tissue paper and the cardboard tube. This is why you need no tape or glue.
Thread lengths of ribbon, three total, from the outside of one hole to the inside and from the inside of the neighboring hole out. Repeat this process three times and you’ll have six ribbons dangling from your maypole.
Have kids thread a bead on the end of each ribbon and knot off. The bead gives the maypole ribbons some weight to make them fun for twirling.
Now simply hold up and twirl away and the ribbons will swing to and fro wrapping the maypole.
Maypole Day Crafts: A Natural Maypole in a Jiffy
An alternative that is fun, extra cheap and ready in a jiffy is a maypole made with a stick, some tiny fresh blooms and colored ribbons. Again there’s no glue or tape and you’re ready to go. You add beads to these ribbons also if desired.
Materials needed:
Sticks
Bouquets of tiny fresh blooms
(Tiny strands of silk flowers could work too.)
Ribbons
(The great news if that once your May Day celebration is over, you can compost your flowers and put your ribbons back into your craft supplies.)
Directions:
Simply hold the fresh or silk bloom atop the stick and wrap and tie off with a ribbon. Add ribbons of other colors and you’re ready to celebrate to Maypole Day.
