Month: April 2017

Categories
Educational

How to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with Kids

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, you may not know much about this celebration.  I plan on fixing that with breaking down what Cinco de Mayo is, why you should celebrate it with your kids, and even some fun activities and more to get you started.

When is Cinco de Mayo?

Despite what you may think, Cinco de Mayon is not the same day as Mexican Independence Day. That day is celebrated on September 15th. Cinco day Mayo falls on the 5th of May.

What is Cinco de Mayo? 

Cinco de Mayo is not an actual American Holiday but it is celebrated, more here than in Mexico. In Mexico, the larger celebration is their Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo is a day set aside to celebrate the courage of the Mexican people during the battle La Batalla de Pueblo on May 5, 1862. On this day Mexican soldiers defeated the Mexican traitors and French Army at Puebla Mexico.

This victory did not win the war but became a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. Today, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo has become highly commercialized. It is known as a time for fun and dance. It is also a celebration of Mexican culture, food, music, and beverage.

The holiday is most celebrated in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. Why?

  •  Texas was annexed to the United States in 1845, which led to the Mexican-American war.
  • The other three states were annexed from Mexico in 1848 following the US victory in that war.
  • Despite the war, all of these states continue to have close ties to the people and culture of Mexico.

The town of Puebla, the site of the battle, has the most extravagant and colorful celebration in Mexico OR the United States. They celebrate with large festivities as well as with a reenactment of the battle.


Why Should I Celebrate it With My Kids? 

So, why should you celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your kids? Here are a few things to consider:

  • It is a great way to educate them on the heritage of Mexican Americans.
  • You can study important icons, events, and people from the time period.
  • You can introduce your children to Mexican food, dance, and music.
  • It shows them that you value other cultures.

So, how will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year? If you need some ideas and suggestions check out the resources below.

Resources for Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

Categories
Art Educational

7 Multi Cultural Crafts for Kids

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As our children grow it is important to teach them about the world around them. Our children need to learn to appreciate different peoples and places.   We have heard from many parents who struggle with this. They are not sure where to begin when it comes to teaching their children multicultural lessons. We believe there’s no better way to introduce cultural traditions than hands-on activities and crafts. Here are a few great multicultural crafts for kids.

Birds of New Zealand

As the weather warms we will begin to see more and more birds enter our backyard feeders. This is a great time to learn about birds from other countries. This site has a huge collection of different hands-on crafts all about the birds of New Zealand.

Rainstick Instrument

Rainsticks are a fun and loud way to celebrate other cultures. The history of rain sticks is believed to have come from Chile. They were created with long, hollow cactus tubes and dried in the sun. Small pebbles were placed inside and the sound was like falling rain. This is believed to be used in ceremonies to bring in rain.

Japanese Cherry Tree

In much of Japan, cherry trees (Called sakua in Japan) come into bloom in April. This is also when a new school year starts for Japanese children, and businesses start their new year. Many people think of the cherry blossom as a sign of new beginnings. This is a fun craft for kids old and young, and even comes with book recommendations to continue learning!

Australian Aboriginal Boomerang

Learn about Australian art and aborigines with this multicultural activity. This craft requires simple household items and is a great activity to do as the weather warms. The kids can go outside and play with their new multicultural craft.

Kool-Aid Tie Dye 

This Kool-Aid tie-dye activity may remind you of the 60’s, BUT, the history of tie dye dates back to Pre-Columbian times and Peru. The time from is believed to be around 500-800 A.D. send you

The best part of this activity is that it can be easily made with simple household items. The finished tie-dye shirts will be vibrant and full of wonderful colors and designs. It’s a kid-friendly activity that never gets old!

Chinese New Year Fan

These Chinese Cherry Blossom Fans are a bright and simple craft that is perfect for the Chinese New Year OR a spring craft as we all celebrate the warmer weather. All you need is paper and paint!

Aztec SunDial 

Not only does the sun give us warmth and help plants grow, it can also be used to tell time! With this craft, your children will make a  sundial that really works! The history of the sundial comes from the Aztecs. They were brilliant people that taught us much of what we know about the Earth and the world around us. Your child will love learning more about the sun, life with the Aztecs and creating a working sundial.

Which multicultural craft for kids will you be making first?