Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is one of the most colorful celebrations of the year, and young children love its bright flowers, paper banners and music. With a little background and a few hands-on activities, you can introduce it in a way that is joyful, accurate and respectful.

What is Día de los Muertos?

Día de los Muertos is a tradition from Mexico, celebrated mostly on November 1 and 2. Families remember and honor loved ones who have died by sharing stories, favorite foods, music and flowers. It is a happy time of remembering, not a sad or scary one. UNESCO recognizes the Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A simple way to explain it to young children

Día de los Muertos is a special holiday from Mexico. Families remember people they love who have died. They make a special table with photos, candles, food and flowers, and they share happy stories.

Día de los Muertos is not Halloween

The two holidays fall close together, so they are often confused. Halloween is about costumes and spooky fun. Día de los Muertos is about family, memory and celebrating the people we love. Its calaveras (decorated skulls) are smiling and colorful, not frightening.

Key symbols to share with your class

  • Ofrenda: a home altar decorated with photos, candles, food and flowers for loved ones.
  • Cempasúchil (marigolds): bright orange flowers. Their color and scent are said to help guide the spirits of loved ones home.
  • Papel picado: colorful tissue-paper banners with cut-out designs.
  • Velas (candles): candles placed on the ofrenda to light the way.
  • Pan de muerto: a sweet bread made for the holiday.
  • Calaveras: decorated skulls, including sugar skulls (calaveritas de azúcar).

Hands-on ideas for PreK–2

Papel picado name banners

Papel picado means “perforated paper.” Let each child make one flag for every letter of their name, then hang the flags on a string. It builds letter recognition, and names with Ñ or an accent, like José or Sofía, are a great chance to talk about Spanish letters.

Paper marigolds

Cut three scalloped paper circles in orange and yellow, stack them from big to small and bend the petals up. Children practice cutting and ordering sizes, and the flowers look beautiful on a bulletin board.

Vocabulary and read-aloud questions

  • What colors do you see in papel picado?
  • What is an ofrenda?
  • What is a happy memory you like to share?

Pair the questions with picture cards for ofrenda, cempasúchil, papel picado, vela, pan de muerto and calavera, and say each word in Spanish and in English.

Math and writing connections

  • Count marigolds in sets of 1 to 10.
  • Sort paper flags by color or pattern.
  • Draw and write about someone special: a family member, a friend or a pet.

Teaching it with care

  • Traditions differ from region to region and from family to family. Invite families who celebrate to share, if they would like to.
  • Never require children to talk about a personal loss. For young children, focus on art, color and remembering people we love.
  • Present it as a living tradition that families celebrate today, not as a costume theme.

A ready-made printable

Our Día de los Muertos Craft: Papel Picado Name Banner & Marigold Craft includes name banner letters A–Z with Ñ and accented vowels, marigold craft templates, vocabulary cards and a read-aloud page, in color and blackline and in both US Letter and A4 sizes. It is available in our Teachers Pay Teachers store.