Māori Headband Weaving

Supplies

• Red paper strips (about 3cm wide, long enough to go around a child’s head – tape pieces together if needed)

• Black paper strips (same size as red)

• Scissors

• Glue stick or tape

• Ruler (optional, for neat strips)

Steps

1. Prepare strips – Cut at least 4 red strips and 4 black strips. You may need to join strips together with tape to make them long enough.

2. Start the weave base – Lay 2 red strips vertically on the table, side by side. Tape the top ends together to hold them in place.

3. Begin weaving – Take a black strip and weave it horizontally over one red strip, then under the next. Push it up to the top.

4. Add more strips – Continue alternating strips of red and black, weaving each new strip opposite to the one above it (over/under pattern).

5. Tighten – Push strips close together as you go, creating a strong woven band.

6. Check length – Keep weaving until the band is long enough to wrap around a child’s head.

7. Secure ends – Glue or tape the ends of the strips together to stop them from coming undone.

8. Form the headband – Wrap the woven band around the child’s head, overlap the ends slightly, and glue/tape them together to make a circle.