6 Easy-to-Make Independence Day Crafts for Kids

“What light is to the eyes - what air is to the lungs - what love is to the heart, liberty is to the soul of man.” - Robert Green Ingersoll

Every year, we get a holiday to ‘celebrate’ Independence Day, which is actually supposed to be an opportunity to commemorate the brave souls who fought for our freedom. For today’s kids however, this day might not mean much beyond a ritualistic flag hoisting in the morning, and a day off from school. But the freedom we enjoy today was hard won, and is a part of the legacy that we leave our children.

So, this Independence Day, don’t let the holiday be just another excuse to laze on the couch and watch hours of TV. Use it as an opportunity to bond with the family while learning about the country that we call our motherland. And with kids, what better way than to involve them in crafts? The best thing about crafts is that it requires the use of your hands, which makes it more likely to stick in your memory long after the day has passed. Here we have 7 easy to make crafts for Independence Day, all of which require just basic craft supplies.

6 Independence Day Crafts for Kids

1. Tricolor Glass Jars 

Recycling never looked so good! Put old glass jars to good use by painting them in our national colors! To make them look even better, place candles inside and light them after dimming the lights in the room. Spectacular!!

2. Paper Plate Tiger 

India’s national animal needs no introduction! Make this super easy tiger craft that looks really impressive! Explain to kids how the number of tigers is dwindling in India and what rules are in place to help them.

3. Fan Peacock Craft 

Few birds are as gorgeous as the national bird of India! The peacock is a beautiful symbol of India’s colourful heritage and this easy craft is a lovely way to make your own peacock. Tell kids about how a peacock starts dancing when it’s about to rain.

4. Taj Mahal Art 

For many people around the world, India is synonymous with the Taj Mahal, the grand monument of white marble in Agra. This art project is a great way to learn new art techniques and create a beautiful masterpiece in the process. Teach children about how we need to preserve our ancient monuments.

5. Paper Plate Elephant

Elephants are another common group of animals associated with India, and decorated elephants are a common sight during festivals, especially in Kerala. Make your own decorated elephant with a paper plate and shiny fabric or lace. Show children videos or books about how elephants were used by kings in old times.

6. Tricolor Bunting 

This is a super idea especially if you’re having an Independence Day party!! This bunting is actually a lot easier than it looks and can be made in a very short while. This is a good opportunity to look up the various rules for the Indian national flag with your kids.

So there you go, 6 simple crafts which the whole family can get together and make, including even the littlest members!! So tell us, what are you planning to do with your family this Independence Day? 

How Independent are We?

It’s that time of the year again, when patriotic songs and tricolor messages do the rounds on television and social media. Every year, come August 15 and everyone’s feeling gung ho about India and everything Indian.

But what about the remaining 364 days of the year, barring perhaps, Republic Day? Are we really that into the tricolor then or do we push it to the back of our minds and focus on the next release of the latest gadget from the west?

If you look closely, you can see that the definition of independence shown above has a lot of ‘self’ in it. Mahatma Gandhi added another ‘self’ to his vision of an independent India – self reliance or self sufficiency, otherwise known as ‘swadeshi’. Translated literally, it means ‘of one’s own country’. It refers to the movement that was started in pre-independent India, where communities were encouraged to be self sufficient in order to remove any dependency on outside forces, like the British. The movement was fierce, with people deciding to use only Indian goods, burning their imported clothes and picketing stores selling foreign goods.

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How the tables have turned! We wouldn’t dream of burning our western designer label clothes now, would we? Globalization and commercialism are the order of the day, with Indians, especially the youth, opting for products that are manufactured anywhere but in India. The number of authentic Indian craftsmen is fast dwindling and their art is disappearing with them. Now, it’s easier to find information on the top trends from the Paris Fashion Week than on the Kathputli craft from Rajasthan!

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And it’s not just the things we use or the food we eat; even our lifestyle choices are becoming largely westernized. Which begs the question this Independence Day: how independent are we really? We make grand statements and express great pride whenever India is in the news for achieving something, but how authentic is this ‘Indianness’?

Mahatma Gandhi says, “To believe in something and not to live it, is dishonest”. So let’s not make empty proclamations about our love for the country. Let’s try to be independent in every sense of the word, so that future generations are self reliant, self respecting and authentically Indian. Jai Hind!

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