Although I think we should celebrate our Latino heritage all year long, there's nothing wrong with taking advantage of #HispanicHeritageMonth to motivate your children to be proud of their roots. I'm not the expert when it comes to crafts, but my kids love them, so I make an effort to make these with them whenever possible. Check out these eight easy and fun Hispanic Heritage Month crafts you can do with yours!
Read more ¿Qué más?: This is how to raise your kids to be #ProudLatinos
Maracas
These are the easiest maracas you'll ever make! All you need are plastic spoons, plastic easter eggs, fillers (such as jelly beans, beans, rice) and duct tape! I made these maracas with my kids and they were a total hit!
Piñata
This is one craft I've been wanting to do with my kids for a while, but I haven't because it I think it might be too difficult. But these is the year we're finally going to venture into uncharted land and make (and break) our own piñata.
Metal Art
I've always admired art pieces made with a techinique known as repujado, in Spanish. Basically, it just means using a special tool to raise metal. Now that I've found instructions on how to make it with my kids using foil paper, I can't wait to get to it.
Papel Picado
If, like mine, your children love to use scissors, this craft is for them! In the process, you can talk to them about the country where this lovely folk art come from. Papel picado is an easy and fun craft!
Quetzal
You know all those toilet paper rolls you've been saving to do crafts with your kids? Here's the perfect chance to use them and to teach your niños about the Quetzal, Guatemala's national bird.
Caretas
Caretas are paper mache masks that were traditionally used during festivals to scare lapsed Christians into returning to the church, and have roots in both Spain and Africa, which make up the predominant ancestries of the Puerto Rican people. Though the origins are slightly dark, they have become a symbol of celebration.
Molas
Molas–pictures made out of cloth–are traditionally made by the Kuna women of the Panama's San Blas Islands to decorate their clothes. These days, they are also sold to tourists as tapestries. But there's no need to break out the sewing machine for this craft–you can recreate a mola using construction paper.
Sugar jewelry
Sugar has played an undeniably huge role in the development and survival of the Cuban economy. In fact, it is the reason many roads and railroads were built on the island, resulting in a surge of Spanish migrants, who helped define the culture of the Cuban people. These adorable sugar cube necklaces and bracelets are a great way to pay homage.
