Honor Mexican culture and the important holiday, Día de los Muertos, with these colorful calavera (sugar skull) replicas. This project provides unlimited creative possibilities and also offers a great opportunity to share the history behind this beloved celebration.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Library programming is designed to be fully inclusive. Age limits may be implemented in certain programs to ensure that program content fosters appropriate developmental markers.

Mexican history and culture are incredibly relevant, and this is a fun, vibrant way to celebrate and share a heritage that holds deep significance for so many people in the U.S. Print out multiple copies of this Día de los Muertos history flyer to set around work tables, display areas, and bulletin boards.

Play traditional Latino music in the background.

Accessibility: Provide larger pots/brushes/thicker markers and adaptable tools for those with fine-motor skill challenges. Have a magnifying table for those with low vision.

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Mode: In Person

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Staff Energy: Low

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Ages: Teen

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Cost: Mod-High

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Length: 60 min.

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Ideal Attendance: 12

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STEAM Practices:

✓ Art

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Tags: Mexico, culture, teens, art, Día de los Muertos, nature, plants

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Credit: Color Made Happy

Supplies:

(Commonly on-hand supplies are not included in cost breakdown.)

Mini clay pots $17.99/10 pl $1.80/ea

Black paint markers/Sharpies

Sealant (optional) $6.88 (approx $0.10/ea)

Acrylic paint

Paint brushes

Table coverings

Baby wipes

Potting soil/pea gravel

Faux/real plants

Cost without optional plants: $2.84/first pot; successive pots: $1.90/ea

Option #1:
- Faux succulents $9.99/11 pk ($0.90/ea)
- Pea gravel 2 lb/$9.99 (approx. 25 cents per pot)
- Cost with optional fauxplants: $3.90/first pot; successive posts ($3.05)

Option #2:
- Live succulents (grocery stores usually have the best prices) $3/ea.
- Potting soil $5 (approx. 25 cents per participant)
- Cost with optional live plants: $6/first pot; successive pots: $5.15

Instructions:

Write initials on the bottom of the pot.
Paint pots white to create a base coat. This will help the final colors to be brighter. (If available, use a hair dryer to help speed dry time.)
Paint each pot a different color. You may need two coats to cover the pots completely. (If available, use a hair dryer to help speed dry time.)
While paint is drying, sketch your sugar skull design onto paper.
When pots are dry, use a pencil to lightly sketch your design onto the pot. Trace with black paint marker or Sharpie.
Optional: Spray the pots with sealant to make them waterproof. Do this outside orwhere ventilation is strong. Let dry completely.
Optional: Fill pot with soil/pea gravel and a mini-plant (either faux or real).

Staff Know-How

Planning, Set Up & Facilitation

Decide how many pots each participant can paint.

For a slightly shorter program, pre-paint all the pots white. Alternately, you can have the kids do this–it will add about 15 min to the program. (White background helps the colors show up brighter.)

Print out Día de los Muertos history flyer and set on each work station.

Familiarize yourself with Día history so that you can throw in fun facts when talking with the kids.