Celebrating Cinco de Mayo with Kids

We’re looking forward to celebrating Cinco de Mayo with our kids this year, but in order to do it respectfully, we need to be thoughtful about how we approach our celebration. If you know about us, you’ll know that we are not of Mexican heritage, but living in Southern California, we think it’s important to learn about and appreciate the cultures of people in our communities. Here are some actions that we plan on incorporating in our Cinco de Mayo celebrations with our kids, so that they’ll have fun and learn something in the process: 

Learn the History

First and foremost, we want our kids to know the history and the meaning behind Cinco de Mayo. A lot of people mistakenly think it’s to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day, but it’s actually a day to commemorate the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when vastly outnumbered Mexican soldiers won an unlikely victory against the invading French army. If you have a chance to plan ahead, you can find some age-appropriate books about Cinco de Mayo from the library. If not, try watch a short video with you kids (our resident 5-year-old found this one the easiest to understand).

Celebrate with Food

We are big proponents of cooking with the kids and turning it into a learning activity. Making nachos or prepping ingredients for a make-your-own taco night can be enjoyable and easy for kids. Put some mariachi music on in the background, make some drinks, and it’s a fun time for everyone! We can have the intention of cooking, but life does get busy, especially on those weekdays. If we do end up ordering takeout or eating at a restaurant, we’ll make an effort to find a place that is Mexican-owned to support local businesses.  

Try a Craft

If your family enjoys crafts, making something that reflects Mexican traditions and art can be a great activity for the day. This resource has a lot of approachable ideas and there’s something for all age groups. We are eyeing the Huichol Yarn Paintings or Ojo De Dios for the older ones and the Easter Egg Maracas for the toddlers. 

Check Out a Community Celebration

One way that we can celebrate and connect with our community is to attend a Cinco de Mayo event in person. A quick search on social media or a glance at the bulletin board of upcoming events at the library should turn up something in your area!

Sometimes, it can feel a little strange to celebrate a holiday that we didn’t engage with growing up, or to celebrate in new ways that are respectful and kid-friendly. In celebrating Cinco de Mayo with our kids, we hope to teach them about a different culture in an approachable way while having some fun. Happy Cinco de Mayo!