Little Hands, Big Traditions: Preschool Crafts for Día de los Muertos

If you’ve ever walked into a craft store in late October, you’ve probably noticed the colorful sugar skulls and bright marigolds that seem to pop off the shelves.

That’s the magic of Día de los Muertos, a holiday that’s as vibrant as it is meaningful. And here’s the best part: you don’t have to wait until your child is “older” to introduce them to these beautiful traditions. Preschoolers, with their love of hands-on play and color, are the perfect age to start exploring this celebration through crafts that are both fun and educational.

Craft time is more than just keeping little hands busy. Research shows that children who engage in creative activities build stronger fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and even emotional expression. When we layer Spanish vocabulary on top of these crafts, it becomes a multi-sensory learning experience.

So, let’s step into the world of Día de los Muertos with three simple, kid-friendly crafts you can do at home while sprinkling in beginner Spanish words.

What Is Día de los Muertos?

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1 and 2. Families gather to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away. But it’s not sad; it’s a joyful celebration filled with music, food, and art.

The most recognizable symbols of this holiday are calaveras (skulls), flores (flowers), and papel picado (colorful paper banners). These symbols aren’t just beautiful; they tell a story. And when you introduce them to your preschooler through crafts, you’re teaching both culture and language in a way they’ll remember.

Craft 1: Sugar Skull Coloring Pages

Nothing says Día de los Muertos quite like the sugar skull, or calavera de azúcar.

How to Do It:

• Print a simple sugar skull outline.
• Provide crayons, markers, or watercolor paints.
• Encourage your child to decorate with bright, bold colors.

Spanish Vocabulary to Practice:

• Colores (coh-LOH-res) – colors
• Calavera (cah-lah-VEH-rah) – skull
• Ojos (OH-hos) – eyes

Learning Tip: Point to each color as your child uses it and say the Spanish words rojo (red), azul (blue), and verde (green). Repetition helps the words stick.

Craft 2: Papel Picado Banners

Papel picado are festive banners made from tissue paper with cut-out designs.

How to Do It:

• Fold colorful tissue paper like you would for paper snowflakes.
• Help your child snip simple shapes into the folded paper.
• String them together with yarn to hang in a doorway or window.

Spanish Vocabulary to Practice:

• Papel (pah-PEL) – paper
• Tijeras (tee-HEH-rahs) – scissors
• Flor (flor) – flower

Learning Tip: While cutting, say “¡Corta el papel!” (“Cut the paper!”). Short action phrases are easy for preschoolers to imitate.

Craft 3: Marigold Flowers (Flores de Cempasúchil)

Marigolds, or flores de cempasúchil, are known as the “flowers of the dead.” Their bright orange petals are said to guide spirits back to their families.

How to Do It:

• Stack 4–6 sheets of orange or yellow tissue paper.
• Fold accordion-style, then secure with a pipe cleaner in the center.
• Fluff the layers into a round flower.

Spanish Vocabulary to Practice:

• Flor (flor) – flower
• Naranja (nah-RAHN-hah) – orange
• Amarillo (ah-mah-REE-yoh) – yellow

Learning Tip: Lay out the finished flowers and ask your child: “¿De qué color es la flor?” (“What color is the flower?”).

Why Crafts Work for Language Learning

Preschoolers learn best when they can move, see, and touch. That’s why arts and crafts pair so well with early Spanish exposure. By connecting words like colores and flores to hands-on activities, kids don’t just memorize vocabulary; they live it.

Early bilingual exposure enhances problem-solving skills, creativity, and cultural awareness. That means your simple craft afternoon is doing double duty: boosting brain development and planting seeds of cultural appreciation.

Make It a Family Tradition

You don’t need a Mexican background to celebrate Día de los Muertos at home. Instead, think of it as a way to teach your child respect for culture, diversity, and family heritage. As you hang your papel picado or admire your child’s sugar skull art, you’re passing down a tradition of joy, remembrance, and connection.

If you’d like even more resources for incorporating Spanish into your preschooler’s daily life, visit Homeschool Spanish Academy, where we share activities, printables, and tips for making language learning part of your family’s routine.

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