After you send out your Cinco de Mayo invitations this year, plan some Cinco de Mayo kids crafts to do at the party. It’s always great to have something for the kids to do to let them feel a part of the celebration. Our party experts have come up with some great crafts to keep the kids busy and entertained!
Maracas
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the wonderful rhythm of Mexican music by having the kids make their own maracas. It’s a simple craft that will give kids hours of entertainment.
Materials: paper plates, markers or crayons, handful of dried beans or rice, stapler, five or six strips of colored crepe paper or streamers cut into 6 inch pieces.
- Start by decorating the bottom of each paper plate in bold beautiful colors.
- Then, fold the plate in half and put a good sized handful of beans or rice inside.
- You’ll want to staple around the entire plate to seal it. Staple the colored streamers (as many as you like) to the curved side of the plate for added an festive feel.
- Put on some great Mexican music and shake, shake, shake!
Serape
For a very festive Cinco de Mayo look, have the kids create a traditional Mexican serape, a Mexican poncho. It’s easy and the kids will love it.
Materials: a brown grocery bag, scissors, masking tape, poster paints or markers, and yarn (optional).
- To start, cut straight up the seam on the back of the bag into a “V” and then cut a hole in the bottom of the bag to serve as the neck hole.
- Next cut a 5-inch wide strip from each side of the bag to create the open sides of the serape.
- Add fringe around the bottom by either cutting slits all around the edges, or by punching holes along the bottom and threading pieces of yarn through.
- To decorate the serape, you’ll want to turn the bag inside out so that the print on the bag is on inside.
- You may want to reinforce the shoulder area (bottom of the bag) with masking tape.
- The best part; flatten our your serape, and paint or color with bright colors to create a beautiful and festive traditional Mexican serape!
Mexican Flag
Have the kids create a Mexican flag. These can be used as centerpieces on buffet tables or stuck in potted plants.
Materials: white construction paper cut in half lengthwise, a 12″ dowel or a pencil, tissue paper or crepe paper in green, white and red , white craft glue, pencil and ruler, red and green crayons (optional)
- Start by folding construction paper in half as if you were making a card, short side to short side.
- The open end should be facing to the right and the folded side should be facing the left.
- Using a ruler divide the front and back of the paper into thirds.
- If you have younger children, to help them put the 3 colors in order, color the sections green, white and red.
- Tear or cut tissue paper into 1 ½ – 2″ squares. Apply glue to the first section of the flag.
- Take each piece of tissue paper. wrap it around the erarser on a pencil and stick to the paper.
- Complete each section this way (green,white,red). Repeat on the other side if you desire color on both sides of your flag.
- Place your flag on a flat surface. To adhere the flag to your dowl or pencil.
- Open the flag and apply glue along the spine. Place dowel or pencil inside the left edge (the green section) and press to seal.
- It’s important to let it dry completely so the color tissue doesn’t fall off.
- The Mexcian flag has the Mexican coat of arms on displayed on it. You can print it out and glue to the center of your flag.
Have fun this Cinco de Mayo!
