International schools in Malaysia and across the world bring together students and families from many different countries. This rich mix of cultures offers an excellent opportunity for schools to inculcate global understanding, respect, and curiosity. One of the most engaging and effective ways to do this is through art and craft activities inspired by cultures from around the world.
Art is a universal language. It gives students a way to express ideas, explore their identity and connect with the traditions of others, regardless of the languages they speak or the countries they come from. Cultural crafts not only nurture creativity, but also help students feel part of a global community. In this article, we explore how international schools can use simple craft projects from different cultures to support learning, celebrate diversity and strengthen school communities.
Why Cultural Crafts Are Valuable in International Schools?
Cultural crafts are much more than fun activities to fill time in the classroom. When thoughtfully included in school life, these activities:
- Promote respect for cultural diversity: Students see the beauty in traditions that are different from their own and learn to appreciate the variety of cultures represented in their school and beyond.
- Connect art with history, geography, and social studies: Craft activities help students see how art is a living part of people’s daily lives and beliefs.
- Offer an inclusive learning experience: All students — regardless of language level, learning style, or artistic ability, can take part and experience a sense of accomplishment
- Encourage collaboration and communication: Many cultural crafts are well-suited for group work, helping students learn to share ideas, listen and create together.
- Build fine motor skills and confidence: Working with different materials strengthens hand-eye coordination and helps children take pride in their creations.
For international schools, cultural craft projects provide a meaningful way to reflect the values of diversity, inclusivity and global citizenship that are at the heart of their mission.
Examples of Simple Cultural Crafts for Schools
Many crafts from around the world are easy for schools to include in lessons, festivals and co-curricular activities. Below are some examples of projects that are fun, educational and easy to adapt for different age groups.
1. Japanese Origami
Origami, the Japanese art of folding paper, instils - precision, patience and focus. Traditional shapes include cranes, boats and flowers, many of which hold specific cultural meanings in Japan.
In schools: Origami can be part of art or math lessons, focusing on shapes, symmetry and patterns or included in cultural festivals. It is also an activity that that promotes calmness and is thus appropriate for mindfulness sessions or break times.
2. Aboriginal Dot Painting (Australia)
Dot painting is a traditional Aboriginal art form in which patterns and images are created using small dots of paint. Each design tells part of a story connected to nature, ancestors or the land.
In schools: Students can create their own dot paintings as part of art or social studies lessons. Teachers can link the activity to discussions about traditional cultures, environmental respect and storytelling.
3. Mexican Papel Picado
Papel picado involves cutting intricate designs into colourful tissue paper to create banners. These are used in many Mexican celebrations, including Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
In schools: This project can be part of Spanish language classes or multicultural days. Students learn about the importance of colour, pattern and symbolism in festivals.
4. Chinese Paper Lanterns
Paper lanterns are a well-known feature of Chinese festivals such as the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival. They represent light, hope and good luck.
In schools: Students can create lanterns to decorate the school during festive seasons or as part of lessons on Chinese culture and traditions.
5. Scandinavian Woven Heart Baskets
These simple paper crafts, common in Nordic countries during the Christmas season, involve weaving two pieces of paper together to form a heart-shaped basket.
In schools: Woven hearts can be part of holiday art projects or European culture studies. The weaving process develops fine motor skills and encourages focus.
6. African Kente-Inspired Paper Weaving
Kente cloth from Ghana is famous for its bold colours and geometric patterns. Students can learn paper weaving to create designs inspired by Kente, exploring the meaning behind different colours and patterns.
In schools: This activity links well to lessons on African culture and design, helping students explore the meaning of colours and patterns in Kente cloth.
How Schools Can Include Cultural Crafts in Learning
International schools have many opportunities to integrate cultural crafts into their programmes in ways that are meaningful and educational.
1. As Part of the Curriculum
Crafts can be used to support learning in several subjects:
- Art and design: Introducing new techniques, materials and artistic traditions from around the world.
- History and geography: Helping students see how art connects to cultural practices and environments.
- Languages: Combining craft activities with cultural lessons and language learning, for example making Chinese lanterns in Mandarin class or papel picado in Spanish class.
2. At School Festivals and Cultural Days
Many international schools hold cultural days or international weeks to celebrate the diversity of their communities. Craft stations are a popular and engaging part of these events. They allow students, staff and families to share their cultural heritage and learn from one another.
3. With Parent and Community Involvement
Parents, grandparents and local artists can be invited to share cultural crafts through workshops or demonstrations. This strengthens ties between school and home and provides students with meaningful, real-world connections to the cultures they are learning about.
4. In Co-Curricular and After-School Activities
Cultural crafts can be taught through art clubs and after-school programmes. These activities give students extra time to experiment with new techniques, work on larger projects and collaborate with peers in a relaxed setting.
5. Through Service Learning
Senior students can be selected to design and lead cultural craft sessions for junior students or club members as part of service projects. This helps develop their leadership, communication and planning skills while promoting inclusivity and cultural respect at the same time.
Benefits for Students and School Communities
Including cultural crafts in school life provides many benefits beyond artistic skills:
- Students develop cultural awareness and respect.
Through cultural crafts, students see how art reflects the values, beliefs and histories of different communities. This helps them appreciate diversity and understand the importance of traditions beyond their own culture. - Students gain confidence.
Creating something with their own hands gives students a sense of pride and achievement. It encourages them to take risks, express themselves and feel that their efforts are valued. - Schools build a sense of unity.
Shared creative experiences bring together students, staff and families from different backgrounds. These activities help create an inclusive school environment where everyone feels connected and valued. - Students practice problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.
Many crafts involve planning, sharing ideas and making decisions together. These tasks help students develop important skills that are useful both inside and outside the classroom.
‘Art Around the World’ crafts provide international schools with a simple yet effective way to honour and promote cultural diversity. Through hands-on engagement, students develop creativity, cultivate curiosity and build meaningful connections across cultures. By integrating cultural crafts into lessons, celebrations and community events, schools foster a sense of connection to a global community that respects and values all cultures.
By incorporating such practices into their activities, schools enhance the cultivation of creativity as well as the development of thoughtful, confident and empathetic global citizens.
Check out these schools that offer art programmes:
