This weekend the kids and I are preparing to attend our first ever Festival to celebrate Mexican Independence Day! With the Fiestas Patrias coming up I felt it was only right to teach the kids a little more of our Mexican culture and so we’re crafting for Hispanic Heritage Month!

Since we will be attending a festival that is said to have a parade, what better way to show our pride then by waving colorful Papel Picado Flags!

Papel picado is one of the most used decorations in the Mexican culture. While it has become a modern trend at weddings and birthday parties, these stenciled tissue papers are usually hung like streamers. To have them on a little flag is not only cute, but very easy for kids to celebrate with!

To make some of your own here is what you will need:

-Tissue paper

-Wooden sticks

-Scissors- decorative and/or  regular

-adhesive- we used dots

Let’s get started:

1- Fold your tissue paper (appx. 8×10 in size) and fold in 5ths

2-Folding only in 4th and leaving the 5th portion off cut the bottoms in decorative form. We used zigzag scissors.

3- Cut shapes, Like  half circles, at the fold. Remember not to cut the fold off completely this will cut your flag in to pieces.

4- Open it up half way and do the same. The more cuts the more decoration on your flag!

5- Open up your flag and place adhseive on the stick directly. I found that if you roll the stick onto the tissue flag that it is easier to secure.

All done with your Banderita! Repeat with different colors and enjoy!

Now Let’s Celebrate!