But Italy hasn’t just given us luxury cars, high-quality leather, and lip-smacking food. This boot-shaped country has contributed tremendously to world culture, science, and art. Think of legends like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Christopher Columbus, and Galileo Galilei. That is an incredible amount of talent in just one sentence!
Did you know that some of the things we use every day were invented in Italy? Eyeglasses, electric batteries, the radio, coffee machines, and even jeans trace their roots back to Italian innovation. It is only fair, then, that we learn a little more about this amazing country.
Since June 2nd is Italy’s Republic Day (or Festa della Repubblica), we have decided to celebrate everything Italian this month! Whether you are a teacher planning a “Countries of the World” unit or a parent looking for fun weekend activities, these 20 Interesting Italy Crafts for Kids are the perfect way to say Buongiorno to Italian culture.
Fun Facts About Italy to Share with Kids
Before we dive into the glue and glitter, set the stage with these fascinating facts. Kids love learning trivia while they craft!
- UNESCO Champion: Italy has the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the planet (over 55!).
- Tourist Hotspot: It is the fifth-most visited country in the world, welcoming nearly 50 million tourists a year.
- Ancient Roots: Italy’s capital is Rome, founded (according to legend) by twin brothers Romulus and Remus in 753 BC.
- National Symbols: The Italian grey wolf is the national animal, and the country boasts two national flowers—the red rose and the white lily.
- Smallest Country: Italy surrounds two of the world’s smallest countries: San Marino and Vatican City.
Now, let’s travel to Italy through art and imagination!
Part 1: The Taste of Italy (Food Crafts)
We wonder if any country has impacted world cuisine as much as Italy! Wherever you go, you find pizza, pasta, gelato, and lasagna. Let’s set up an Italian restaurant in your craft room.
1. Paper Plate Pizza
The Craft: The most iconic Italian dish! How to Make It: Paint a paper plate red (for the sauce) and leave the rim white (for the crust). Cut shapes out of colored paper or felt: yellow shreds for cheese, red circles for pepperoni, green strips for peppers, and black bits for olives. Let kids build their own “slice.” Learning Moment: Discuss how the Margherita pizza (red sauce, white cheese, green basil) represents the colors of the Italian flag.
2. Bow Tie Pasta Butterflies (Farfalle Art)
The Craft: Using real pasta to make art. How to Make It: Take uncooked Farfalle (bow tie) pasta. Let kids paint them in bright colors using acrylic paint. Once dry, glue them onto cardstock. Draw antennas and flight trails with a marker to turn them into fluttering butterflies.
3. DIY Chef’s Hat
The Craft: Every good Italian chef needs a Toque. How to Make It: Use a wide strip of white cardstock to fit around the child’s head. Staple white tissue paper or crepe paper to the top edge, pleating it as you go to give it that “puffy” chef look.
4. Gelato Cone Collage
The Craft: Italy is famous for its dense, rich ice cream called Gelato. How to Make It: Cut a triangle from brown textured paper (or draw a waffle pattern). Use cotton balls dipped in paint or colorful pom-poms to create scoops of gelato stacking high on the cone.
5. Spaghetti Sensory Art
The Craft: Making art with noodles. How to Make It: Cook a batch of spaghetti and dye it different colors using food coloring. Let kids arrange the sticky, colorful noodles on paper to create abstract art or shapes. (Note: Let it dry to harden into a permanent picture).
Part 2: Famous Italian Landmarks & Architecture
Italy is an open-air museum. These crafts celebrate its stunning structures.
6. Leaning Tower of Pisa Model
The Craft: Recreating the famous bell tower that refuses to stand up straight. How to Make It: Use an empty paper towel roll or a Pringles can. Paint it white. Draw arched windows and columns using a grey marker. Glue it to a cardboard base, but tilt it slightly and secure it with a wedge or lots of hot glue (adult supervision required) so it “leans” without falling.
7. The Colosseum in Cardboard
The Craft: The ancient gladiatorial arena. How to Make It: Cut a long strip of corrugated cardboard. Cut out rectangular notches along the top to look like the ruined edge. Roll it into a large circle (or oval) and secure it. Cut out arched “windows” all around the sides.
