How to Select Mexican Crafts

One of the best things about living in the United States is the fact that, as a nation of immigrants, we have access to many different cultures. The Mexican culture in particular has filtered into the everyday lives of Americans across the country. People who have never been to Mexico eat the culture's tasty food, celebrate Cinco de Mayo and bring out the piñata as the climax of birthday celebrations. But have you ever made your own piñata? Mexican crafts can be decorative, colorful and educational, as well.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Books about Mexican celebrations (optional)
• Examples of professionally made crafts (optional)

Select Mexican Crafts

1. Mull over the occasions for which Mexican crafts are appropriate. While they can be done any time, they may be more meaningful in connection with Mexican celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day (they are not the same thing) and the Day of the Dead. Each holiday has specific crafts associated with it, such as the artwork using skulls and skeletons for the Day of the Dead.
2. Look at professionally done Mexican crafts such as jewelry, leather work and paper flowers. Are there simplified versions of these items you can select for the children to make? Find these at DLTK Growing Together.
3. Compare the difficulty of the craft with the age and skill of the children (and you). The simplest project is probably the "god's eye," using yarn, glue and craft sticks. More complicated are jewelry projects with small pieces, and of course, the piñata, such as those found at Artists Helping Children.
4. Search for crafts that are useful as well as beautiful. The children will enjoy making a rhythm instrument and then playing it or creating a papel picado (a paper cut-out banner) and hanging it up in the room.
5. Find Day of the Dead crafts at Azcentral.com.

Tips & Warnings

• Seek out Mexican-American individuals and families for suggestions about the crafts that they like best or find most meaningful. Someone may even be willing to come and teach an authentic craft to the children.
• Make sure your artistic "eyes" are not bigger than your "stomach." Select crafts that you and the children can handle.
• The skeletal "Day of the Dead" crafts can be scary for young, non-Mexican children. Be careful which you choose.

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