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Free Cinco de Mayo Crafts, Activities, and Printables

Read the book Fiesta! Ask children what they know about Mexico and what they just learned from the book. Locate Mexico on a map, showing children where they live in North America in relation to Mexico. Discuss the Cinco de Mayo festival with children. Since it is celebrated in the USA, children can verbalize what they know about it. After children have shared what they know, give them an overview of the festival and why it is celebrated.

Provide pictures of items that are important to Mexican culture: Mexican flag, Mexican food, sombrero, piñata, mariachi, maracas, chili pepper, etc.

Mexican Flag
The Mexican flag is an important part of the Mexican identity. It depicts an eagle perched on a cactus (nopal) eating a snake. It traces back to a legend of the Aztec Indians. According to legend, the Aztecs were on a long journey in search of a new homeland. They were told to search until they came upon an eagle perched on a cactus and eating a serpent/snake. They encountered this homeland in the valley of Mexico and established their capital city, Tenochtitlan. Mexico City is located on the ruins of this ancient city.

Mexian Flag Coloring Page	Cinco de Mayo Coloring Page	Balero Mexican Toy Craft

Cinco de Mayo rhyme:

It's Cinco de Mayo

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!
(Author unknown)

Cinco de Mayo (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

Background Information:

Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for the Fifth of May. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico and by Mexican-Americans in the United States. Cinco de Mayo honors the victory of a Mexican army over a French army at the battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The Emperor, Napoleon, of France had sent troops to Mexico to conquer the country. The Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, won the battle, even though the French army was better armed and much larger. Despite their victory in that battle, the French eventually won the war and ruled until 1867 until President Benito Juarez was restored to power. Cinco de Mayo is a much larger celebration in the United States than in Mexico. Fiestas are held with music, dancing, parades, and food. Whenever and however it is celebrated, it is a celebration of Mexican history and heritage.

Note: A misconception about Cinco de Mayo is that it is Mexican Independence Day. It is not. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16th.

Language Arts:
Talk with children about Spanish. Explain to children that Spanish is the language spoken in Mexico. Teach your children some simple Spanish words. Make a list of the words your children already know. Place word wall pictures on the board or word wall. Add a new word with picture each day.

Counting in Spanish:

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)

Counting Beans Folder Game:
What you need:
Small bowl of large beans (Do not use red kidney beans! They are poisonous before they are cooked.)
Number cards 1–6 or 1–10 (English and Spanish)

What you do:
Place the correct number of beans on each card.

Game Hide and Seek
Teach children how to count to ten in Spanish. Play a game of hide-and-seek but count to ten in Spanish before yelling, “Here I come!” or “¡Ya me voy!”

Cinco de Mayo Crafts

Maracas
Explain that a maraca is an instrument used all over Mexico that is shaken to create a sound. Pass out two small paper cups to each child and place a handful of beans inside one cup. Place the other small paper cup on top of the paper cup with the beans and close by wrapping masking tape or electrical tape around the two cups. Have children decorate the maracas with markers or crayons. Replay the mariachi music. Have children use their maracas with the music.

Bottle Balero Toy Craft
Cut the bottom of a small plastic bottle. Cut a strip of craft paper that fits around the bottle. Decorate with stickers, craft paper, etc. Add glue to the bottle and wrap craft paper strip around the bottle. Let dry. Tie a string of yarn to the bottle neck. Take a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and place yarn on top. Form aluminum foil into a ball.

Game play:
To play "ball in a cup" or balero, the player holds the toy at the bottle's neck and lets the ball free fall. The player then has to toss the ball upward by jerking the arm holding the toy. The main goal of the game is to put the ball in the cup.