Encourage your preschool students to dress up like Indians and star in class plays or just have fun. Look for Indian costumes for the kids online or at costume stores or ask the parents for help. Feature this activity during a cultural event at the school and take lots of pictures of the children. Encourage the kids to put their pictures on a collage or in a scrapbook.
Help the children make Native American crafts, such as paintings, drawings or Indian feather hats. Show them pictures of real Indians and encourage them to draw what they see. They can draw tee-pees with an Indian family, Indians hunting or other scenes. The kids can also make collages featuring pictures of themselves dressed up as Indians along with stickers and drawings. To make Indian feather hats, cut two-inch wide strips of thick brown card stock that are 10 inches or longer. Wrap the strips around each child's head and measure to create a snug fit. Cut off excess and tape both ends of the strips together to create a snug ring. Help the children glue colorful feathers around the border of their hat. Let the glue dry and allow the kids to wear the hats.
Ask the kids to see what Native American items they have from home and encourage them to bring the item for show and tell. They can bring items such as their Mom's Native American jewelry, Indian dolls, paintings or other trinkets. Or, the kids can make something to show the class, such as a custom Indian painting, tee-pee, or food that the Indians made, such as cornmeal.
Reading stories can also help preschool children embrace Native American history. The kids might enjoy stories such as "Little Runner of the Longhouse" by Betty Baker. This story is about little boys who dress up like Indians and just want to have fun. "Tipi: Home of the Nomadic Buffalo Hunters," by Paul Goble, is a story about Native American homes and spiritual beliefs. "The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses," by Paul Goble, is another Native American classic.