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Woven Mat for Kwanzaa

Help your preschooler make his own mkeka, the woven mat on which other Kwanzaa symbols rest.
By: Trish Kuffner, author of The Preschooler's Busy Book

Woven Mat for Kwanzaa


Materials

  • Black, red, and green construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue or stapler

Directions

  1. Fold black construction paper in half to make a frame for the mat.
  2. Show your child how to cut from the folded edge to within one inch of the opposite side.
  3. Make an even number of cuts about one inch apart across the entire width of the paper; unfold.
  4. Cut one-inch strips of red and green construction paper the length of the frame's width or slightly longer.
  5. Show your child how to weave the red and green strips over and under the cuts in the frame.
  6. Use glue or a stapler to secure the strips in place along the edge of the frame; trim if necessary.

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