Activities To Teach About Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15- October 15th each year. Today I’m sharing some fun Activities To Teach About Hispanic Heritage Month! in the classroom!

Teaching about Hispanic Heritage Month in the classroom can be a great opportunity to celebrate diversity and introduce young children to different cultures. Below are some fun and engaging ideas and activities.

Read-Alouds

Books are always a favorite way to introduce new concepts to young learners.

Below are some of my favorites to read aloud.

Pepe and the Parade by Tracey Kyle.

In this book, you follow Pepe as he attends his first Hispanic Day parade. With new food to taste, music to dance to, and a parade to watch, Pepe couldn’t be more excited to celebrate and share his Hispanic heritage. Many of Pepe’s friends also attend the festival, celebrating their own Hispanic ties. Mexican, Dominican, Panamanian, Colombian, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Chilean, Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Cuban cultures are all represented in the parade.

The Day of the Dead / El Día de los Muertos: A Bilingual Celebration by Bob Barner

This book follows two children as they celebrate their ancestors in this bilingual introduction to el Día de los Muertos— the Day of the Dead!

They prepare offerings of flowers, sugar skulls, and special bread, and make delicious foods to eat and share.  By spreading marigold petals, they guide the dead home to join the festivities. After hours of singing, dancing, and reminiscing, it’s time for bed.  

Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina

Mia’s abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. While they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English, and Mia learns some Spanish, too, but it’s still hard for Abuela to learn enough words to tell Mia her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfecto idea for how to help them all communicate a little better. 

Federico and the Wolf by Rebecca Gomez

Clever Federico outsmarts el lobo in this fresh and funny Mexican-American take on Little Red Riding Hood.

With his red hoodie on and his bicycle basket full of food, Federico is ready to visit Abuelo. But on the way, he meets a hungry wolf. And now his grandfather bears a striking resemblance to el lobo…

Fortunately, Federico is quick and clever—and just happens to be carrying a spicy surprise! Federico drives the wolf away, and he and Abuelo celebrate with a special salsa.

I also have a literacy snack idea and a free printable to go along with this book. You can find that here.

Tortillas Are Round A Book of Shapes by Roseanne Thong 

I love this book because it shows all of the different shapes in real-world examples The book has 1 to 3 pages about each shape and has illustrations showing the shape in real life.  A great teaching tool!

These are just the tip of the iceberg of great read-aloud for Hispanic Heritage Month. Encourage your students to share what they know about the cultures represented in the stories too!

Art Activities

• Make cultural art! Introduce the students to traditional crafts like papel picado (cut paper! They will be sure to recognize these beautiful decorations from the movie Coco. Below is a fantastic printable and tutorial from Art Projects for Kids so you can make them with your class. They would look amazing all strung together to decorate the classroom!

• Another fun option would be to make fiesta flowers. These are another fun and easy project the kids can make and they would be another great addition to decorate the classroom! Below is a great tutorial on how to make them.

• Flag Crafts: Have students create flags from different Hispanic countries using colored paper and markers You could have the students work together to create different flags and then display them around the classroom.
• Pinatas are another great craft to make. You could make them out of paper towel rolls or make them on paper like in the tutorial below.

Music and Dance

• Music: Play traditional Hispanic music and have a dance party! Songs like “La Bamba” or mariachi music can be fun!

Here’s a fun video of a mariachi playing some music from the movie Coco that your students may recognize.

Here’s a fun song that captures the Hispanic culture of many different areas.

• Dance: Teach your students simple dances like salsa, the Mexican hat dance, or folk dances from various countries.

Here’s a fun video that teaches a few salsa dancing steps in just a few minutes.

Food Tasting

Sample Dishes:  Have a food-tasting party with our class! Organize a simple tasting party with age-appropriate foods like:

• Tacos: Use soft tortillas with mild fillings (beans, cheese).
• Guacamole and Chips: Provide tortilla chips with a small serving of guacamole.
• Pico de Gallo Mix up all of the ingredients and taste test with some chips on the side.
• Flan or Churros: Offer small portions of these desserts.

 Talk about the flavors, colors, and textures of the food.

We have a great cooking class sequencing activity set that would be great to go alongside making tacos in the classroom. You can check that out here.

Guest Speakers

Invite Family or Friends: If you have parents or community members who can share their experiences or cultural traditions, invite them to speak to the class. E

Celebrate Diversity: Encourage kids to share their own backgrounds and family traditions. This promotes understanding and respect for all cultures.

Language Activities

• Basic Spanish: Teach them some basic Spanish words and phrases. Use fun flashcards or songs to make it interactive.
• Bilingual Books: Incorporate books that are available in both English and Spanish.

Community Connection

• Local Celebrations: Research local events or festivals related to Hispanic Heritage Month and consider a field trip if possible.

Create a Display

• Classroom Bulletin Board: Set up a bulletin board to showcase what the class has learned. Include drawings, facts, and photos. This would be a great place to display the festive flowers or papel picado that your class has made.

By integrating these activities, you’ll create a rich and meaningful experience that celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month while fostering a sense of community and respect for diversity in your classroom. I hope that you can take away a few new ideas with you to add to your classroom to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

See you next time!

Jenette