Mexico boasts a vibrant culture overflowing with color, music, and tradition.
What better way to introduce children to this fascinating land than through engaging and fun crafts?
Get ready for a fiesta of creativity with these 25 Mexico-inspired projects perfect for kids of all ages!
Classic Crafts with a Mexican Twist:
Sombrero Extravaganza:
No Mexican celebration is complete without a sombrero! Decorate paper plates with colorful markers, paint, and glitter. Cut out felt shapes for mustaches, flowers, and fringes for a touch of whimsy.
Papel Picado Fun:
Papel picado are the beautiful, intricate paper cutouts synonymous with Mexican celebrations. Use coffee filters or tissue paper folded in half, and with adult supervision, carefully cut out festive designs. Hang them as decorations or string them together for a vibrant paper banner.
Dancing Señoritas:
Colorful skirts twirling, these dancing señoritas are a delightful craft. Cut out a simple dress shape from construction paper. Decorate with colorful markers, glitter, and add paper doll figures with long, flowing hair. Attach them to craft sticks for a mini puppet show!
Shakin’ Maracas:
Fill plastic eggs or small containers with dried beans or rice. Decorate them with colorful paint, glitter, or even yarn. Don’t forget to add some festive ribbons or pipe cleaners for handles, and get ready to shake!
Crafts Inspired by Mexican Art:
Ojo de Dios (God’s Eye):
This traditional woven craft represents protection and good luck. Use yarn or embroidery floss and wrap it around a cardboard cut-out in a cross pattern. Children can experiment with different colors and patterns for a truly unique creation.
Mini Frida Kahlo Dolls:
Recycle toilet paper rolls for charming Frida Kahlo dolls. Paint the rolls skin-tone and add facial features with markers. Cut out colorful flowers from felt and use yarn for her iconic braids.
Mexican Tin Heart Folk Craft:
Tin hearts are a popular symbol in Mexican folk art. Cut out heart shapes from cardboard and cover them with aluminum foil. Decorate with colorful markers, glitter, and even punched-out paper shapes for a touch of dimension.
Mexican Mirror Art:
Transform plain mirrors into vibrant masterpieces. Use tempera paint and create colorful patterns inspired by Mexican folk art designs. For older children, consider incorporating small mosaic tiles for an extra touch of detail.
Crafts that Celebrate Mexican Food:
Paper Taco Treat Boxes:
Turn construction paper into adorable taco-shaped treat boxes. Cut out taco shapes and decorate them with markers, glitter, and even felt “lettuce” and “tomato” embellishments. Fill them with candy or small toys for a delightful surprise.
Guacamole Slime:
This might sound surprising, but slime can be educational too! Create green slime (recipes are readily available online) and add in small plastic avocados and limes for a sensory play experience inspired by the beloved guacamole.
Festive Fruit Skewers:
Thread colorful fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries onto skewers. Cut out small lime wedges for a sombrero effect on top, and enjoy a healthy and delicious Mexican-inspired treat!
Crafts that Celebrate Mexican Holidays:
Dia de los Muertos Sugar Skulls:
While sugar skulls are traditionally made with sugar, this kid-friendly version uses air-dry clay. Mold the clay into skull shapes and let them dry. Then comes the fun part: painting! Use bright acrylics and add glitter for a dazzling Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration.
Mini Piñatas:
Who doesn’t love a piñata? Craft mini piñatas using balloons and paper mache. Decorate them with colorful tissue paper and streamers. Fill them with small candies or confetti for a fun and festive game (played with adult supervision, of course!).
Cinco de Mayo Flags:
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with vibrant paper flags. Use construction paper in green, white, and red (the colors of the Mexican flag) and cut out triangles. Glue them onto craft sticks and decorate them with markers or stickers for a patriotic display.
Crafts that Embrace Mexican Music and Dance:
DIY Maracas with Beans:
For a more eco-friendly option, skip the plastic eggs and use dried beans in small fabric pouches. Decorate the pouches with colorful fabric markers or paint. Tie them securely and get ready to make some rhythmic music!
Dancing Castanets:
Cardboard and popsicle sticks can be transformed into delightful dancing castanets. Cut out two identical circles from cardboard and decorate them with markers and glitter. Punch holes near the top and thread pipe cleaners or yarn through them, attaching a popsicle stick to each end. Clapping the sticks together creates a fun castanet sound!
Shaker Instruments from Recycled Materials:
Get creative with recycled materials! Use plastic bottles, yogurt containers, or even tin cans. Fill them with dried beans, rice, or pasta. Decorate them with paint, markers, or even colorful duct tape. These homemade shakers add a touch of Mexican music to any fiesta.
Crafts that Explore Mexican Wildlife:
Crafty Cactus Creations:
Cactuses are iconic symbols of Mexico. Cut out cactus shapes from green construction paper or felt. Add details with markers, buttons, or even pipe cleaners for spines. Create a whole desert scene by adding colorful flowers and a friendly paper sun.
Monarch Butterfly Mobiles:
Monarch butterflies are known for their incredible migrations, passing through Mexico. Use coffee filters, pipe cleaners, and markers to create beautiful monarch butterflies. Hang them from a string or a coat hanger to create a fluttering mobile.
Paper Plate Axolotls:
Axolotls are adorable, endangered salamanders native to Mexico. Use paper plates to create their wide mouths and bodies. Cut out and attach felt or construction paper gills and eyes. Add a string or pipe cleaner hanger for a playful axolotl mobile.
Crafts that Spark Imagination and Storytelling:
Mexican Market Play Set:
Transform a cardboard box into a vibrant Mexican market stall. Decorate it with colorful paint and markers. Cut out pictures of fruits, vegetables, and traditional Mexican crafts like alebrijes (fantastical creatures) to fill the stall. Let your child’s imagination run wild as they play shopkeeper!
Design a Fiesta Outfit:
Grab some construction paper scraps, old magazines, and ribbon. Let your child design a festive outfit for a fiesta celebration. Use markers, glitter, and stickers to add embellishments. They can even create a paper doll to wear the outfit!
Folded Paper Animals:
Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, can be used to create amazing animals found in Mexico. Find easy-to-follow origami instructions online for animals like jaguars, hummingbirds, or even jumping beans!
Crafts that Encourage Learning about Mexican Culture:
Mexico Mini Fact Book:
Learning about Mexico can be a fun and engaging craft project. Fold construction paper into a small booklet. On each page, have your child write or draw about different aspects of Mexican culture, like food, holidays, animals, or famous landmarks.
Design a Mexican Mosaic:
Explore the vibrant mosaics found in Mexican architecture. Cut out squares of colored construction paper or use colorful beans. Glue them onto cardboard or a sturdy piece of paper to create a beautiful mosaic pattern inspired by Mexican designs.
These are just a few ideas to get you started! With a little creativity and these Mexico-inspired crafts, you can introduce your children to the rich and vibrant culture of Mexico in a fun and engaging way. ¡Olé! (That’s “hurray” in Spanish!)
