Corn Crafts for Kwanzaa

"Muhindi" translates to corn in Kiswahili and represents all children according to the Kwanzaa celebration. Here are three corn crafts you and your children can make in preparation for this African-American tradition.

Corn Magnet

To make a corn magnet, you will need: green rickrack (medium-sized), yellow rickrack (small), sticky-back magnet, posterboard - yellow, glue, a ruler, and scissors.

First, cut a corn shape from the posterboard. Next, cut enough strips of yellow rickrack to glue down over the entire ear of corn. Shape up your magnet by cutting away the excess rickrack at the edges. Cut a few shortened pieces of green rickrack and glue on both sides of yellow rickrack as well as on the back to give the magnet an authentic corn husk feel. Place a sticky-back magnet on the back. Each child can make one for his or her mother.

Corn Pin - Beaded

To make a beaded corn pin, you will need a wooden ice-cream spoon, a ruler, glue, large yellow seed beads, a pin back, scissors, green rickrack, and metallic embroidery thread.

First, cut a 2"piece from the handle of the ice-cream spoon. Glue the large yellow seed beads all over one side of the handle. Glue a piece of green rickrack on each side of the corn for husks. Use the metallic thread to look like corn silk. Glue a few threads to the top of the pin on the back. Glue a pin back down on the back of the corn. Now, your beaded corn pin is ready for your mother to wear.

Corn Favor

To make a corn favor for your Kwanzaa table, you will need a paper towel roll, yellow rickrack, green construction paper, glue, markers (yellow & brown), scissors, brown lunch bag, paper clips, and candy.

To begin, mash the end of one side of the paper towel roll. Fold two sides into a point. Glue down the folds. Use paper clips to hold the folds down until the glue has dried. Now, cut a 2 " piece off the other end of the paper towel roll. Cover the 2" piece with green construction paper and glue it down. Use yellow rickrack to decorate the top and bottom edges.

Fill the tube with candy and shake it down to one end. Flatten the open end and glue it shut, again securing with paper clips until the glue has dried. Cover the exposed area yellow. Draw in some brown kernels with markers. Use the brown lunch bag to make some corn shucks and glue them down on each side of the tube and around the back. To finish, glue the end of the corn into the green tube. Make the corn favors personal and add names on the green base.