Create Pilgrim costumes to help teach elementary students about Colonial times. Help younger students fold white paper into the shape of a woman's Pilgrim bonnet. Use an empty, round oatmeal container for a man's pilgrim hat. Paint it black and add a paper brim and yellow paper buckle. Older students can make aprons out of white fabric and sew fabric belts to go with their costumes.
Create maps to help teach students about the Colonial region. Help young children color maps of the Colonies. Reproduce a map that shows the various American Colonies and provide crayons, colored pencils and markers for the students. Older students can create their own maps. The students can draw, label and color a poster size map, or they can create a three-dimensional map using papier-mache or clay. Roll the clay flat and cut it into the shapes of the Colonies. Then, paint and label the pieces.
Teach young children about Colonial times by making copies of the Mayflower. Young students will enjoy coloring pictures of the Mayflower and cutting them out. Provide construction paper, templates and scissors. Have the children cut a brown boat, blue water and white sails to glue onto paper. Older kids can make a Mayflower ship out of a milk carton or a shoebox. Paint the carton or box brown, and use drinking straws for the masts. Cut white sails out of paper.
Engage elementary schoolchildren in crafts and activities that were practiced by Colonial settlers. For instance, help students create a rag doll or a corn husk doll similar to the ones played with by children in Colonial times. Other activities might include dipping candles, making traditional food items or doing simple sewing projects.