DLTK's Countries and Cultures Crafts for Kids
Germany Crafts, Facts, and Activities for Kids

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind this website is meant for children, so I do generalize and simplify quite a bit!

Germany, a country in Europe, has some of the most famous food on earth (think, beer, sausages, and pretzels)! It is an interesting country for children to study for this reason.

image of a massive, ancient-looking bridge amidst the miraculous rock formations of Saxon Switzerland, Germany, also known as Bastei

Bastei, Saxon Switzerland, Germany
Photographed by Marco Nürnberger; used with permission under C.C. BY 2.0

Germany, as the name suggests, is a country with German as its official language. While it is a primarily Germany-speaking country—with over 95% of the population speaking German as their first language—regional languages like Sorbian, spoken in the east of Germany, and North Frisian, spoken in Nordfriesland, are common to hear in Germany.

Germany is a country found in the Northern Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere of the globe. As of 2021, the country is split into 16 political divisions (called states or Länder [singular Land] in German): Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-West Pomerania), Bremen, Brandenburg, Berlin, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Sachsen (Saxony), Thüringen (Thuringia), Hessen (Hesse), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Baden-Württemberg and Bayern (Bavaria).

Germany is bounded at its extreme north on the Jutland peninsula by Denmark. East and west of the peninsula, the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) and North Sea coasts, respectively, complete the northern border. To the west, Germany borders The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg; to the southwest it borders France.

There is no national animal of Germany. The black eagle is a national symbol (in other words, it appears on the German coat of arms). The oak tree is the national tree of Germany.

Although the Netherlands is the country typically associated with windmills, Germany also has many historical windmills. But for Germany, wind power isn't just a reminder of the past! Up until 2007, Germany produced the most wind power of any country in the world. Denmark has the highest percentage of its power provided by the wind.

Capital city:  Berlin
Language:  German
National Symbol:  No official animal or bird; the black eagle or federal eagle (mythical animal) is the national symbol of Germany
National Flower:  Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus)
National Tree:  Oak (Quercus)
Currency:  Euro (EUR)

Germany Printables:
	Germany Coloring Pages
Neat Facts: One-third of Germany is still covered in forests and woodlands! 65% of the highways in Germany have no speed limit and are famously called the Autobahn! University is free for everyone (even non-Germans)!
Germany Crafts for Kids:
	Lederhosen Paper Craft preschoolers and up

	Lederhosen Toilet Paper Roll Craft preschool and kindergarten

	Medieval and Fantasy Section the link goes to generic medieval crafts, but many would suit a German theme -- the shield and castle crafts in particular.

	Windmill or Pinwheel Origami Craft Age 8+

	Windmill Toilet Paper Roll Craft preschool and kindergarten
Famous landmarks in Germany include: Bastei Bastei is a rock formation rising 194 m above the Elbe Rive in the Elbe Sandstone mountains of Germany. The rock formations reach a maximum height of 305 m above sea level! The jagged rocks of Bastei were formed by water erosion over one million years ago! Bastei is home to Neurathen Castle, a former rock castle that is now an open-air museum. Mount Zugspitze Mount Zugspitze is Germany’s only glacier ski resort! It is home to Germany’s highest church near the glacier at 3,000 m above sea level. The mountain contains panoramic views of around 400 summits in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy! Mount Zugspitze has three cable cars going up to its summit, holding the world record for most cable cars to single summit! The highest point of the summit is 2,962 m! Lake Constance Lake Constance is the third-largest freshwater lake in Central and Western Europe. The lake was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the ice age and is a “zungenbecken lake,” which means it is a lake that formed from a hollow left behind by a mass of ice! The lake lies where the countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland meet, and there is no legally binding agreement as to where the borders lie between the three countries. Eltz Castle Known as the “Burg Eltz,” it is one of the world’s existing medieval castles, built in the 11th century! Eltz Castle has been owned by the same family for 33 generations—the Eltz family (currently known as the Eltz-Kempenich family)! How cool is that? The Burg Eltz has a Knights Hall strewn with jester heads along the walls; this hall is commonly known as “the clown hall.” Cologne Cathedral Cologne Cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe! The Cathedral features immense twin towers that stand 157 m tall! Cologne Cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It was one of the most popular pilgrimage sites of the Middle Ages because it is said that the bones of the three Wise Men from the Bible are located in the cathedral. If you take history courses or complete an Early Modern studies certificate in university or college (like Tasha [the T of DLTK] did), you will likely learn A LOT about Cologne Cathedral in Germany.
Animals of Germany:
	Eagles - national symbol These are actually bald eagle crafts so, color the head brown so it isn't a bald eagle.

	Hedgehogs

	Mice

	Squirrels red squirrels (reddish brown colour)

	Wild Hamster Paper Craft or Wild Hamster Toilet Paper Roll Craft or Wild Hamster Toilet Paper Roll Craft #2

	Wolves
Other Germany Activities:
	Brunhilda and the White Horse A German folktale

	Grimms' Fairy Tales The Grimm Brothers were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who together collected folklore -- the tales they collected are still retold to this day.

	Maria Sibylla Merian German naturalist and scientific illustrator

	Germany Activities Online Jigsaw Puzzles

Of course, there a lot more animals in Germany. Check out our animals section for a full list of animals from around the world if there's a particular one you're looking for.

Neat Facts:

Famous landmarks in Germany include: