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Cinco de Mayo offers a spirited celebration teeming with deep-seated traditions and vivid festivities. The event kindles children’s enthusiasm by giving them a chance to unleash their creativity while gaining knowledge about Mexican culture.
The inclusion of crafts in the celebrations not only amplifies the excitement but also enables children to physically interact with the history of the holiday.


Whether you’re plotting a class project, a household reunion, or a neighborhood gathering, crafting proves to be an ideal method to captivate children across all age groups.
Activities ranging from adorning piñatas to fashioning paper flowers are guaranteed to stimulate the imaginative mind of every child. Moreover, they present an excellent chance for parents and teachers to elucidate the significance of this crucial day.
The vibrant hues of Cinco de Mayo can envelope the space, and children can engage deeply into the essence of the holiday, creating decor pieces to exhibit with pride.
These DIY projects are not just simple to construct, but provide a delightful avenue to embrace Mexican culture in an engaging and meaningful manner. Regardless if you’re doing these activities with a group or solo at home, these suggestions will undeniably make your Cinco de Mayo festivity memorable.
Cinco de Mayo Crafts for Kids
15. Paper Bag Piñatas
This item features colorful Mexican paper star ornaments inspired by traditional star-shaped piñatas. It guides users through creating a 3D paper star with tassels using simple materials like crepe paper, scissors, and glue.
The finished stars can be used as festive decorations for celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo or Day of the Dead. They also make engaging craft projects suitable for classrooms or home activities, adding a vibrant, handmade touch to any space.
14. Mexican Paper Star Ornaments
This item features colorful Mexican paper star ornaments inspired by traditional star-shaped piñatas and Moravian tin lanterns. It provides a creative way to make vibrant 3D stars using crepe paper, templates, and simple folding techniques, perfect for festive decorations or classroom crafts.
The finished stars include decorative tassels and can be hung individually or strung together with fairy lights to create a charming garland. This craft encourages hands-on creativity while celebrating Mexican folk art and cultural festivities like Cinco de Mayo.
13. Papel Picado
This item demonstrates how to create traditional Mexican papel picado by cutting intricate designs into layered tissue paper. The process involves folding the paper multiple times and cutting shapes carefully to reveal detailed patterns once unfolded.
Users will experience making colorful, decorative banners that can be displayed by stringing the finished pieces on yarn. The activity encourages creativity and fine motor skills while connecting to Mexican folk art traditions.
12. Mexican Flag
This craft activity involves creating a colorful Mexican flag using small squares of red, green, and white crepe paper glued onto a printed flag outline. The project includes adding the flag’s emblem in the center, helping children learn about the flag’s design and cultural significance.
Alongside the craft, children can be introduced to basic Spanish vocabulary related to the flag and Mexico. The hands-on experience encourages creativity while fostering an understanding of Mexican heritage and traditions.
11. Black Glue Cactus
This craft project features a textured cactus design made by tracing a printed template with a homemade black glue mixture. Once dried, the raised black lines create a striking outline that resists watercolor paint, allowing for vibrant green shading and colorful tissue paper flowers to be added.
The combination of mixed media elements encourages creativity and fine motor skill development. It offers a fun, hands-on way to create a visually appealing summer-themed art piece that captures the look of a prickly cactus without the real-life discomfort.
10. Pinata Suncatchers
This craft involves creating colorful piñata-shaped suncatchers using tissue paper confetti and clear contact paper. Kids cut out a donkey outline and fill the frame with bits of tissue paper, which are then sealed between sheets of contact paper to create a vibrant decoration.
Once completed, the suncatchers can be displayed in sunny windows where light shines through the colorful tissue paper, brightening up any space. This activity encourages creativity and provides a festive way to celebrate holidays like Cinco de Mayo with simple, reusable materials.
9. Tissue Paper Flower Bracelets
This craft involves making colorful tissue paper flower bracelets using simple materials like tissue paper, pipe cleaners, and optional beads. The process includes cutting layered tissue paper into circles, threading pipe cleaners through punched holes, and fluffing the paper layers to create a flower effect.
