Art Activities for Australia Day

Australia Day is celebrated on Jan. 26.Australia image by Stefano Maccari from Fotolia.com

Australia Day celebrates the nation of Australia, its history and culture. Each Jan. 26 Australians come together, no matter where they are in the world, to celebrate their homeland and bring a bit of Australia to the rest of the world. Art activities can help children learn more about Australia and this celebration.

Make Australian Flags

Make an Australian flag to celebrate Australia Day.The Australian flag blowing in the wind image by Francois du Plessis from Fotolia.com

Print a picture of the Australian flag from a website or obtain a color picture of the flag. Cut flag pieces from red and white felt. Glue the stars and other pieces onto dark blue felt to make a flag. Another idea is to color a picture of the flag with crayons. Place the picture face down on a piece of white cloth or muslin. Press the picture with a warm iron to transfer the crayon onto the cloth.

Make a boomerang from cardboard.boomerang image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com

Use a piece of heavy cardboard to make an inexpensive boomerang. These "come back" toys can be made in several shapes. The most well-known shape is the upside-down V. Draw a V shape on any size of cardboard, usually about one or two feet square. The V will start at one corner of the cardboard and continue up both sides. Round off the connecting corner of the V and the top ends as you cut out the shape. The width can be about three inches at all points along the boomerang. Use markers or paints to decorate the boomerang as desired. Another shape of boomerang is a three-pointed shape that looks like a three-blade propeller.

koala in tree image by Adam Hurley from Fotolia.com

Make a soft koala bear puppet to play with. Fold a piece of gray felt in half. Glue or staple the top and side seams. Cut ears from gray felt and glue to the top of the koala's head. Glue craft eyes onto the face. Cut a piece of black felt or use a pompom for the bear's nose. Add a few strands of yarn for whiskers, if desired. Glue a large white pom or white felt circle to the back of the puppet for the koala's tail.

The Aboriginal peoples of Australia make their own didgeridoos, which are trumpetlike horns. Make a didgeridoo from a three-foot piece of PVC plastic pipe, about two inches across the middle. Clean one end of the instrument so it will be safe to put your mouth over. Decorate the pipe with paints and other craft items. The Aboriginal people decorate their didgeridoos with dyes from plants. The fancier, the better. Glue some craft jewels or other interesting items onto the sides of your didgeridoo. To make a noise, blow into one end of the instrument. Since the didgeridoo is usually very long, it is OK to rest the other end of it on the ground or an object, as long as you don't plug the hole.