In the United States, celebrants of New Year's Eve often toss confetti, drink champagne and watch the Times Square ball drop. Other countries have many different traditions, and some celebrate New Year's Eve based on a different calendar altogether, such as the Chinese, who recognize the Lunar New Year. Kindergartners can make red paper lanterns or create a papier-mâché dragon as they learn about the Chinese New Year. Or they could make two-sided "coins" on construction paper to represent Janus, the two-faced Roman god from whom the name for the month of January derives. This celebration is also a prime moment to explore the calendar by decorating different versions. It's also a chance to demonstrate the things many cultures share, such as New Year's fireworks, by creating representations of fireworks out of multicolored paper and glitter.
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and occasionally Ramadan all occur during "the holiday season," a month recognized around the world as a time for giving and compassion. To teach kindergartners about other cultures' celebrations, let them color pictures of Hanukkah dreidels and menorahs, Kwanzaa kinaras (candle holders), Ramadan crescents or fanoos (lanterns) and nonstandard Christmas trees, such as the mango trees decorated in India. Show the class different pictures of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus and ask them to draw their own representations, noting what things are common between all the pictures.
American children might be used to dressing up in costumes and carving pumpkins on Halloween, but many countries have different traditions. Instead of pumpkins, give your kindergartners turnips to decorate, as is custom in parts of Ireland and the nordic countries. Many countries have begun adopting Western traditions of dressing up and trick-or-treating, so show students pictures of young people in costume from around the world and let them design their own costumes. In addition to Halloween, many countries also celebrate All Saints' Day and the Day of the Dead at this time. Kindergartners can construct masks or clay models of skulls, known as calaveras, which are a common symbol for these holidays in South America.
The Fourth of July is a distinctly American holiday, promoting national pride and unity, but almost every country recognizes its own independence day and celebrates accordingly. For an art project on independence days across the world, ask kindergartners to color in flags from different countries. You could have each child color a different flag to create a collage labeled with the different days of independence or you could have all the children color the same flag to celebrate a particular independence day on several days throughout the year. Pakistanis also paint their flag and flower designs on their arms and hands, and Colombians paint their faces. Kindergartners could replicate these practices with washable, non-toxic body paint.