Social studies activity
Holidays Around the World
Pick a holiday from another culture and make a craft to celebrate it — a paper lantern, maraca, or colorful mandala!
Materials and setup
- construction paper
- glue
- scissors
- markers
- crayons
- globe or world map
- craft supplies (varies by chosen holiday)
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Pick a holiday from another culture and make a craft to celebrate it — a paper lantern, maraca, or colorful mandala!
Steps
- Pick a holiday from another culture: Diwali (India), Lunar New Year (celebrated in China, Vietnam, Korea, and many other places), Day of the Dead (Mexico), or Carnival (Brazil).
- Show pictures and talk about how people celebrate: 'During Diwali, people light lamps and make colorful designs!'
- Make a simple related craft: paper lantern (Lunar New Year), colorful mandala (Diwali), maraca (Carnival).
- Decorate your craft with bright colors and patterns.
- Use your craft to 'celebrate' together: shake the maraca, hang the lantern, display the mandala.
Learning objectives
- Learn about a holiday from a different culture
- Create a craft connected to a cultural celebration
- Develop respect and curiosity for diverse cultural practices
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Research a holiday from another country, make a traditional craft, and present 3 facts about the celebration. Compare it to a holiday your family celebrates.
Steps
- Choose a world holiday to explore. Find the country (or countries) on a map. (For example, Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, Vietnam, Korea, and other Asian cultures — each with its own traditions.)
- Learn 3 facts: when is it celebrated, what do people do, and what special foods or decorations are used.
- Make a craft associated with the holiday (paper lantern, piñata design, rangoli pattern).
- Compare to a holiday you celebrate: 'Both Diwali and Christmas use lights! But Diwali also uses colored powders.'
- Present your findings and craft to family: teach them about the holiday!
Learning objectives
- Research and present facts about a cultural celebration
- Compare and contrast holidays across cultures, finding similarities and differences
- Create culturally-inspired art with an understanding of its significance
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Research 3 holidays from 3 different continents. Create a 'World Celebrations' booklet with facts, crafts, and comparisons. Find common themes across cultures (light, harvest, family, new beginnings).
Steps
- Choose 3 holidays from 3 different continents (e.g., Holi from Asia, Kwanzaa from Africa, Mardi Gras from North America).
- For each holiday, research: origin/history, how it is celebrated, traditional foods, music, and decorations.
- Create a booklet with one page per holiday: include a drawing of the celebration, a mini-map showing the country, and 5 facts.
- Make one craft from each celebration.
- Write a comparison page: What themes do these holidays share? (e.g., many cultures celebrate light, harvest, or the new year)
- Present your booklet and crafts to your family, teaching them about each holiday.
Learning objectives
- Research holidays from multiple continents with increasing depth
- Identify universal themes and common values across diverse celebrations
- Create an organized booklet with written research and illustrations
- Present cross-cultural comparisons to an audience
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Investigate the historical roots, commercialization, and evolution of holidays from different cultures. Use primary sources to compare two holidays critically.
Steps
- Pick 2 holidays from different cultures that you want to compare.
- For each holiday, research its historical roots: when did it start, and what was it originally for?
- For each holiday, identify the commercial and political players today — which companies profit from it, and which governments treat it as official?
- For each holiday, document how it has changed in the past 100 years (new traditions, dropped traditions, shifts in meaning).
- Compare how YOUR family celebrates (or doesn't) similarly or differently from the mainstream version.
- Use at least one primary source per holiday (original text, historical photo, letter, newspaper article from the era).
- Write a 1-page comparison essay with your findings, citing your sources.
Learning objectives
- Analyze the historical and cultural origins of celebrations across civilizations
- Identify how holidays reflect a society's core values and beliefs
- Write a comparative analytical essay using evidence from research
- Synthesize cultural knowledge to design an original celebration with meaning
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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