Explore fun, engaging and exciting world themed activities to do with toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. Our activities are widely used by teachers, moms, dads, child care providers and more!
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Mexico Arts and Crafts
Give each child 3-5 different colored squares of tissue paper and have them set the one on top of another. Shoe the children how to fan fold and then wrap a twist tie around the middle of the fan folded paper. Have each child carefully open his flower by pulling the different colors of paper upwards or downwards to separate each layer.
Give each child a piece of construction paper and allow them to decorate any way they wish. Next, have the children fold the paper in half lengthwise. They should then cut 1” cuts beginning at the fold but leave one 1” border around the edges except the fold. Have the children then unfold and roll each long edge of the paper in a circle and staple. Use the hole punch to make two holes in the top, and then tie a piece of string to the hole as a hanger.
Collect empty yogurt cups that still have the lids. Decorate a festive cover, which will be taped around the yogurt cup to hide the words. Tape a Popsicle stick to one side of the cup (masking tape seems to hold better than glue). Put about 15 to 20 small beans inside the cup and tape closed.
Make a piñata using mural rolled paper. Cut a square shape like a big pillow. Now staple 3 sides. Leave open one side for stuffing with stickers, raisins, peanuts in the shell etc. Now I let the children glue on cut tissue. We start at the bottom & glue only the top potion of the tissue square so that it will fringe out. We overlap the squares slightly.
This will work. You don’t have to be exact. I apply the glue to the paper & the kids glue. It goes fast. We make our pillow shape into a Mexican flag. The colors are red, white & green. I let a child draw the bird in the white area of the flag. When finished fill & staple shut. Poke a hole & hang w/rope. I’ve also make a bird using a brown paper bag.
Where Do We Get Clay?
Purchase a piece of raw clay from a pottery or craft store. Gather a few pictures of Mexican pottery. Show the pictures and clay to the children ask them where they think we get the clay. Explain that clay comes from the earth, in the mud, usually on riverbanks. Give each child a piece of the clay and ask him to mold the clay into forms if they wish. Make clay pots and paint them.
Cinco de Mayo Colors
Give students bowls of red, blue and yellow finger paint and sheets of white construction paper. Allow the children to mix the different colors of paint on their papers and talk they created. Talk about primary and secondary colors if appropriate and let create.
Cinco de Mayo Clay Bowls
Discuss pottery with the children. Make a simple clay bowl and paint it. They can be given as a gift with potpourri in it.
To get in the spirit of your Mexican celebration, let the children make serapes (Mexican blankets) to wear over their shoulders. I use rolled paper that is about 12 inches wide. I cut a length that is long enough to hang over the front & back of the child. I let the child design the serape & then they can cut fringe on the bottom edges. You could also make these out of old white sheets.
Cut red, white& green paper strips & let the children make chains to decorate the room.
Outline both of the child’s shoes onto brown paper. Cut 4 strips 8 1/2 by 1 inch using the same brown paper. Cut out the shoe outline. Let the child glue the 2 straps to each outline shoe shape & you will have huaraches!
Cut a hat shape out using construction paper. Punch holes all around. Let the child decorate & lace. If you use the ribbon that is used on balloons you won’t have to use a needle. This ribbon is inexpensive.
Take a brown paper grocery bag: cut out sides so only front and back remain. Cut out hole for head to slip through in the bottom of the used-to-be brown paper grocery bag. Children paint (any-which-way they choose).
Use white paper & make flags. If you make small flags you can use index cards and staple them onto a straw.
Terra Cotta Pots
Each child will get a small piece of clay and will have a chance to play with it a little. Then show them how to make a “pinch pot” by taking the clay, making a ball out of it, and pinching it down in the middle to make a “pot.” Let them air-dry and they can take them home at the end of the week.
Make coffee filter butterflies using orange and black colors to represent the Monarch butterfly and its migration.
Ojo de Dios (God’s Eye)
Ojo de Dios means “eye of God” in Spanish. The Mexican Indians made them for good luck pieces. Cross 2 sticks. Tie the yarn in a knot around the sticks where they cross. Weave the yarn over one stick, then around & under, then over the stick toward the next stick. Do this on each stick. Continue around the square doing the same thing for all the rows. You can change colors whenever you’d like to. Start a new color by tying it to the yarn.
Use two small paper plates that have been decorated. Fill with beans, corn, beads, pebbles etc. Staple the 2 plates together.
Supplies: newspapers, tape, paint
One person holds newspapers on child’s head while another person (adult) uses masking tape to go around the head. This is the ‘crown’ of the hat. Roll the newspapers up starting from
Farthest point away from child’s head and going towards the child’s head. Children can paint finished hats.
Mexican Blanket Vest
Use a remnant of acrylic fleece. There is NO sewing, just a little cutting.
Today we started a piñata. We blew up a balloon and covered it with paper mache. When dry, take tissue paper squares (2”x2”), twirl them on the end of a pencil, dip in glue and stick on form.
