DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Jamaica Crafts, Facts, and Activities

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

Jamaica, a Caribbean country in North America, is known for an incredibly rich cultural history. The histories of Jamaica and other Caribbean nations are important for children to learn about!

image of sunset seascape in Negril, Jamaica

"Beachscape," Negril, Jamaica
Photographed by V.V. Nincic; used with permission under C.C. BY 2.0

The official language of Jamaica is English; however, the primary spoken-language is an English-based creole called Jamaican Patois (or Patwa). Despite the violent colonization by the British Empire, the Taino people are Indigenous language-speakers in Jamaica and speak Arawakan.

Jamaica is a country found in the Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere of the globe. As of 2021, Jamaica is divided into 14 political divisions (called parishes): Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, and Westmoreland.

Like many of the islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica is a sovereign and whole island; it, therefore, shares maritime borders with the Cayman Islands (which are currently under administrative control by the UK), Colombia, Cuba, and Haiti. Nearby Caribbean island nations include the Dominican Republic and Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.

Capital city:  Kingston
Language:  English
National Animal/Bird:  Swallow Tail Hummingbird (Trochilus Polytmus)
National Flower:  Tree of Life (Lignum Vitae)
Currency:  Jamaica dollar (JMD)

Jamaica Activities
	Jamaican Friends Dress up your favourite toilet paper roll character in Jamaican colours. Perfect for the Olympic Games!!

	Jamaica Activities Jamaica On-Line Jigsaw Puzzle
Neat Facts: Jamaica produces the most music per capita! Jamaica has a famous Olympic bobsled team! Jamaica has the most churches per capita!
Jamaica Printables:
	Jamaica Printable Worksheets Jamaican Anagram Jamaican Word Mine
Famous landmarks in Jamaica include: Dunn's River and Iris Blue Hole Waterfalls, Ocho Ríos Dunn's River in Ocho Ríos contains the magnificent and photogenic Iris Blue Hole Waterfalls, a 182 m terraced falls cascading into a number of beautiful lagoons. Dunn's River Falls is believed to be the site of the infamous battle between the colonial powers of the Spanish and the English in 1657 for possession of the island. Marine Park, Montego Bay Marine Park in Montego Bay contains 15.3 square km of protected reef systems! Scuba diving and snorkeling are popular activities here, but the country takes very good care to ensure that wildlife and habitat are not disturbed in any way (especially as coral reef ecosystems are completely living things)! Thus, fishing and other watersports are prohibited here. There are thousands of species of flora and fauna here, as the Marine Park includes Mangrove forests and islets along with the coral reef ecosystems. Glistening Waters (Luminous Lagoon), Falmouth Glistening Waters is a GLOWING lagoon located on the northern coast of Jamaica. The lagoon glows (especially seen at night) when the phosphorous-rich water is disturbed causing micro-organisms, who feed on the phosphorous, to emit a flashing light when touched. These micro-organisms are called, "dinoflagellates." The warm climate and environment especially suit this phenomenon due to the freshwater from Martha Brae River merging with the ocean's salt water! There are 4 places in the entire world where this luminous phenomenon takes place; yet, due to the warm, moist climate of Jamaica, Glistening Waters in Falmouth is by far the most brilliant of all locations. Blue Mountains The Blue Mountains, located on the eastern side of Jamaica, consist of the longest mountain range on the island! This mountain range contains the island's highest point, called Blue Mountain peak; the summit reaches up to 2,256 m! The world famous "Blue Mountain Coffee" comes from various coffee farms across Blue Mountain National Park. There are over 200 species of distinctive birds found in this aromatic mountain range!

Neat Facts:

Famous landmarks in Jamaica include: