Dia De Los Muertos Paper Sugar Skull

STREAM Activity: Dia de los Muertos Paper Sugar Skull Craft

Happy Dia de los Muertos!
Activity best for children ages three and up

In Mexico and Central America, people celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a day to honor and commemorate the lives of passed loved ones and to welcome the return of their spirits on November 1st and 2nd. Family members set up an ofrenda with food/pan de muerto, candles, papel picado, marigolds, a pitcher of water, photos, and sugar skulls. Create your own paper sugar skull in today’s craft!

VOCABULARY

  • Ofrenda: Home altar with offerings such as foods, flowers, candles, etc.

  • Papel Picado: Perferated paper banner

  • Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): An ancient tradition celebrating passed loved ones

  • Pan de Muerto: Salty-sweet bread for Dia de Muertos

GUIDING QUESTION

  • What’s the importance of the sugar skull?

MATERIALS

  • Paper plate

  • Black construction paper

  • Multi-colored tissue paper

  • Glue

  • Pencil

  • Scissors

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Start by gluing pieces of tissue paper randomly onto a paper plate.

Tissue paper glued onto paper plate.

STEP 2

Once the glue dries, cut the plate into a skull shape. Keep the top round like an oval and the bottom mouth like a square.

Tissue paper plate being cut into a skull shape.

STEP 3

With a pencil, draw two circle eyes, a heart-shaped nose, and a mouth on the black construction paper for your skeleton. Then cut out the shapes.

Black paper details being made for sugar skull.

STEP 4

Now let’s create the black construction paper border! Trace your skull onto the construction paper.

Traced paper plate skull on black construction paper.

STEP 5

Cut out the skull shape inside the line you traced, making sure to leave enough room for a thin boarder.

The border of construction paper being cut out!

STEP 6

To finish off your Dia de los Muertos Paper Sugar Skull, glue on the outline, eyes, nose, and mouth!

Dia De Los Muertos Paper Sugar Skull