Showing posts with label Mexican traditions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexican traditions. Show all posts

Thursday, July 11, 2024

12+ Alebrije Crafts for Kids in English & Spanish




If you are on the lookout for fun and educational craft ideas, you’ve landed in the right spot! Here are 10+ Alebrije crafts for kids - learn how to make them for a school or home art project.

This post contains affiliate links.

Who created alebrijes?


Alebrijes, with their vibrant colors and fantastical shapes, originate from Mexican folk art and have captured hearts worldwide. They were created by Mexican artist Pedro Linares López in the 1930s. Linares, a papier-mâché artist, was bedridden with a high fever and had a vivid dream in which he saw strange, fantastical creatures. When he recovered, he began recreating these creatures out of papier-mâché, calling them "alebrijes." The creatures often combine features from various animals and are painted in vibrant, surreal colors. The tradition of making alebrijes has since become a significant part of Mexican folk art.

A Mexican Tradition


As you can read above, this art form is less than 100 years old. In fact, when I was growing up, we didn't really keep alebrijes in our home. I would see them at fairs or when we traveled to Mexico, but they were more pieces of art that you saw in different venues. They became a lot more well known after the Disney/Pixar movie, Coco, featured them as being spirit guides in the Land of the Dead. And today, many people collect these unusual statue-like creatures.

Alebrije Kid Crafts


In this blog post, there are 12+ delightful and kid-friendly crafts inspired by these whimsical creatures. These easy-to-follow tutorials will help children craft their very own alebrijes, fostering artistic expression and cultural appreciation. I encourage you to nurture your children's creativity and urge them to bring to life whatever their imagination comes up with.

So, gather your supplies and let your child’s creativity soar with these perfect Alebrijes crafts!




Gather Your Art Supplies


Before you get started, first decide on the tutorial you'll be using. Then go ahead and get all your art supplies together. Here are some of the supplies used in the following art lessons:

How to Make Your Own Alebrije Videos for Younger Kids




The first one comes from Art With Trista. In this quick video, she shows how to create an alebrije collage. This is perfect for all ages, but younger children may or may not need help drawing their alebrije.



Then, Amber Heigl will walk us through some simple steps to create our own paper alebrijes. This craft is ideal for all ages. This craft is explained in a two-part video. Here is Part 2.



In the next video, the Teaching Artist Cassie Smith will describe THREE different art projects that can be done with alebrijes (Pop-Up Alebrije Card, Alebrije Story Board, and Alebrije Found Objects Sculptures) on the Austin Parks and Recreation channel. These are easy to do for a school project or at home, and are also separated in age groups, even though they can be adapted to fit any age group.



Next, we have a two-part video on Alebrije Sculpture Crumpled Paper Tutorial for Kids from Miss Annis, who gives us a tutorial on how to make an alebrije sculpture from crumpled paper. Part 1 is shown above. Here is Part 2.



This video from the National City Public Library gives us a quick visual explanation on how to create an alebrije craft. This is perfect for ages 10+, and an activity for the entire family.


Alebrije Video Tutorials for Older Children



For older children who are willing to experiment with some more challenging supplies, this video from Melissa Offutt gives us a fast explanation on how to make an alebrije with papier-mâché. 



Another, more advanced project comes from Ana Gabriela López Castro, who gives us a 7-minute tutorial on how to build the alebrije’s structure with papier-mâché. This tutorial is shown in fast motion to include all the steps needed to build the structure. 



In the next video, Elizabeth Smetana walks you through the process of sketching and combining two animals into one alebrije creature. This is a set of two-part video. Here is Part 2.




On this final video in English, Eagle Art Studio with Mrs. Pérez, we can follow the simple steps to make a sturdy stencil for an alebrije. This is a three-part video. (Part 2 / Part 3)



The next video is from IDEART Classroom, where we can watch how some high school students created some alebrijes sculptures for their Day of the Dead altar. This video shows a vast collection of these 3D alebrijes. Even though this is not a tutorial, it can give you lots of ideas on how to create your own alebrijes sculptures. 


Alebrije Video Tutorials in Spanish



To create an alebrije with materials that we have at home, we can watch SECVER Oficial. There we can watch a tutorial on how to create this craft at home.



I also really love this tutorial from Kraft Toon! This video teaches kids who to make a moving alebrije out of recycled materials. It's adorable, easy, and FUN!



And here's another one from Kraft Toon. This one is even easier to make, in my opinion, and still super fun and colorful. 
 


And here is one for making a frog alebrije. I like this one best because it is super simple and easy enough for even a little child to make. And if you like these video tutorials, I encourage you to check out Kraft Toons' channel because they have a lot more alebrije videos for different skill levels. 

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Kid-Friendly Recipes for Aguas Frescas

 


Quench your thirst and indulge in the vibrant flavors of aguas frescas, the beloved traditional beverages that are a staple in Mexican culture. Because I suspect that half of you (or more!) are melting, just like I am here in Texas, I've put together a carefully curated collection of aguas frescas recipes that capture the essence of this time-honored tradition. 

Discover a variety of delightful concoctions that will transport you to the heart of Mexico. These are child-friendly recipes to engage your kids in the kitchen. Get ready to savor the taste of summer with these cool and invigorating aguas frescas recipes that celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Mexico!

This post contains affiliate links.

What are Aguas Frescas?

Aguas frescas are refreshing beverages that have become an integral part of Mexican culinary and cultural heritage. Literally translating to "fresh waters," these drinks are typically made by blending fresh fruits, flowers, or seeds with water and a touch of sweetener. The result is a cool and revitalizing drink that captures the essence of the ingredients used. From the classic flavors like horchata and Jamaica to creative combinations featuring fruits like pineapple, watermelon, or mango, aguas frescas offer a delicious way to beat the heat and quench your thirst while immersing yourself in the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine.

Aguas Frescas Recipes


Here's a list of some classic flavors - with a few exotic ones thrown in!

  1. First! There are so many great recipes on Kids Are Great Cooks! I'm listing this page first because it's a lot of fun and inspiring for children to see other kids making delicious things in the kitchen.

  2. SweetLife is always my first go-to for any authentic recipe and Vianney does not disappoint. Check out her Agua De Piña, Agua Fresca de Aguacate, Agua de Chayote, and Agua de Sandia.

  3. Silvia at MamaLatinaTips.com is my next stop. (You might know Silvia from winning the Great American Recipe on PBS!) Her recipes include Easy Mexican Strawberry Agua Fresca, Kiwi Fruit Agua Fresca Recipe, Quince Agua Fresca, and Guava Agua Fresca.

  4. You might also enjoy these recipes that Yvette shares on Muy Bueno Cookbook : Agua de Melón and my personal favorite flavor: Agua de Jamaica. (She has a few others on her site, but they're geared for adults, if you know what I mean.)

  5. But the QUEEN of aguas frescas is Ericka Sanchez from Nibbles and Feasts. She has a couple of great ones on her site - Coconut Pecan Agua Fresca and Agua Fresca de Café - but she literally wrote the book on these drinks (and paletas!). Grab your copy by clicking the image or link below!


You may also like these recipes!


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Friday, August 17, 2018

Mexico Exploration Kit from Pack-n-Go Girls

Free Mexico Exploration Kit from Pack-n-Go Girls

MommyMaestra's Back-to-School Fiesta continues with a great find and download! I love fun, educational printables that teach kids about other countries. It's part of raising global citizens. So when I spotted this Mexico Exploration Kit from Pack-n-Go Girls, I knew I had to share it with you.

Want to make Mexico come alive for your kids? Consider buying one of these two books - Mystery of the Thief in the Night or Mystery of the Disappearing Dolphin from the Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure series! (aff links)

 

Then download their Mexico Exploration Kit! Simplify your teaching day with this resource loaded with 50 pages of engaging learning activities.

Click here to get your Mexico Exploration Kit.

Teachers and parents, you can save yourself some time with this packet! When you sign up, you’ll receive the Mexico Exploration Kit filled with activities to enrich every part of your curriculum, such as...

  • Encourage young writers with vocabulary, story elements, and story starters.
  • Keep your students busy with a creative art activity that also teaches them science.
  • Discover the tastes of Mexico with kid- and classroom-friendly recipes.
  • Dig deeper into Mexico’s history and culture with math, science, and social studies activities.
  • Take a fun break with a word search, puzzle, or game.
  • Fill in learning space for quick learners with some coloring pages.

Truly, this is a fun set of activities for kids ages 6 to 9. In fact, all of Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure books are entertaining reads that are jam-packed with information to introduce readers to cultures and communities around the world. And I love their diverse characters, too!

Visit their website to learn more about their products.



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Thursday, October 16, 2014

MommyMaestra Resources for Día de los Muertos




Many of you might have noticed that Día de los Muertos has reached Latinos and non-Latinos in America with a bang this year. If you are looking for crafts, printables, videos, books, lesson plans, or anything else related to the holiday, scroll down for a list of MommyMaestra's resources for Día de los Muertos! There is a ton of Day of the Dead content on this site for both educators and families. You're sure to find something that meets your needs. 

This post contains affiliate links.

A Note from Betty

For us, this year, Día de los Muertos will be a little bigger than other years for so many reasons. My boys are getting older and one will understand a lot more than his brothers. He can't wait to see The Book of Life this weekend and mainly because of Mommy Maestra! Throughout the years, thanks to Monica, the founder of this amazing site, my boys have been learning about this beautiful tradition for a while now! Thank you for helping parents and teachers educate our children in this way and SO many other ways. We are truly grateful for all your hard work.

For the past four years, Monica has created printables, developed lesson plans, and gathered great Día de los Muertos ideas for kids of all ages. I hope you find all the resources that you need in the links below. 

Enjoy!

Day of the Dead Lesson Plans



Crafts & Activities




Printables





Videos





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