November 4, 2025 by Alexandra H. Learning Strategies 0 comments

Create Your Own Calavera Story: A Halloween Writing Activity in Spanish

Have you ever seen a sugar skull and wondered what it really means?

In Mexico, these colorful symbols aren’t meant to be scary. They’re meant to celebrate life. And behind the bright colors and big smiles of these calaveras (skulls) lies a beautiful tradition that can help your child fall in love with Spanish.

This Halloween, instead of another worksheet or grammar drill, try something fun: writing your own “Calavera Literaria,” a playful poem that’s part rhyme, part humor, and all creativity. It’s a hands-on way to connect language learning with culture; your middle schooler will love it.

What Is a Calavera Literaria?

A Calavera Literaria is a short, rhyming poem written during Día de los muertos (Day of the Dead). Traditionally, it’s a lighthearted way to talk about death—not as something frightening, but as a reminder to laugh and celebrate life.

These poems usually imagine La Catrina—the elegant skeleton figure of Mexican culture—visiting someone famous, a loved one, or even the writer themselves. The tone is always playful and a little silly. Think of it as Halloween meets poetry!

For example:

La Catrina llegó bailando,
con su falda de colores,
buscaba dulces y flores,
y a todos fue saludando.

Even if your child is new to Spanish, they can start simple. The key is rhythm and imagination, not perfection.

Why It’s a Perfect Learning Activity

This writing project strengthens several skills at once:

Vocabulary building: Your child learns words for emotions, holidays, and everyday life.
Cultural awareness: They discover why Día de los Muertos celebrates life instead of fearing death.
Confidence in writing: Creating something original helps them see Spanish as a tool for expression, not just memorization.
Family bonding: It’s a project you can do together, even if you don’t speak Spanish yourself.

Step-by-Step: How to Write a Calavera Story

You don’t need to be a poet or fluent in Spanish to do this activity! Here’s how to guide your child through their first Calavera Literaria.

1. Learn the Basics

Start with a short introduction to Día de los Muertos. Watch a quick family-friendly video or read a simple article about how families build altars (altares) and decorate with marigolds (cempasúchil).

Explain that calaveras literarias are meant to make people laugh, not to scare them.

2. Brainstorm Characters

Ask: Who will La Catrina visit in your story?
It could be:

A famous person (un cantante, a singer)
A school teacher (una maestra)
A pet (una mascota)
Even the writer themselves!

Encourage creativity. The sillier, the better.

3. Add Spanish Words

Here are some simple Spanish words to include:

la calavera – skull
la flor – flower
el dulce – candy
la tumba – tomb
la risa – laughter
la vida – life
bailar – to dance
reír – to laugh

Have your child pick 3–5 words to use in their poem.

4. Write in Rhymes (or Try!)

Help your child write 4–8 lines. Each pair of lines should rhyme (AABB or ABAB). Encourage them to mix English and Spanish if needed at first; it’s all part of the learning process.

Here’s an example of a bilingual calavera for beginners:

La calavera went to school one day,
but all the students ran away.
She said, “Don’t worry, I’m just here to play!”
And left some dulces before she went away.

5. Illustrate and Share

Have your child draw their version of La Catrina or decorate their poem with paper marigolds and sugar skulls. You can even print it as a mini booklet or hang it on your fridge as part of your Halloween decorations.

A Cultural Lesson That Lasts

By turning Día de los Muertos into a writing project, your child will learn that Spanish is more than a subject; it’s a way to explore the world. They will see that words have emotion, rhythm, and cultural depth.

As Mexico’s poet Octavio Paz once wrote, “To the people of Mexico, death is not the end but a mirror of life.” When your child creates their own calavera, they’re stepping into a tradition that celebrates humor, art, and family all at once.

Keep the Fun Going

If your child loved this activity, keep the cultural learning alive by joining one of our online Spanish classes designed just for middle schoolers. Each class is personalized and filled with interactive lessons that make culture come alive. Click here to book your free trial class today.

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

“It’s great being able to interact with native speaking people and having a conversation with them not just doing all the work on paper. It’s also an amazing opportunity to speak with native Spanish-speaking people without having to travel to a native Spanish-speaking country.”

– Melanie

“Getting to know wonderful teachers who care about me and my growth in language and education. Evelyn Gomez and Erick Cacao are two of the most extraordinary people I have ever met, and talking with them in Spanish at the beginning of classes is always so fulfilling and greatly contributes to my happiness, joy, and wellbeing.”

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“I love that my children have the opportunity to speak with a live person. They get to practice Spanish in a 1-1 setting while improve their speaking, writing and reading skills during their lessons. HSA is a great way to learn Spanish for all ages! My children are 6, 9 and 11. My oldest two (9 and 11) have been taking classes with HSA for almost 2 years now. They love seeing their teacher each week. They understand the importance of learning several languages. I’ve seen them grow and learn with HSA. I’m excited to see how they will improve the more classes they take. I highly recommend them. You can’t bet learning and speaking with a live teacher. I’ve tried other programs. It’s just not as motivating.”

– Karie Ann, Parent of 3