8 Amazing Totem Pole Crafts For Kids

We searched all over the internet to bring you the best free Totem pole kids craft activities and projects. All of these kids craft projects are for Native American Totem poles. Perfect for class activities and lesson plans.

Did you know that November is National American Indian Heritage Month.

We Understand and respect that there are believed to be over 550 tribal affiliations in the USA. They are all diverse and have different languages and different cultural customs. This is why it is important to do your research before teaching your kids or class. Do not lump everyone together. If you do not know the answer don’t assume.

Totem poles are monumental carvings, a Native American Art consisting of poles, posts or pillars, carved with symbols or figures. They are usually made from large trees, mostly western red cedar.

These kids craft project use paper, card and recycled materials.

Check out these children’s stories about totem poles

.Totem Pole Kids Craft

Cut out Totem pole by DLTK

Paper Craft Totem Pole Art Project

Native Indian Totem Pole Kids Craft Activity

Recycled Jugs and Container Totem Pole Craft Project.

Art Studio Totem Poles

Kids Craft Paper Totem Poles by Kiwico

Paper Roll Totem Poles

As if Diwali weren’t colorful and fun enough, The Festival of Lights: A Lift-the-flap Diwali Celebration by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Darshika Varm, makes it even more fun to read about with flaps and things to lift and pull to see more information or details in the illustrations.

The book is a story about a family getting ready for Diwali and what happens on the different days of the five-day celebration. There’s cleaning, shopping, crafting, food preparation and getting the home altar ready for the big day.

It covers decorating the outside of the house with rangoli, diyas and lanterns, buying sweets to share with family and friends, the sights and scents of the mandir (home temple), getting dressed up in new fancy clothes, the story of Diwali and celebrations with relatives.

Flaps (there are more than 140 in all) give you vocabulary words for different foods and definitions, as well as fun things like what’s inside the shopping basket or where the cat is hanging out. They also help illuminate the story of Diwali, which is the triumph of good over evil as Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravana to save his wife, Sita.

This pretty and colorful book helps kids understand what Diwali is and how it is celebrated, regardless of whether they practice it at home. This would be a nice book to keep in a classroom (it’s rated for kids ages 3-7) or to have at home to teach kids about Diwali even if it’s not something you celebrate. Where I live there are a lot of people from India so we are probably exposed to Diwali more than some other regions of America, but it’s a nice holiday to know about wherever you live.

Combine with the book Diwali and check out some fun lantern crafts and printables for kids to round out your experience.

About the book: 24 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail prices $22.99.

Have you read?

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