Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration that commemorates Mexico’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It’s become a popular holiday in the United States and is celebrated with a variety of activities from parades to parties. If you’re looking for fun ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your middle schoolers, you’ve come to the right place! Here are 20 festive Cinco de Mayo activities for middle school students.
1. Mexican culture scavenger hunt – Send your students on a scavenger hunt around their school or the neighborhood to find items related to Mexican culture, such as a mariachi band, a sombrero, a piñata, or a Mexican flag.
2. Decorate the classroom – Have your students create decorations using traditional Mexican symbols, such as paper cutouts of cacti, paper mache piñatas, and paper flags.
3. Make Mexican-inspired food – Give your students a chance to get creative in the kitchen by having them make Mexican-inspired dishes such as tacos, enchiladas, or churros.
4. Host a piñata party – Piñatas are a staple of any Cinco de Mayo celebration. Fill the piñata with candy and small trinkets, and let your students take turns hitting it until it breaks.
5. Have a costume contest – Have your students dress up in traditional Mexican garb for a costume contest. You can give prizes for the most creative, funniest, and most colorful costumes.
6. Plan a Cinco de Mayo parade – Have your students create floats, banners, and signs to celebrate the holiday. Then, host a parade around your school or neighborhood.
7. Play traditional Mexican games – Set up a Mexican-inspired game area for your students to enjoy. Some popular choices include lotería (a Mexican version of Bingo), juego de la oca (a board game similar to Snakes and Ladders), and el palo ensebado (a wooden bat and ball game).
8. Have a dance competition – Have your students learn some traditional Mexican dances and then compete in a dance-off.
9. Create a mural – Have your students design a mural that celebrates Mexican culture. They can incorporate traditional symbols, such as cacti and flags, as well as images of famous Mexican historical figures.
10. Make a paper mache volcano – Let your students get creative by having them make a paper mache volcano. Once it’s complete, they can erupt it for a fun Cinco de Mayo surprise.
11. Have a taco-eating contest – Let your students compete to see who can eat the most tacos in one sitting. The winner gets a prize!
12. Play Mexican music – Play some traditional Mexican music for your students and have them learn some of the songs and dances.
13. Set up an art station – Give your students a chance to express their creativity by setting up an art station. They can make crafts such as paper flowers, sombreros, and masks using traditional Mexican symbols.
14. Have a pinata-decorating contest – Have your students decorate their own piñata with markers, paint, and other craft supplies. The winner gets to keep their creation.
15. Make friendship bracelets – Have your students make friendship bracelets to share with each other. They can use colorful beads and strings to make bracelets.
16. Make piñata cookies – Give your students a sweet treat by having them make piñata cookies. All they need is some cookie dough, icing, and colorful sprinkles.
17. Have a Cinco de Mayo trivia challenge – Test your students’ knowledge of Mexican history and culture by having them answer questions about the holiday.
18. Have a salsa-tasting contest – Let your students sample diverse types of salsa and vote for their favorite.
19. Plant a cactus garden – Have your students plant a cactus garden in honor of Cinco de Mayo. They can use small cacti or succulents to create a beautiful and festive display.
20. Have a piñata-making workshop – Have your students make their own piñata using paper mache, paint, and ribbons. Then, let them take turns breaking them open.
With these 20 festive Cinco de Mayo activities, your middle schoolers are sure to have a blast celebrating this special holiday.
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