WEBSITES:
Watch these for some history of Cinco de Mayo:
Try our Day of the Dead Theme Day based on this Mexican Celebration to learn more!
Grito de Dolores (or Cry of Dolores)
and Aniversario de la Independencia
are celebrations of the evening of September 15th and the day of September 16th. This is the most important national holiday in Mexico and is also known as Mexican Independence Day. The “grito” was the pronouncement of the Mexican War of Independence by a Roman Catholic Priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. A bell is rung at 11pm on the 15th and shouts of patriotism ending with a threefold shout of ¡Viva México! Then on September 16 red, white and green flags, flowers and decorations are deem in cities and towns throughout Mexico with shouts of "Viva Mexico". There are parities, music, food and dancing.
Learn more about Mexican Independence Day:
Can you spot the monkey?
Photo: M. Chambers
Mexico
There are 68 native languages in Mexico!!
Nahuatl, known historically as Aztec, is a language from central Mexico. It was the language of the Aztecs who ruled the Central Mexico area in the 14th to 16th centuries. Check here for some useful phrases in Nahuatl:
http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/nahuatl.php
Step 3: (sticky step) prepare your work space with newspapers and a few sheets of waxed paper. On the waxed paper set up your newpaper strips (precut) and the bowl of glue. Dip a strip of newspaper into the flour glue mixture and rub the sides along the bowl to take off some glue. Now apply the strip to the balloon. HINT: We found that keeping the balloon upright in a bowl was very helpful (see photos in slides).
Step 4: Apply multiple strips of newspaper to the balloon in many directions and overlapping. You will find that as you go you may not even have to dip in the glue as there will be enough on the balloon.
Step 5: Once covered (except for a little bit on the bottom) let it dry. We let it dry in the bowl.
Step 6: Once it is dry pop the balloon.
Step 7: Fill the pinata with candy.
Photo: R. Blum
Fireworks:
Fireworks are usually a part of celebrating Mexican Independence Day.
Try this simple craft:
Materials: white paper, 3 empty toilet paper rolls, red, yellow and green paint, waxed paper, newspaper to cover your work space, child safe scissors.
Step 1: Cut a quarter way up the toilet rolls to create a fringe (see photo).
Step 2: Pour red paint on waxed paper and pressed the toilet rolls (fringe bent outward) into the paint and then dab onto the white paper to create red fireworks.
Step 3: Let it dry or use a hair dryer to speed up the process.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 with green and yellow paint layering on top of the red using a separate toilet roll for each colour. Let dry and then display!
MEXICO GEOGRAPHY:
Print out my Mexico: Geography Printable and my Mexico and North American: Geography Printable
I apologise for any inconsistencies in my geography worksheet. They have been hand drawn and thus are not accurate depictions but instead are representations.
Dia de Muertos
Dia de los Muertos
Day of the Dead
is a Mexican holiday which had families and friends gathering and praying and remembering loved ones who have died. It is now celebrated October 31st to November 2nd.
Copyright 2017. Family Theme Days. All rights reserved.
Piñatas:
A favourite party game for children is the breaking of the piñata…
Materials: 2 cups flour, 3 cups water, newspaper strips, paint, a balloon, tissue paper or coloured paper (optional) and white glue or glue gun, white paint.
Step 1: Blow up the balloon and tie a knot at the end to keep it inflated.
Step 2: Prepare the paste by mixing the water into the flour in a bowl; combine using a whisk to prevent lumps.
FUN FACTS CHART:
Print out my Fun Facts About Mexico Worksheet and together as a family fill in the squares with interesting facts you learn while you read and research about Mexico.
Learning Activities
Cascarones:
Cascarones are hollowed-out chicken eggs filled with confetti or small toys. This tradition dates back to the mid 1800s. Decorated cascarones may be thrown or crushed over friends heads to shower people with confetti. Having a Cascarón broken over your head is supposed to bring good luck!
They are traditionally seen during Lent and Easter but have become popular during birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations (see above).
Children’s Day or
el Dia del Niño
is April 30th but festivities often begin well before the date and continue on afterwards. It is a day to remember the importance of childhood and to see that children can teach us how to be joyful.
Learn more about Children’s Day here:
Photo: M. Chambers
LANGUAGE:
There is no official language at the federal level in Mexico, but Spanish is the recognized language. Print out my Mexico: Spanish Words Printable to learn some common words.
http://www.learnspanishtoday.com/learning_module/grammar.htm
http://www.europa-pages.co.uk/lessons/spanish-basics.html
http://www.fluentu.com/spanish/blog/useful-spanish-travel-phrases-words/
http://ielanguages.com/spanish1.html
I apologise for any inconsistencies. I do not personally speak Spanish and am basing this worksheet soley on the above research.
Maracas:
Music is a big part of Mexican celebrations.
Make your own maracas with this simple three step craft!
Materials: Two plastic spoons, one plastic egg, decorateive tape, dreid pasta or rice or beans.
Step 1: Tape the two spoons facing each other at the bottom of the spoons only.
Step 2: Add your dried pasta, rice or beans to the plastic egg.
Step 3: Place the egg between teh two spoons and tape together.
Photo: M. Chambers
Celebrations in Mexico:
How to make Cascarones:
Materials: empty egg shells (mostly intact so don’t crack in the middle), confetti, white glue, tissue paper cut into small squares.
Step 1: Rinse the empty egg shells carefully with water. Save the yolk and whites for an omelette or for baking.
Step 2: (Optional) Dye the eggs using food colouring (check instructions on the bottles) and let them dry. We made these at the same time as our Easter eggs! you can leave them white if you want, though.
Step 3: Stuff with confetti. We used chopped up Easter basket straw!
Step 4: Squirt glue around the hole in the egg and cover with the tissue paper.
Step 5: Let them dry and then have fun cracking them over each other’s head. We opted to make this an outdoor experience. Try to crack paper side down. Have fun!
Carnival is celebrated in many cultures and countries including Mexico. It is celebrated the week before Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of Lent in Christian traditions. The dates vary from year to year but generally is in February. Different cities in Mexico celebrate in different ways, some with big parades like those in Brazil, and often includes the crowning of a King and Queen.
Learn more about THE DAY OF THE DEAD:
MEXICAN FLAG:
Print out a copy of my Mexican Flag Colouring Page and have your child colour it in.
I apologise for an inconsistency in the design. I drew the flag for the worksheet and it is by no means 100% accurate. That eagle was hard to draw!
Carnival Fireworks in Mazatlan:
Photo: G.K
Step 8: Cover the hole with duct tape and paint over with white paint.
Step 9: Once dry create a handle out of duct tape. I simply folded over a strip.
Step 10:(Parent step) carefully poke two holes at the top of the pinata and thread the duct tape handle through. Tape it together with more duct tape.
Step 11: Now it is ready to decorate. There are many ways to do this. You could paint another colour (we didn't) and then glue on tissue paper pieces. We made jagged strips of coloured paper and glued them on. To make it go faster use a glue gun (parents or older kids only). It was so much better using a glue gun (which you can buy at a dollar store) but white glue works as well...you just have to wait longer for it to dry and it is a stickier process.
Step 12": ready for smashing!
More Cinco de mayo song fun:
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican celebration held on May 5th that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The largest celebrations take place in the city of Puebla with a massive parade that re-enacts the war. It isn't celebrated very much in Mexico (except in Puebla) but it is a very popular celebration in the United States to celebrate Mexican-American culture.