9 Wampum Belt Craft For Kids
Wampum belts were used as early currency by some Native American tribes. They are made from beads made from shells, bones, or other materials.
The patterns on the belt can tell stories or show a person’s status in a tribe. Kids will love making these wampum belt crafts for kids and learning about this fascinating part of Native American history!
Beaded Wampum Belt
Beaded Wampum belts were used to communicate messages, treaties, and agreements. The beads were made from white, purple, or black shells.
The Indians would use the wampum belts to give messages about peace treaties between tribes or for trading with other tribes and Europeans. They would also use them as payment for services like a marriage between two families.
Wampum Belt Necklace
Materials
- Wampum Beads
- Ribbon
- Needle and Thread
Scissors or Knife (you can use the scissors to make holes in the cardboard)
Cardboard (we used a cereal box that we cut up)
Marker to label each square as you go along. You can also write on the white strips that are made out of paper. *
Stapler so you can staple your paper onto it, or glue if you have time.
Hole Punch, String/Ribbon – depending on how long you want it! We did ours with an elastic band but the string would be great too! If using ribbon, fold it over so there is enough room for it to fit onto your head when done. You could also just tie it around for a necklace instead if desired.
Instructions
Fold up one side of cardboard into four equal squares
per side plus corners (so 8 total). Cut two pieces from regular printer paper at least 8×10 inches large, which should fit within these dimensions nicely once folded over properly later on down below this point in the step
below Wampum Belt NecklaceIn this project, we will learn how to make a wampum belt necklace using only our hands and materials found around us! This is a fun way for kids ages 6+ years old who love art projects and crafts like me! In this post, I will show you exactly what materials are needed along with step by step
Wampum Belt Bookmark
Materials
- Wampum belt beads
- Scissors
- Glue (optional)
Instructions,
Cut a piece of paper to fit the bookmark.
Lay out your wampum belt beads on the paper in the order you would like them to go on your bookmark, making sure there is at least one bead between each pair of wampum belts.
Fold over one edge of the paper and glue it down to create two flaps as shown in the picture above (this will be used as part of your bookmark later).
Place more glue along one side of each flap and press it onto either side of your wampum belt creations so that they stick in place well enough for people who are reading with them not to notice!
When all four sides have been glued down securely, fold over any excess material from both sides together so they meet up at one point where they’ll look like little arms holding up part of a square shape made out of four dots representing stars placed right next to each other (these represent our solar system). Repeat steps 1 through 5 until done crafting!
Ceremonial Wampum Belt Card
Use a card as the base to create this wampum belt card.
Decorate it with beads and other craft supplies. Write a message on the card in pen and tie it up with some ribbon.
Paper Plate Wampum Belt
Materials
- Paper plate
- Craft items (e.g., beads) to decorate the belt with
- A rubber band or piece of yarn to hold the belt together
Foam Wampum Belt
Foam Wampum Belts are a great way to teach the history of wampum belts and what they were used for.
Foam belts are also useful for teaching about the meaning behind different belt designs, as well as the importance of how each bead was used.
Indian Canoe with a Wampum Belt Craft
What is a wampum belt?
Wampum belts are traditional items that the Native Americans use to show important events, like treaties and ceremonies. They are made of rows and columns of beads, shells, or stones that symbolize certain things. The type of wampum used can tell you where it came from (or even how old it is!) because each part of the belt has its own meaning.
When were they invented?
Wampum belts have been around for thousands of years! It’s actually really cool because people in other countries started using them too—like in China and Japan!
Clothespin Wampum Dolls craft
Materials
- Clothespins (lots of them)
- Sharpie marker (or another permanent marker)
Paper Bag Native American Mask Craft
- Use a paper bag as the material to make your Native American mask.
- Paint the face of the mask, and add feathers for decoration.
- Draw a face on it with a marker, if you wish.
Use These Crafts To Teach Your Kids About Wampum Belts
Wampum belts are a great way to teach kids about Native American culture and history. Wampum belts were used by Native Americans as a means of recording important events,
like treaties or alliances between tribes. They were also used to show allegiance to a specific tribe. The use of wampum belts grew in popularity during the 1600s and 1700s when English settlers started interacting more with the indigenous peoples whose land they were invading.
Wampum belts were made from two types of shell beads: white (made from quahog clam shells) and purple (made from whelk shells). These shells came primarily from New England’s Atlantic shoreline and Long Island Sound. Both types of beads are long since gone due to overharvesting for jewelry and buttons, but you can still purchase them online today!
Conclusion
You can use these crafts to teach your kids about wampum belts and their importance. There are many other crafts that you can use to teach them as well, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Let us know in the comments section below if you have any other ideas!
