Kwanzaa for Kids: Learn A New Holiday Tradition

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Don’t let the Holiday Spirit end with Christmas!  Introduce new traditions and start Celebrating Kwanzaa starting on December 26th and going through the 1st of January!  With the kids home for the Holidays, this is the perfect time for Kwanzaa for Kids. 

Started in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of Africana Studies at California State University, Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus available to and practiced by Africans of all religious faiths who come together based on the rich, ancient and varied common ground of their Africanness.

The Symbols of Kwanzaa Coloring Pages:

Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols and two supplemental ones. Each represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement.  I have created coloring pages for some of the Kwanzaa symbols.  The basic symbols in Swahili and then in English are:

1. Mazao (The Crops) – These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.
2. Mkeka (The Mat) – This is symbolic of the tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which they build.
3. Kinara (The Candle Holder) – This is symbolic of their roots, or parent people — continental Africans.
4. Muhindi (The Corn) – This is symbolic of the children and future which they embody.
5. Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles) – These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.
6. Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup) – This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.
7. Zawadi (The Gifts) – These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.
8. Bendera (The Flag) – The colors of the Kwanzaa flag are black, red and green; black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. It is based on the colors given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world.
9. Nguzo Saba Poster (Poster of The Seven Principles)

**The information regarding the symbols came from The Official Kwanzaa Website

Kwanzaa for Kids Crafts:

Here are a few fun Kwanzaa for Kids  crafts from the writers of Spoonful… enjoy!

1. Playtime Kwanza Doll
2. Kwanza Candle Craft

Kwanzaa Books for Children:

Most of these books are available in Kindle format and regular format.  So, you can choose the best for you!

1. The Children’s Book of Kwanzaa: A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday
2. My First Kwanzaa
3. Together for Kwanzaa
4. The Story of Kwanzaa (Trophy Picture Books)
5. Kwanzaa (Rookie Read-About Holidays)
6. Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa Recipe:

Cook up this Kwanzaa for Kids traditional recipe to really get your family into the role of Celebrating Kwanzaa!

1. Okra and Corn Kwanzaa Recipe

Swahili Number Practice Handwriting Sheets

 BONUS:  I made some number printables in Swahili to help your child learn a new language!

Print only one or print them both:

1. Handwriting for grades 1 and 2
2. Cursive for grades 3 through 5

To help you pronounce the numbers correctly, I have included a video below.

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