Cucumber Cactus

• Through this art activity, children can make their own rendition of the plants that dot the Western landscape. Clean cucumbers and cut them in half. Set out the cucumbers, as well as bowls filled with uncooked spaghetti. Have children break the pieces of spaghetti and insert them into the cucumbers, transforming the food into the plants. These Western-themed crafts serve double duty, as they can be eaten as a healthy snack.
  
  

Bandanas

• Transform cloth napkins into Western wear by having children decorate them as bandanas. Lay cloth napkins on a flat surface and provide children with different colors of fabric paint. Instruct them to use the paint to create designs on their napkins; perhaps show them samples of real bandanas that they can use as a guide. When the paint has dried, fold the napkins into triangles and tie them around children's necks.
  
  

Sand Painting

• Include a craft activity that relates to the native Americans of the West. Sand paintings are a popular art form among many native American tribes. To create sand paintings, provide children with paper, bowls filled with craft glue and paintbrushes. Encourage children to use the glue to paint pictures on their paper. After they have painted their glue pictures, instruct them to pour sand over the paper and shake off the excess. The sand will stick to the glue, creating a textured sand painting.
  
  

Footprint Horse

• Horses are a large part of the Western culture. Trace children's footprints and have them cut out their prints. Instruct them to glue their prints onto a piece of paper, with the heels facing up; this will serve as the head of the horse. Cut a rectangle from construction paper and glue it diagonally to the side of the footprint, creating a neck for the animal. Have children cut small pieces of yarn and glue them to the back of the neck as a mane. Provide children with two googly eyes to glue onto their horse's faces and have them draw a nose and a mouth with a crayon.