Children can personalize their bracelets by adding beads and twisting the pipe cleaner ends to secure the design. The finished bracelets are wearable and make charming gifts for occasions such as Mother’s Day or Cinco de Mayo.
8. Paper Bag Mariachis
This craft transforms a simple brown paper lunch bag into a vibrant Mariachi puppet using paint, cardstock cutouts, and colorful washi tape. Key features include a large mustache, a decorated sombrero, and a guitar, all designed to create a festive and playful character without visible eyes.
The process involves painting the bag, cutting and decorating themed pieces, and layering washi tape to add texture and color. It encourages creativity and hands-on fun while celebrating Cinco de Mayo and Spanish culture through an engaging, kid-friendly activity.
7. Taco Craft
This paper taco craft lets you create a colorful, foldable taco card using simple construction paper and basic cutting and folding techniques. The finished taco opens up to reveal a hidden message inside, making it a playful and interactive way to send greetings or notes.
The craft includes making taco shells and layering paper toppings like lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and meat for a realistic look. Adding googly eyes and a smiling face gives the taco a fun personality, perfect for kids to personalize and gift.
6. Maracas Craft
This craft project guides users in creating colorful maracas using recycled plastic Easter eggs, plastic spoons, and washi tape. Filling the eggs with rice produces a gentle rattling sound, making the maracas perfect for musical play.
The process involves securing the spoons around the egg and wrapping them with washi tape to form a sturdy handle. Once completed, the maracas can be used as a festive instrument to celebrate Cinco de Mayo or other musical activities.
5. Easy Paper Plate Sombrero
This craft lets you create a colorful paper plate sombrero perfect for celebrating Cinco de Mayo or a Mexican-themed party. Using simple materials like a paper plate, a plastic cup, pom-poms, and elastic, you can assemble a festive hat that fits comfortably on your head.
The design includes options for decorating the brim with dangling pom-poms or gluing them directly on top, adding a playful touch. A chin strap made from elastic keeps the sombrero secure, making it fun and wearable for kids during celebrations or school events.
4. DIY Fiesta Banner
This item features a colorful DIY papel picado banner designed for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. It demonstrates how to create vibrant, hand-cut tissue paper decorations that add festive flair to any party setting.
The banner can be customized in size and pattern, allowing for creative variations like floral designs or intricate cutouts. It also offers ideas for using leftover pieces as confetti or smaller decorations, making it a versatile and budget-friendly party accent.
3. Paper Senoritas
This item features colorful paper rosettes and charming Señorita figures designed for festive decoration. Users can create layered, accordion-folded paper rosettes with patterned skirts and add decorative centers like beads or flowers for a personalized touch.
The Señoritas are crafted by attaching pleated paper skirts to printed cutouts of girls, creating a playful and vibrant look. These decorations are ideal for celebrating Cinco de Mayo or any lively fiesta, adding a handmade, festive atmosphere to the event.
2. Cardboard Guitar
This craft invites children to create a colorful guitar using simple cardboard shapes, yarn, and basic art supplies. The project involves cutting a square, rectangles, and a circle, then decorating and assembling these pieces to form a playable, handmade instrument.
Along with fostering creativity, this activity introduces young kids to shapes and fine motor skills through cutting, painting, and weaving yarn strings. It also offers a fun way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo while encouraging imaginative play and hands-on learning.
1. Festive Masks
This item features a hands-on craft project for creating festive Cinco de Mayo masks using simple materials like paper plates, printed cutouts, and paint. It offers step-by-step instructions to cut, paint, and assemble both male and female mask designs, including options for decoration such as flower crowns and hat details.
The masks are designed for fun and celebration rather than protection, encouraging creativity and role-playing for kids and families. Additional suggestions include using ribbons or craft sticks to wear the masks and pairing the activity with themed snacks or cultural videos to enhance the festive experience.