A central theme of Thanksgiving is history. Young children tend to like history, as long as it’s presented in a fun way. Thanksgiving crafts are a great way to make history meaningful to kids. There are lots of great craft projects that create a connection with Pilgrims, Native Americans, or their own family history. Whether you are a parent or teacher, you can help your kids have fun and learn something with this paper Pilgrim or pioneer bonnet craft for Thanksgiving.
What You Need
- Size 12 or 16 paper bag (small)
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Ruler
- 8 ½ by 11” sheet of construction paper
- Clear tape
- 5 feet of ribbon
Instructions
- Open the paper bag and lay it on one of the narrow sides. On the top narrow side, cut down the center from the top to approximately 4 inches from the bottom. Then cut from that point to the fold on both sides, creating two flaps.
- Open the flaps outward and turn the bag over, with the flap side down. Flatten it slightly at the open end.
- On the uncut narrow side, measure 12 inches from the bottom of the bag and make a mark. Draw an arch starting at that point and going around to the other edge of one side of the bag. Cut on the line, going through both sides of the bag at once.
- Open the bonnet. Tuck in the corners of the bottom of the bag to give it a more rounded appearance.
- Fold the piece of construction paper in half lengthwise. Tape the paper inside the top of the bonnet, with the folded edge parallel with the back and about 2 inches from it.
- Cut a slit in the fold of each side flap of the bonnet, about 4 inches from the front. Place the ribbon over the top of the bonnet, thread it through the slits, and fold the flaps up a bit. Put the bonnet on the child’s head and tie underneath the chin.
Tips
- If you can find them, white paper bags make an especially pretty bonnet. But they also look lovely in brown.
- It doesn’t matter what color of construction paper you use, but light colors are less likely to show through the finished bonnet – especially if the bag you’re using is thin or white. If you don’t have any construction paper, card stock also works well.
- Curling the ends of the ribbon after it’s tied adds a nice touch. To do this, open a pair of scissors, place the flat part of the blade against the underside close to the tied part, and run the blade along the length quickly, going all the way to the end.
After you try this paper Pilgrim or pioneer bonnet Thanksgiving craft, let us know how it turned out. Remember to also let us know how you used it to teach your kids about history.
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