Be sure to visit our main Cinco De Mayo page for even more fun ideas including Mexican crafts, fun printables, recipes and more.

Freeze

Supplies:
Authentic music from Mexico

How To Play:
Begin playing music, everyone moves and dances until the music stops then they must "freeze" in whatever position they happen to be in.

Mexico Bean Toss

Supplies:
Large cardboard with Mexico drawn on one side with a good size hole cut-out in center of Mexico, or a few small holes (for older kids)
Brown square bean bags
Bucket to hold bean bags
Tape to mark distance line

How To Play:
Place cardboard Mexico box a little distance from a wall with a paper box lid on floor to catch chocolate bean bags. Mark your distance line according to age and skill of children. Line children up behind the line and place a bucket of bean bags beside them. Give each child three tries to get their bean bag through the hole. Get all three bean bags in and earn a reward.

Break the Piñata

Supplies:
Piñata filled with inexpensive candies
Large stick
The book: El piñtero/The Piñata Maker, by George Ancona
Blindfold

How To Play:
Before playing read El piñtero/The Piñata Maker, by George Ancona. Then blindfold one child at a time and place them just in front of the piñata. Turn them three times then let them swing. Make sure other children are out of swing range.

Five Strings

Supplies:
Cardboard number "5" with five strings or ribbons attached

How To Play:
Show the children the cardboard "5". Have them close their eyes until you tell them to open them. Hide the "5" with the string or ribbon attached so only the string shows. Have the children open their eyes, stand up and search for the "5" strings. If they find it they should not say a word but return quickly and quietly to their seats. The first person to sit down wins and may take a turn at hiding the "5".

Jalapeno Hop

Supplies:
Pillow jalapeno for each team.

How To Play:
Children divide into two teams. Give each team a jalapeno pillow. Pillow size should be larger for younger children and smaller for older children. Have one child from each team place the jalapeno between their legs and hop to the end of the room and back. They sit down and the next team member goes. This repeats until one team is all sitting.

Pass The Chili Pepper

Supplies:
Pillow chili pepper for each team.

How To Play:
Children divide into two teams. Give each team a chili pepper pillow the size of an orange. On your mark, the first child puts the pillow between their chin and neck and passes it to the next player. Here's the catch, players may only use their heads to pass (no hands or teeth allowed). The process continues to the last person in line and then reverses sending the pillow back to the first player in line. The first team to complete the game wins.

Mexican Hat Dance

Supplies:
Sombrero
Authentic music from Mexico

How To Play:
Have the children make a giant circle while holding hands. Explain that when you begin the music they should all begin to walk sideways. When the name of a child is called that child leaves the circle, walks to the middle of the circle and dances around the hat until another child's name is called. They may then rejoin their classmates and the dance continues.

Musical Chairs

Supplies:
Chairs with laminated horse faces taped to the seats
Authentic music from Mexico

How To Play:
A variation of the original

Find your Partner

Supplies:
Picture of animals-children must know what sound they make (2 of each animal)
Hat or bowl

How To Play:
Have each child draw a picture out of the hat. They must then find their partner by making the sound that the animal makes and listening to the other children for an animal making the same sound as they are.

Mirror Relay

Supplies for each team:
Candy
Bowl
Small cup
Mirror

How To Play:
Divide into teams. First child on each team holds cup on head. The child looks into the mirror held by another team member (or it can be mounted on the wall) and tries to fill their cup with candy. When the cup is filled, they dump the candy back in the bowl and pass the cup to the next person. First team that finishes filling their cups wins!