Mexico Games and Activities
Where is Mexico?
Bring out a globe and show the children where you live and where Mexico is. Discuss how long it might take to get there by car and then by plane.
Jumping play music let the children jump like jumping beans, when the music stops they must freeze in the position they were in. When the music starts again they all jump again.
Cinco de Mayo means Fifth of May, and it marks the day when an untrained Mexican army of peasants defeated a highly skilled French army in the town of Puebla, Mexico in 1862. This day is a celebration of patriotism, much like our Independence Day.
Language – Spanish
Good-bye friends (ah-de-OHS ah-me-gos) Adios amigos
Please (poor fah-VOHR) Por favor
Thank you (MOO-chas GRAH-see-aahs) Muchas gracias
You’re welcome (day NAH-dah) De nada
Good morning (BWAY-nos DEE-aha) Buenos dias
Hello (OH-la) Hola
Good-bye (ah-de-OHS) Adios
Good night (BWAY-nahs No-chays) Buenas noches
Show a picture of each country’s flag. Have the children point out similarities between the two. Then have them describe the differences. Explain that flags are symbols of the country to which they belong.
Counting in Spanish
Talk with the children about Spanish, explaining that it is the language spoken in Mexico. Have children try to count in Spanish with your help. You may wish to make a chart.
1 uno (oo-no)
2 dos (doss)
3 tres (trace)
4 cuatro (kwah-tro)
5 cinco (seen-ko)
6 seis (say-ees)
7 siete (see-ay-tay)
8 ocho (oh-cho)
9 nueve (nuay-vay)
10 diez (dee-ace)
Gather several pictures of scenes in Mexico. You may get these from the Mexican Department of Tourism or from the library. Have the children look at the pictures to describe what they see. Then ask them to tell you what might be happening in each picture.
Mexico Recipes and Snacks
Make chocolate (which originated in Mexico) Gather 1oz Mexican chocolate, one cup milk. Pour the chocolate into the bowl with milk and allow each child to beat with an eggbeater until frothy. If you can’t find Mexican chocolate then just get regular chocolate and add a dash of cinnamon.
12oz can of frozen orange juice (thawed)
48oz can of cranberry juice cocktail
2 liters of lemon-lime soda
1 pkg crescent rolls
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg grated mozzarella cheese
1 pkg Doritos (plain)
1 small can tomato paste
1 pkg grated cheddar cheese
1 lb ground beef
Press crescent rolls in pie pan to form crust. Crunch Doritos into small its and sprinkle a coat on crust. Brown ground beef, strain and add tomato taste plus 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning. Put into pan. Cover meat with sour cream. Put cheese on top (both cheeses) and sprinkle doritos over top of cheese. Bake in 350 for 30 minutes
11/2 lb ground beef
1 28 oz can tomatoes
2 15 oz tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 can pinto beans
1 14-16 oz can corn, drained
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
Tortilla chips broken-up into small pieces
Toppings: Shredded cheese, chopped tomato, chopped olives, green pepper, shredded lettuce
Brown beef, drain. Puree tomatoes in their liquid; add to pan with tomato sauce water, beans, corn & mix. Bring to a boil then let it simmer for 10 minutes. Top with chips and other desired toppings.
Turn snack time into a fiesta time by using brightly colored construction paper for placemats & arranging paper tissue flowers in the center of the table. Let the children help make cheese nachos by sprinkling grated cheese on top of tortilla chips. Then bake at 350 until the cheese has melted.
Let the children help make guacamole to eat with taco chips. Peel a large ripe avocado & remove the pit. Mash the avocado with a fork in a bowl. I pass this bowl around the class to help mash the avocado. Add 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/2 tsp. minced onion & 1 T. fresh lemon juice. Stir well, then eat.
Save the avocado pit to plant. Place the pit with the fat side down and the pointed side up. Now insert 3 toothpicks horizontally into the side of the pit. Then balance the toothpicks on the rim of a glass jar filled with water so that the rounded end of the pit is covered. After 4 to 6 wks, watch for roots to begin to form.
Mexico Songs, Poems and Finger Plays
It’s Cinco de Mayo Day
(sung to “The Farmer and the Dell”)
It’s Cinco de Mayo Day!
It’s Cinco de Mayo Day!
Let’s clap our hands and sing “Ole.”
It’s Cinco de Mayo today!
Here Is Our Pinata
(Sung to “Sing a song of sixpence”)
Here is our piñata
What a sight to see,
Filled with treats & goodies
Just for you & me.
When it’s time to break it,
We’ll circle all around
Then we’ll scramble for the treats
That fall down to the ground.
Come Join the Fun
(sung to “Frere Jacques”)
Cinco de Mayo, Cinco de Mayo,
Is lots of fun, for every one.
Loved ones get together.
Come join the fun, with everyone.
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