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We’re celebrating Africa Day on May 25th with these gorgeous Africa Art Projects for Kids! Learn about Kente, Andinkra, Kanga and more!

“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa” ~ John Hemingway

Have you ever been to any African country? I haven’t but it’s on my bucket list. I hear that once you’ve been there, it changes you forever – such is the allure of Africa!

Now, Africa is a gigantic continent with 54 countries, and visiting them all would be quite difficult, although it would be amazing! All these countries share many commonalities, but they’re also unique in their own ways. So it’s not surprising to know that they have come together to celebrate their continent on a single day – Africa Day on 25th May!

The Organization of African Unity, or the African Union, was formed on May 25th in 1963, and since then, this day has come to be celebrated as Africa Day. UNESCO also observes Africa Week from 19th to 21st May this year, with the aim of restoring African heritage through culture, education and science.

Since all these special days are coming up soon, we thought it would be the perfect time to have our own little celebration of African art and culture, with these amazing Africa art projects for kids!

15 Amazing Africa Art Projects for Kids

1. African Kanga Chalk Pastel Drawings

You’ve probably seen images of African women dressed in colorful fabrics, with elaborate patterns. Most of the time, this fabric is kanga – a popular fabric in the African Great Lakes region. It is made of cotton and is characterized by a central portion separated by a border. Wow Art Project creates a chalk pastel drawing featuring some women wearing kanga and walking with baskets on their heads – love the details!

2. Esther Mahlangu African Art

Nurture Store introduces us to one of South Africa’s most famous artists – Esther Mahlangu. She is known for popularizing Ndebele art, which is usually painted on the walls of houses. Ndebele art features bright colors and dark outlines, and Esther adapted this mural art to canvas, with impressive results!

3. African Sunset Shadow Tracing Art

“You have to understand – there is a romance to Africa. You can see a sunset and believe you have witnessed the Hand of God.” These lines by Jodi Picoult tell us everything about African sunsets – they are gorgeous! Taming Little Monsters tries to recreate some of that beauty in this shadow art project.

4. Tribal Owl African Art

Did you know that famous European artists like Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso were inspired by Africa? You’ll find African influences in their paintings, in terms of colors, symbols and motifs. Traveling Art Room also takes inspiration from African tribal patterns to create this colorful piece of art.

5. Kente Cloth-Inspired Art

Kente is a type of fabric that originated in Ghana and was worn by the Asante, Akan and Ewe people. Kente is derived from the word kɛntɛn, which means “basket”, and you’ll notice a basket-weaving pattern in the fabric. Today, kente is popularly worn on special occasions, and its weavers are highly sought after. Let’s try to create our own Africa art projects for kids featuring Kente, with this tutorial from The Colors Of My Day.

6. Salt Painted African Masks

Masks are an integral part of African culture, and they are used on special occasions like weddings, funerals, coronations or other festivals. African masks are made out of a variety of materials – wood, copper, bronze, steatite, fabric or clay. Happy Toddler Playtime shows us something different – how to make a mask out of salt paint!

7. Adinkra Symbols Printmaking

Like the Egyptians had hieroglyphics, people from Ghana have their own set of symbols, known as Adinkra. These symbols are both decorative and representative, and appear on fabric, pottery, architecture and other surfaces. Learn more about Adinkra with this fun stamping art project from The Kitchen Table Classroom.

8. Edward Saidi Tingatinga Art Tutorial

You can’t talk about Africa art projects for kids without mentioning the famous African artist Edward Saidi Tingatinga. This artist from Tanzania gave rise to the Tinga Tinga art form, which has many similarities to Indian folk art, since Tingatinga was greatly influenced by it. Check out Wee Folk Art to create your own Tinga Tinga animals!

9. African Mask Batik Art

Batik is an art form that is believed to have originated in Indonesia, but it soon became popular in Africa when it was introduced there by the Dutch. It was even a favorite with Nelson Mandela, who often wore loose-fitted batik shirts, even to official meetings! Ms. Amsler’s Artroom shows us how to create traditional African designs using batik. 

10. African Bógólanfini Mud Cloth Art

What on earth is a ‘mudcloth’? Well, that’s a traditional art form from Mali, where it’s called “Bògòlanfini”. The yarns of the fabric are first woven, then stitched together and then colored with natural dye. After sundrying, the fabric is painted with a special kind of fermented mud, dried and washed. The process of painting is repeated over and over again till the painted patterns are quite dark. Art Campla gives this intricate process a shot by using paper bags instead!

11. African Patterns Drawing Tutorial

As you go through these Africa art projects for kids, you’ll notice that every small thing has great significance in African culture, even the little patterns mean something. In fact, each African tribe has their own distinct set of patterns that they use on their clothing and art. Let’s try our hand at creating some tribal patterns with this tutorial from OSCA.

12. African Girl Oil Pastel Art

African jewelry is a reflection of the land’s unique culture and its various colors and patterns. A lot of African jewelry pieces have very intricate details, and many of them are made with beads. Kids Drawing Book shows us how to draw an African woman wearing some gorgeous traditional jewelry – she looks like a queen!

13. Ndebele African Animal Drawings

A Faithful Attempt shows us how to create some animal paintings in the Ndebele style. This is the art form of the Ndebele people of South Africa, and is often seen on the walls of houses. It also features in jewelry and designer clothing these days, as it gets more popular around the globe.

14. African Savanna Animal Silhouette Art

A savanna is a combination of a woodland and a grassland – there are trees, but they’re not close enough as in a forest. Since the terrain is so unique, it also has a unique set of animals, like the buffalo, zebra, gnu, giraffe, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, antelope and elephant. Check out this art project from Primary School Art and see how many of these animals you can include!

15. Tribal Mask Drawing Tutorial

African masks often resemble animals, or dead ancestors or even supernatural beings. Sometimes, during a song or dance performance, the mask wearer transforms into the identity of the mask and performs accordingly. Art Projects for Kids shows us how to draw a traditional mask, and you can add any details that you like.

We hope these Africa art projects for kids have given you a little insight into the wonderful and vast world of African culture and heritage. There’s so much more to learn, and we hope this will encourage kids to set out on their own and read more about this amazing continent!