In recent years, sugar skulls have become very popular showing up in stores on clothing and in decorations. Thanks to movies like Coco and Book of Life my kids have already learned more than I knew about Día de los Muertos growing up, and they love the beautiful colors of the sugar skulls associated with the holiday. I thought it would be fun to create a 25-page activity book of Día de los Muertos coloring pages.
Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is not the same as Halloween, in fact, it is celebrated after Halloween on November 1 and 2. Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life. It is a time to remember celebrate the lives of departed loved ones. The holiday is celebrated with music and dancing, food and family and, of course, sugar skulls or Calaveras.
During the two-day celebration, sugar skulls take many forms including brightly colored sugar candies, clay decorations, and, most memorable, face painting. These items are placed around the Ofrenda (Spanish for offering). The Ofrenda is the heart of the celebration where items are placed in dedication of those who are being honored.
An Ofrenda typically includes a brightly colored oilcloth covering a table on which is placed a collection of photographs and personal items of the departed person. The lower portion of the altar is where the offerings are placed, from traditional Mexican cuisine to other items that represent the honored person’s particular tastes including sugar skulls.
If you are looking for ways to teach your children more about Día de los Muertos (or the Day Of The Dead), I recommend Disney/Pixar’s Coco and the Book of Life. We also have the Celebrate The World Día de los Muertos board book HERE, which is beautifully illustrated and explains more about Día de los Muertos in children’s terms. My youngest loves this little book and requests it often when I bring it out each October.
For older kids, Citlali and the Day of the Dead HERE follows a little girl through her family’s Día de los Muertos traditions. This book is written in both English and Spanish.
Now that you know a little more about Día de los Muertos, I hope you will enjoy these free printable Día de los Muertos coloring pages with your kids. The intricate sugar skulls are just as much fun for adults to color as they are for kids.
Download the Día de los Muertos coloring pages HERE.
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