I am a teacher at a preschool. My class age is about 2 years old. I am needing some ideas for my art class.?

Question

Next week's theme is "Native Americans". I have been told that it would be improper to use feathers (am a bit confused why this is racist, but anyway). I have one day planned to make teepees with popcicle sticks, and one day making buckskins out of paper bags. I would love some suggestions on some other art projects that a toddler can do in an hour class. Thanks for any help, and if anyone can tell me why using feathers in discussing Native Americans is racist, please let this part Native American know.. thanks

Answer 1

a fun and easy art idea is making prints or roll painting with vegetables.  try potatoes, carrots, small pumpkins

dip item in paint and stamp on paper

or place paper in shallow container(soda or beer case boxes work best) add a few spoonfulls of paint in several places on the paper and then add a vegetable corn cob, potatoe or other small vegetable works best and then show the child how to wiggle the box and spread the colors around

Answer 2

What about a totem pole? Use an egg carton. Have the kids draw designs on brown construction paper and glue paper to egg carton. Glue a peice of cardboard on one end of the egg carton for support and insert a long narrow strip of cardbord through the side of the egg carton for additional design space (this will also keep the carton balanced). As far as the feather question. The feathers have spiritual and ceremonial significance. They are used to give blessings and also for cleansing. Eagle feathers are given to the youth by an elder of their nation.

Answer 3

make macroroni faces of indians... lol

Answer 4

you could take construction paper and make hats. the feathers cant be racist thats just retarded. u no everyone think the middle plains Indians but u could instead of teepees make log houses.some cannoooes out of cardboard

Answer 5

Make bead necklaces out of pasta.  Paint with poster paints.  String with yarn and a large blunt needle - I'm sure they even make plastic ones.  I've used scotch tape on the end of yarn to make it stiff for threadding or just use shoelaces.  The pasta should be large since they won't have the dexterity to handle the smaller, thinner types.

You can make some "tin art" by placing a piece of foil on a square of cardboard, attach an outline image (like a simple turkey or cornucopia) with scotch tape, then use a toothpick to prick holes through the paper and foil.  I think two year olds would love poking holes and it will help them learn to follow the line as a guide.  When you remove the picture, you have the punched image on the foil, which can be painted or colored on with markers.

You can punch holes in felt and weave a shoelace in and out of the punched holes to make a little totebag which the young warrior might use to carry his arrow heads, made out of dried playdoh, or the young lady can carry her beads in.

Too bad you can't use feathers. They are symbols of honor, not derision. The following is from a website: indians.org

"Feathers mean a lot to Native American Tribes.  A feather isn’t just something that falls out of a bird, it means much more.  The feather symbolizes trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, freedom and many more things. To be given one of these is to be hand picked out of the rest of the men in the tribe - it’s like getting a gift from a high official.'

Answer 6

You could have the kids trace their hand(s) on construction paper to make a turkey. This would tie into Native Americans and Thaksgiving. Also, another project that would definitely be awesome would be to have the children make holiday cards for the troops. You can send the letters and pictures overseas to different units.... If interested, you may want to view www.anysoldier.com :-)

Answer 7

This what I was told about using feathers being improper when I asked...only Native Americans are legally allowed to wear real eagle feathers in their hair.  Letting the kids wear feathers, even fake ones does insult some native americans; similar to recent controversies regarding kids dressed as witches on Halloween.

Answer 8

Well I'm not sure if this would be a good thing but since its Native Americans and thanksgiving is coming up what about hand turkeys? Just put their hand in paint and then they put it on paper and draw it as a turkey. And as to the feather thing, maybe it has to do with the Chief's head dress having feathers in it? Only thing I could think of really.

Answer 9

you could try drawing with sand?

i remember i did that when I was 3 with my teacher..

try drawing with sand, papercrafts and materials like that (glue them on cardboard)... try using as many different things that ask for sense of touch

Answer 10

messy but fun, pudding paint...the best think I ever did with a class of 2 year olds, they had soo much fun, and they could "paint" anything they wanted about native americans/pilgrims. etc.

have fun with whatever you choose :)

Answer 11

Even though you aren't allowed to use feathers, you can still make Indian headbands. Our children always loved to do that in preschool - it was Indian, and a headband is kind of cool to wear and play with.

You can do the feathers out of cardboard, paper or this foamy craft stuff. Or even use their traced handprints to make feather-like stuff on a handband out of three handprints in the back.

My little one also did a pilgrim mask last week. They glued on the head to a paper plate, the teacher drew a face. They glued on the buckle and the hair. The eyes are cut out that the kids can actually really use it as mask.