Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Kids
We at Languages4kidz think it’s important for kids to gain exposure to languages other than their own early on so they can gain a better awareness of the world and its inhabitants.
The past and present achievements of Hispanic and Latino Americans are woven into the fabric of Hispanic and Latino culture. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month offers students, parents, and educators an opportunity to explore and learn about the rich history, vibrant cultures, and exciting contributions of the Hispanic and Latino American communities.
We invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month even if your ancestors didn’t originate in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central, or South America. Learning about other cultures helps children develop empathy and an inquisitive mind.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, here are eight fun ideas for kids to get involved in:
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Explore Hispanic and Latino artists
After learning about the works of various Hispanic and Latino painters including Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, Diego Velazquez, and Francisco Goya, youngsters may put what they’ve learned into practice by creating their own Hispanic-inspired paintings.
Take a peek at Art with Krista ‘s website for some Hispanic Heritage Months art lesson ideas.
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Take kids on a virtual tour
Go around La Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo’s old home, a museum devoted to her life and work in Mexico City.
The history of Latinos and Latinas in the United States is highlighted by the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Latino.
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Celebrate by playing games with a Latin flavor
Playing Loteria, the Spanish variant of Bingo, is a lot of fun. Matching words (such as el oso, “the bear,” or la vaca, “the cow,” to their game board is a fun way to teach and practice vocabulary with kids.
Check out some other traditional games for children in “La Guia Infantil.”
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Discover the rich culture of Latin America and Hispanic festivities
Learn about Hispanic and Latino celebrations and traditions.
Celebrations create connection and fun everyone can enjoy. Plus, experiencing how a culture celebrates is a great way to learn.
Spend some time learning about the many traditions, holidays, and other celebrations practiced throughout Latin America and the Hispanic world.
Celebrate El Dia de la Raza (October 12) by watching a kids short video about Cristobal Colon y el Descubrimiento de America.
Learn about how different countries celebrate birthdays.
Plan a birthday party. Make invitations, decorations, a cake, and Pinatas together with the kids.
Create flowers made with tissue paper to brighten the event. Tissue paper originated in Asia, and it was the Spanish colonizers to the Americas who brought it to the West to use in paper crafts. After then, indigenous people started making these flowers to use in church decorations.
Make Güiros. The most famous Puerto Rican musical instrument. Traditionally made from gourd, this percussion instrument sounds unique. They now come in many shapes and materials and are used to make music or decorate.
Create colorful Rainsticks. Rainsticks were believed to bring rain during dry seasons and were devised by the Mapuche people of Chile. Now they’re musical instruments.
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Try the following Hispanic and Latin American dishes to bring some new countries to your table
For the following meals, you can start by having the kids make a list of the things you need.
Migas are kid-friendly and popular in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and Texas. Families usually have the components. Scrambled eggs, tortilla chips, melty cheese, and pico de gallo make a delightful entrée.
Arepas, the ultimate sandwich, are fried corn cakes loaded with chicken, avocado, and more from Colombia and Venezuela. Tell kids “El día Mundial de la Arepa” is honored worldwide. Kids may enjoy making arepas filled with their favorite stuffing.
Try other recipes from ALLdoneMonkey’s website
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Read books by Latin American and Spanish writers
There is a wealth of literature written by Hispanic and Latino authors for children of all ages. All of the picture books in our collection were created by women of Hispanic or Latin American descent. Both electronic and print versions are available now.
Watch Languages4kids founder and writer Graciela Castellanos read “Me gusta como soy.”
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Make plans for a movie night
Kid-friendly films that explore Hispanic and Latino culture are ideal for family movie nights.
“Encanto” is one of my favorites. This film is set in Colombia. Along with the mystical family Madrigal, your children will see Colombian fashion, architecture, animals, and gastronomy. Expect to pick up a few Spanish phrases along the way.
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Sing and dance throughout the day
This is an excellent opportunity to introduce children to Latino rhythms. There are numerous songs and dancing steps that children can learn and enjoy.
Some of my favorite songs for singing and dancing are:
La cucaracha by Reino Infantil
La pulga y el piojo by Serenata Guayanesa
By celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with kids, they can build respect and curiosity about other cultures, build respect for diversity, and deepen their understanding of others.
Enjoy celebrating with your kids Hispanic Heritage Month!
