Looking for kwanzaa crafts for kids with colorful candles, handprints and a little sparkle? These pictures offer plenty of inspiration, from pretend kinaras to painted artwork.
You can keep things simple with paper shapes or try something more detailed, like those tiny curled flames.
There are related art activities here too, plus a repeated chain with a new variation to try and a Hanukkah craft for comparing holiday symbols. Pick a favorite and let your kids add their own little touches.
Kwanzaa Crafts and Creative Ideas to Try
tall pretend candles
We’re starting off with this standing kinara model. I love the tall black center candle between the red and green ones.
The rounded yellow tops give each thin stem a bright little finishing touch.
For your own version, keep this strictly a pretend candle display. An adult should handle any holes needed in the base.
handprints and little stars
How cute is this handprint artwork? The red and green prints sit on either side of a black rectangle, with little yellow star squares across the top.
Try an orange background like this one if you want something different from white. I’d keep the hand-drawn stars too.
curled candles and flames
I am obsessed with these tiny spirals. The red, black and green coils form candle shapes, with yellow teardrop flames sitting above them.
This is a more detailed option than the handprint pictures. You might save it for kids who enjoy working with small pieces, with an adult helping them try the curls.
bright strips on black
If you love colorful patterns, this one is for you. Long stripes and little rectangles fill the black background, with yellow, orange, green and white running in different directions.
This is general geometric artwork rather than a Kwanzaa symbol. For a holiday-inspired variation, you could choose red, black and green shapes.
a chain of names
Don’t want to make another candle picture? Try a name chain instead.
The red and green loops here have handwritten names, with black links connecting them.
Invite each child to personalize a strip before linking them together. It’s a lovely starting point for talking about unity.
craft-stick kinara
This pretend kinara may just be one of my favorites here. I love the big yellow flames and the taller black candle in the middle.
The brown sticks form a wide base beneath the red and green candles. If you’re following this look, keep the flame shapes large and simple.
another way to use the chain
This is the same name-chain photo shown earlier, but there’s another way to try the idea. Instead of names, invite kids to write one way they can help someone on each strip.
You could include sharing supplies or helping tidy up. Link your strips together for a display about working together.
a decorated unity cup
I love the yellow dots around the rim of this decorated cup. The black background makes the red and green wavy stripes easy to see.
For a decorative unity-cup craft, try sketching your stripe pattern first. Keep a painted craft version for display unless its supplies are confirmed suitable for drinking.
paper candles on a stepped base
If you are looking for a simple candle collage, this one gives you a clear starting point. Green candles sit on the left, red ones on the right and a taller black candle in the center.
I like the stepped brown base with “Kwanzaa” written across it. Yellow flames appear above some of the candles rather than all seven.
colorful drum designs
How pretty are these drum-shaped crafts? One has bold blue and yellow shapes while the other mixes small checks with narrow stripes.
The cord around the pale tops is a lovely detail. For your own decorative version, you could start by drawing a bright patterned wrapper rather than trying to copy every tiny square.
a bright geometric face
The blue triangles and big red nose make this bag decoration stand out. I especially love the striped rectangular eyes above that pink-framed mouth.
This is a general face craft rather than a Kwanzaa symbol. Try layering rectangles for the eyes, then add triangular teeth if you want that same playful expression.
a wreath of helping hands
This is such a pretty group display. Red, black and green hand cutouts overlap all around the wreath, with handwritten messages on several of them.
Have each child contribute a hand shape if you’re trying this idea. You could invite them to add a short thought about family or working together.
little apple-shaped dishes
How adorable are those little green leaves? These apple-shaped dishes have red edges, pale centers and tiny brown seed marks.
They’re general fruit crafts rather than specifically Kwanzaa designs. You could use the apple shape as inspiration for a harvest-themed art activity.
a Hanukkah candle decoration
Here’s a different holiday craft to explore with your kids. This Hanukkah menorah decoration has nine candle shapes above a yellow curved base, with a blue ribbon for hanging.
Try comparing it with the kinaras earlier in the list. A Kwanzaa kinara holds seven candles: one black, three red and three green.
Counting the candles together gives you a simple place to start.
corn with hand-shaped husks
I am obsessed with these hand-shaped green husks. They wrap around yellow corn cutouts covered in orange, red and brown dots.
Try letting kids add their own scattered kernel marks rather than arranging perfect rows. The uneven dots are part of what makes this version so cute.
sparkling tube candles
If you want a little sparkle, then this pretend kinara is for you. The red, black and green tubes have shiny dots, with yellow flames held above their open tops.
I love how the tallest tube sits right in the center. Keep this a flameless decoration and choose age-appropriate embellishments for your group.
red green and black brushstrokes
Don’t want to cut out lots of shapes? No problem! This painting uses sweeping red, green and black strokes across a white background.
Let kids explore thick marks, thin lines and overlapping colors. There’s no need to copy the exact placement of every brushstroke.
handprint circles and a bow
This is another handprint wreath, but it’s a little different from the cutout version. Red prints sit inside overlapping green circles, with a large red bow at the bottom.
The design isn’t specifically Kwanzaa-themed as shown. For your own Kwanzaa-inspired variation, you could add black circles to bring all three colors into the wreath.
a face with colorful shapes
The long green nose and round red eyes give this face plenty of personality. Orange cheek strips sit above a yellow mouth, all against a scribbled dark background.
Like the bag face earlier, this is a general mask-style craft. Try combining round eye shapes with a long rectangular nose for your own version.
I’d keep those angled orange cheeks too.
kinara color by number
Last but definitely not least, we have this kinara coloring page. The seven outlined candles sit above a broad base with a diamond design in the middle.
If your kids enjoy following a color key, this is a simple option to consider. You could also draw your own seven-candle outline for a free-coloring version.
Just a little note - some of the links on here may be affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you decide to shop through them (at no extra cost to you!). I only post content which I'm truly enthusiastic about and would suggest to others.
And as you know, I seriously love seeing your takes on the looks and ideas on here - that means the world to me! If you recreate something, please share it here in the comments or feel free to send me a pic. I'm always excited to meet y'all! ✨🤍
Xoxo Alessandra
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