Cinco de Mayo Activities for Kids

What is Cinco de Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo celebrates a Mexican Army victory over the French Army. This battle took place in Puebla, Mexico on May 5, 1862. People remember this battle against the French because the Mexican Army was not as prepared as the French Army. The Mexican Army had fewer soldiers, guns, and very little military training. While this battle did not win the war between the two countries, it did show the courage of Mexican soldiers.

How is it Celebrated?

People in the United States and Puebla, Mexico celebrate Cinco de Mayo with parades, parties, and delicious food. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has turned into a celebration of rich Mexican culture and heritage. One common mistake made by most people, is that they believe Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. That information is incorrect. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16th. They are two completely separate events and celebrations.

Alternative Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Below are a few alternative ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo respectfully!

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Research and read about Cinco de Mayo and its connection to the United States. Stop spreading inaccuracies about this day! It’s not Mexican Independence Day.

SUPPORT AUTHENTIC MEXICAN BUSINESSES

Get out there and support the many wonderful Mexican owned businesses & restaurants!

BE RESPECTFUL

Stay away from all the harmful stereotypes. Don’t wear a sombrero, serape, or fake mustache. It’s not cultural appreciation, it’s appropriation!

DONATE

Help by donating to organizations supporting immigrant rights.

Cinco de Mayo Lesson Plans

If you’re looking for Cinco de Mayo activities for kids, I’ve got you covered. This resource on Cinco de Mayo will have your students improving their knowledge about this holiday, while researching and celebrating Mexican-American culture without perpetuating stereotypes and inaccuracies about Cinco de Mayo.

These Cinco de Mayo activities are also great for centers or stations, early finisher activities, or even as small group lessons! I also love their versatility and use for cross-curricular learning. Your students will practice their reading and writing skills while learning all about this important social studies topic!

You can use the Cinco de Mayo activities digitally with Google Classroom™, Google Slides™ or via Microsoft OneDrive™. You can even use these with SeeSaw and PicCollage! You can also print them out or use them in journals or notebooks for note taking! The possibilities for learning are endless.

What’s included?

Cinco de Mayo Digital + Print Resource Includes:

• Various graphic organizers for research and note taking
• Writing prompt
• Cinco de Mayo non fiction reading passage
• Comprehension activity questions for the reading passage
• KWL chart
• Vocabulary sorts and activities
• Links to Cinco de Mayo informational videos on YouTube

See what others are saying about this Cinco de Mayo resource:

“Thanks for this great resource! I appreciate the variety of activities and how easy it was to use. The kids enjoyed the activities and it was just the resource needed as our curriculum lacks info/activities about this holiday.”

-Amanda M.

“Love this! It was a great addition to our learning. My students had fun filling in the slides together to create a slideshow. Thanks so much, Aris!”

-Amy S.

Click below to see all the types of Cinco de Mayo activities included in this social studies resource.

 

What better way to teach your students historically accurate information on Cinco de Mayo than having them do research on it! How will you teach your students about Cinco de Mayo this year?

Happy teaching!

-Aris