6 Fun and Educational Cinco de Mayo Activities for Elementary Students

Hola amigos! Cinco de Mayo is a special day in Mexican history, and it's a great opportunity for teachers to incorporate fun and educational activities into their lesson plans. Here are some ideas for activities you can use to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in your elementary classroom:

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Math:

Create a graph to track students' favorite Mexican foods. Have each student vote for their favorite food, then tally up the results and create a bar graph to display the data. This activity is not only a great way to practice graphing skills, but it also introduces students to the culture and cuisine of Mexico. Click here to grab the free graphing activity.

Cinco de Mayo Color-by-Number:

Provide students with a Cinco de Mayo-themed color-by-number worksheet that allows students to practice their math facts skills while also learning about the holiday.

Cinco de Mayo Addition Color by Number

Cinco de Mayo Multiplication Color by Number

Reading

Read a book about Cinco de Mayo, such as Cinco de Mayo by Mary Dodson Wade or Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating the Traditions of Mexico by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith.

After reading, have students write a summary of the book and identify key details.

If you are looking for more Cinco de Mayo read alouds, check out this blog post.

Writing

Have students write a Cinco de Mayo poem. Encourage them to use descriptive language and imagery to describe the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday. You can also have them illustrate their poem to make an easy bulletin board display.

Social Studies:

Teach students about the history of Cinco de Mayo and its significance in Mexican history. You can also have them research and present on different aspects of Mexican culture, such as food, clothing, and music.

Art

Have students create their own mini piñata!

Cinco de Mayo is a fun and exciting holiday that can be incorporated into a wide range of subjects. These activities are just a few examples of the many ways you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo in your elementary classroom. Have fun, be creative, and enjoy the festivities!

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