How to Make a Mini Totem Pole - A Children's Craft

According to Wikipedia, a totem pole is a monumental sculptures carved from large trees, usually cedar, but mostly Western Red Cedar, by cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. The word "totem" is derived from the Ojibwe word odoodem, "his kinship group". When my brothers were small, they made mini totem poles out of used wooden thread spools and a few other objects. I taught my grandson how to make these and he has found that mini totem poles are fun and easy to make.

Items Needed to Make a Mini Totem Pole

-Wooden Thread spools (three or five)
NOTE: These may be hard to find because today most are made from plastic, but check your grandmothers sewing supplies or look for them at yard sales.
-Piece of thin wood measuring three inches square (an old piece of wood paneling works well)
-Small Feathers
-Acrylic paints (brown, red, blue, yellow and green)
-Paintbrushes
-Glue
-Scissors
-Sandpaper
-Wire clothes hanger
-Wire cutters
-Googly-eyes (optional)
-Markers (optional)
-Small stones (optional)

Instructions to Make a Mini Totem Pole

Remove any paper affixed to the thread spools and sand any rough edges. Cut off the hook end of the clothes hanger with the wire cutters. Straighten the clothes hanger and put a small hook in one end. Place the other end of the wire through the opening of one thread spool and slide the spool down to the hook. Bend the wire so that the spool will not slide back off and then slide the next spool onto the wire. Bend the wire again and slide on the next spool. Continue in this fashion until all spools are on the wire and separated by a bend. Put a hook in the end to prevent the last spool from sliding off. Paint all thread spools and wood piece with the brown paint and let them completely dry.

Glue the thread spools end-to-end and then glue the set to the three-inch square wooden piece to form the base and let dry.

On the Internet, search for Native American totem poles and use these as examples on how to paint the thread spools. Use brightly colored paints and the googly-eyes if you prefer. Attach the small feathers to the sides and top, and glue the small stones to the base.

VARIATION: Cut a larger base and make a grouping of different sized totem poles.

Sources: Wikipedia, Personal Experience