21 Day of the Dead Craft Activities For Kids
Image Credit: Annie Spratt
The Day of the Dead is a holiday traditionally celebrated throughout Mexico on November 1 and 2. Other days, such as October 31 and through to November 6, may be included as part of the festivities.
It is celebrated primarily in Mexico and by Mexican communities in almost every country.
The holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember amusing events and anecdotes about the departed.
Day of the Dead is associated with several myths and customs. The festival is traditionally a time to honour ancestors. But best of all it is a time for friends and families to get together, celebrate, eat, let off fireworks and exchange gifts.
Another fun way to celebrate Day of the Dead is to decorate your home, so why not try out some fun crafts and use what you make to decorate your home for your Day of the Dead celebrations?
The most recognisable symbol of the Day of the Dead is a sugar skull, a brightly decorated skull, originally made form moulded sugar but now printed as a design on anything from ceramics and posters to clothes and tote bags. Skeletons are also the the other most common design used for decor. These too may be beautifully decorated.
Day of the Dead Craft Ideas
Here are some fun crafts about Day of the Dead for kids to try.
The forst few will be suitable for all ages, from the very youngest kids, then they will get more complex, ending with a few suitable for teenagers and adults.
- Paper Plate Day of the Dead Mask
All you ned for this craft is a paper plate and some morker pens. Adults can cut out the shapes for younger children.
- Sugar Skull Sun Catchers
This is another craft that would be perfect for younger kids, with a little help with the scissor work from an adult.
- Paper Plate Day of the Dead Craft
Another option for using paper plates is this fun idea which uses tissue paper and some printable sugar skull eyes and teeth!
- Day of the Dead Puppet
This cool puppet template gives you al sorts of options to customise - add flowers hearts and colour it in just as you wish.
- Toilet Paper Roll Sugar Skulls
These colourful decorations use old toilet roll inner tubes which are covered in coloured paper, then a sugar skull design added.
- Paper Cup Sugar Skull Craft
Make a unique and colourful decoration for the Day of the Dead using paper cups, marker pens and tissue paper.
- Pom Pom Skeleton Craft
This cool toddler-friendly craft uses craft sticks, small pom poms and black card.
- Day of the Dead Bookmarks
If your kids love a bit of simple origami they will love these cool corner bookmarks.
- Paper Bag Sugar Skull Lantern
This simple idea just involves using a white paper bag, decoration it with pens, pencils or crayons, then light it with a battery operated candle.
- Skull Rocks
Rock painting is always fun, and these skull rocks are a simple and quick Day of the Dead craft fro kids of all ages.
- Sugar Skull Bunting
Make some fun sugar skull bunting using a printable template.
- Paper Marigolds for the Day of the Dead
Make these paper flowers using bright golden tissue paper.
- Sugar Skull Rocks Using Puffy Paint
If you've not tried it yet, puffy paint is a type of paint that puffs up and expands as it dries. So it makes a fun and colourful way to decorate rocks!
- Easy Glow In The Dark Day of The Dead Lanterns
It is traditional to use candles at the altars created to celebrate the Day of the Dead, so a votive is a very appropriate way to decorate for this festival.
- Sugar Skull Craft for Kids
Use a ready-made papier mache face mask for a quick and easy Day of the Dead craft idea.
Decorate with pens, paint and stick on any other decorations that you want.
- Easy Balloon Calavera Skulls
Use printables and a balloon to make these fun decorations.
- Day of the Dead Colouring Pages
- Day of the Dead Wordsearch
- Sugar Skull Wreath
Make your own flowers and use readymade plastic skulls for this beautiful wreath.
- Day of the Dead Tin Skulls
Tin has been used for traditional Mexican handicrafts for many centuries.
This craft does use aluminium tooling foil - it is thicker than the tinfoil that you use for cooking - but you don't need any specialist equipment for this, you can just use a sharpened pencil and scissors.
- Day of the Dead Candle Holders
These votives are made from baby food jars. Adorable!
- DIY Felt Sugar Skulls
These cute felt sugar skulls are embroidered on felt then stuffed to make them three dimensional.
These printable PDF Day of the Dead colouring pages are free to download, and there is one of every chinese zodiac year.
A free printable Day of the Dead wordsearch to download - can you find all the words related to this festival hiding in this puzzle?
These last few ideas are for older kids and adults, so they are a little bit more involved.