8. Venetian Gondola
The Craft: The famous boats of Venice. How to Make It: Use a banana-shaped cut-out from black cardstock. Glue it to a blue paper background (the canal). Add a popsicle stick for the oar and a small paper figure for the Gondolier in his striped shirt.
9. Mosaic Art (Roman Style)
The Craft: Romans were masters of mosaic floors. How to Make It: Cut colored paper or foam sheets into tiny squares (tiles). Draw a simple outline (like a fish or a geometric pattern) on a paper plate. Have kids glue the tiles inside the lines, leaving small gaps between them to mimic grout lines.
10. Mount Vesuvius Volcano
The Craft: The volcano that preserved Pompeii. How to Make It: Build a volcano shape using playdough or papier-mâché around a small plastic bottle. Paint it brown and green. Do the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment to watch it “erupt” with red lava!
Part 3: Art & Culture (Renaissance & More)
Home to the Renaissance, Italy changed the way we see the world.
11. Mona Lisa “Photo Booth”
The Craft: Become the masterpiece. How to Make It: Print a large image of the Mona Lisa but cut out the face. Glue the frame to a stick or hang it up. Let kids stand behind it and make their own mysterious smiles for a photo op.
12. Michelangelo’s Ceiling Challenge
The Craft: Experience how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel. How to Make It: Tape a piece of paper to the underside of a low table (or a desk). Have kids lie on their backs underneath the table and try to draw or color a picture while reaching up. It teaches appreciation for the physical effort of art!
13. Venetian Carnival Masks
The Craft: The ornate masks of Carnevale di Venezia. How to Make It: Buy plain white eye masks or cut them from cardstock. Provide feathers, sequins, glitter glue, and gold paint. The rule here is: the more sparkles, the better!
14. Da Vinci’s Parachute
The Craft: Leonardo da Vinci sketched a parachute long before it was invented. How to Make It: Take a square piece of cloth or a napkin. Tie a string to each of the four corners. Tie the other ends of the strings to a small toy figure (like a LEGO man). Drop it from a height and see if it floats down safely.
15. Murano Glass Inspired Jars
The Craft: Mimicking the colorful glass of Murano island. How to Make It: Take clean, clear glass jars (like jam jars). Mix white glue with a little food coloring. Paint the jars with different translucent colors. When dry, they look like stained glass. Put a tea light inside for a glow.
Part 4: Symbols of Italy
Simple crafts representing the nation.
16. The Italian Flag (Il Tricolore)
The Craft: Green, White, and Red. How to Make It: Use three different materials for a sensory flag. Green dried split peas, white cotton balls or rice, and red kidney beans or crumpled tissue paper. Glue them in three vertical stripes.
17. Italian Grey Wolf Mask
The Craft: The national animal. How to Make It: Use a paper plate cut in half as the base. Add grey felt ears and a snout. Paint it grey and add fur texture with markers.
18. Map of Italy (The Boot)
The Craft: Learning geography. How to Make It: Print an outline of Italy. Let kids color it. Challenge them to find Sicily and Sardinia (the “balls” the boot is kicking). Glue a star where Rome is.
19. Opera Glasses
The Craft: For a night at the La Scala opera house. How to Make It: Tape two toilet paper rolls together side-by-side. Paint them black or gold. Glue a chopstick to one side as a handle. Add sequins for elegance.
20. Soccer Jersey Design
The Craft: Italians love football (Soccer)! How to Make It: Cut a T-shirt shape out of blue paper (the Italian team wears blue and is called Gli Azzurri). Let kids decorate it with their own player number and the Italian shield crest.
Conclusion: Ciao for Now!
Exploring Italy through crafts is a wonderful way to broaden a child’s horizon. It teaches them that the world is big, beautiful, and full of delicious pizza! Whether you are building a leaning tower that actually stands or painting upside down like Michelangelo, these activities spark curiosity about history, geography, and art.