Embark on a vibrant journey to Brazil with your little ones! This South American nation pulsates with life, from the lively rhythms of samba to the awe-inspiring Amazon rainforest.
Let’s explore this rich culture through 20 engaging crafts that will spark creativity and introduce kids to the wonders of Brazil.
Feathered Frenzy: Make a Paper Plate Rainforest Parrot
Brazil boasts the largest rainforest on Earth, teeming with unique birds. Craft a colorful parrot using a paper plate! Cut out the plate’s center to create the body. Decorate with construction paper or paint for feathers, adding a beak and eye from construction paper or googly eyes.
Let the Celebrations Begin: Design a Brazilian Carnival Mask
The vibrant Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a global spectacle. Create your own dazzling mask using cardboard or thick felt. Cut out eyeholes and decorate with feathers, sequins, glitter, and paint. Let your child’s imagination soar with vibrant colors and unique designs.
Explore the Rainforest Sounds: Craft a DIY Rain Stick
The Amazon rainforest is alive with the sound of rain. Make a rainstick to mimic this calming melody! Fill a cardboard tube with dried beans, rice, or pasta. Cover one end with paper or fabric secured by a rubber band. Decorate the tube with paint or markers depicting rainforest scenes. Flip and tilt the rainstick to hear the soothing sounds.
Reach for the Skies: Create a Christ the Redeemer Craft
Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue overlooking Rio, represents hope and faith. This craft is perfect for older children. Use pipe cleaners or construction paper strips to create the outstretched arms and body of the statue. Mount it on a cardboard base painted blue to represent the sky.
Samba Time! Create Vibrant Samba Dancer Crafts
The infectious energy of samba dancers is a highlight of Carnival. Craft your own dancing figures! Cut out simple dancer shapes from construction paper. Decorate with colorful skirts made from tissue paper or fabric scraps. Add pipe cleaner arms and glue on yarn for hair.
Wear the Spirit: Design a Rio-Inspired Carnival Headdress
Let your child channel their inner Carnival participant with a dazzling headdress. Use a headband as the base. Decorate it with colorful feathers, sequins, beads, and bits of fabric. Add a touch of Brazil with miniature Brazilian flags or paper cutouts of iconic landmarks.
A Mosaic Masterpiece: Create a Brazil Flag Paper Mosaic
The vibrant green, yellow, blue, and white of the Brazilian flag are instantly recognizable. Craft a beautiful mosaic flag using colored construction paper. Cut squares or triangles of different sizes and glue them onto a cardboard base to recreate the flag’s design.
Let the Rhythm Flow: Make DIY Maracas
Maracas are instruments synonymous with Brazilian music. Create your own shakers! Fill small plastic containers (like empty water bottles) with dried beans, rice, or pasta. Securely glue on lids. Decorate with paint, glitter, and colorful yarn shakers.
Wear Your Colors with Pride: Make a Brazil Flag Day Bracelet
Celebrate Brazil’s Independence Day (September 7th) with a handmade bracelet. Use embroidery floss or friendship bracelet thread in green, yellow, blue, and white. Braid the threads to create a colorful bracelet that reflects the Brazilian flag.
Learn and Play: Make Printable Brazil Fact Cards
Learning about Brazil goes hand-in-hand with crafting! Find online resources with fun facts about Brazil’s geography, animals, culture, and history. Print and cut out the facts to create informative cards. Decorate the cards with drawings or pictures related to each fact.
Score a Goal! Craft an Origami Brazil Football Jersey
Football (soccer) is a national passion in Brazil. Fold an origami Brazil football jersey using paper. You can find tutorials online for easy-to-follow instructions. Decorate the jersey with the number of a favorite Brazilian player or write your child’s name on the back.
The Star Player: Create a Neymar Football Paper Craft
Neymar, a world-famous Brazilian footballer, is an inspiration to many. Craft a paper figure of Neymar! Use construction paper for the body, head, and limbs. Add details like hair, facial features, and the iconic yellow Brazilian football uniform.
A Culinary Adventure: Design a Fake Feijoada Plate
Feijoada, a hearty stew with black beans, meat, and vegetables, is a national dish of Brazil. Craft a colorful representation of this delicious meal! Cut out paper or cardboard circles for plates. Glue on construction paper or fabric circles for the stew, adding details like black beans, sausage slices, and chopped vegetables
Swing into the Fun: Craft Macaw Puppets with Moving Beaks
The vibrant macaw parrot is a symbol of Brazil. Create adorable macaw puppets that الأطفال ( crianças – children) can use to put on a show! Cut out macaw shapes from felt or construction paper. Glue on popsicle sticks for handles. Use separate pieces of felt or paper for the beaks that can be attached with brads or tape to allow the beak to open and close.
Dance Like No One’s Watching: Design Capoeira Silhouette Crafts
Capoeira is a unique Brazilian dance-martial art that combines acrobatics, music, and fighting movements. Create silhouette figures of capoeira dancers in action poses. Use black construction paper for the silhouettes and decorate the background with colorful paint splatters or drawings representing the energy of capoeira.
Make a Splash: Craft a Paper Mache Turtle
The Amazon rainforest is home to a variety of turtles. Create a realistic-looking turtle using paper mache. Blow up a balloon and cover it with strips of newspaper dipped in a flour and water paste. Allow to dry completely before popping the balloon and painting the turtle shell with brown and green hues. Add googly eyes and felt legs for a finishing touch.
Dress Up for the Festival: Design a Bumba meu Boi Costume
Bumba meu Boi is a vibrant folk festival celebrating the resurrection of a beloved ox. Create a costume inspired by this festival! Decorate a plain white shirt with colorful fabric scraps, ribbons, and felt cutouts of animals commonly featured in the festival, such as oxen, horses, and jaguars.
Into the Wild: Craft a Felt Jaguar Mask
The jaguar, the largest cat in the Americas, is a powerful symbol in Brazilian culture. Craft a fierce jaguar mask using felt. Cut out the basic mask shape with eyeholes. Layer different colors of felt to create spots and add details like fangs and whiskers using embroidery floss or markers.
Let There Be Light: Make a Brazilian Lantern
Lanterns are a common sight during Brazilian festivals. Craft your own lantern using a clear plastic cup or container. Decorate it with colorful tissue paper squares or paint designs. Poke small holes at the top and thread string or yarn to create a handle for hanging.
Sweet Treats: Design and Decorate Brigadeiro Boxes
Brigadeiro is a popular Brazilian chocolate fudge candy. Get creative and design your own little boxes to hold these delicious treats (adult supervision required when making candy). Use cardboard or construction paper to create small boxes. Decorate them with colorful paint, glitter, and drawings inspired by Brazilian themes.
These 20 crafts are just a starting point for exploring the rich culture of Brazil with your kids. Get crafty, have fun, and let your child’s imagination take flight as you celebrate the beauty and vibrancy of this amazing South American nation!
