Celebrate with Hispanic Heritage Month Activities
September 15 is the first day we celebrate Hispanic heritage month. From September 15 to October 15, let’s take every opportunity to teach our students about this beautiful ethnicity and culture. Let’s discover new ways to learn about Hispanic heritage and celebrate its rich cultural history.
I’ve gathered my favorite Hispanic heritage month read alouds and Hispanic heritage month activities for students to help you get started. Keep reading to discover Hispanic heritage month activities for school and activities you can do at home with your family.Â
Plus, check out my favorite books, songs, games, and printables. You won’t want to miss these creative Hispanic heritage month activities for preschool learners!
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How To Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in order to recognize the achievements and contributions of influential Hispanic Americans who have inspired us all to make the world a better place. This special month of awareness and celebration, enacted in 1988, gives us an opportunity to learn about and appreciate their part in our national story.
In the classroom, Hispanic Heritage Month presents us with an opportunity not only to learn about the people and cultures. We can also use Hispanic Heritage Month activities for students to encourage inclusion, acceptance, and tolerance.
At home, Hispanic Heritage Month activities help start important conversations with kids of all ages. This is a special opportunity to learn about Hispanic heritage together with fun and engaging activities for the whole family.
Keep reading to discover my favorite Hispanic Heritage read alouds to start a conversation with your kids at home.
My Favorite Hispanic Heritage Month Read Alouds
Picture books make it easy and fun to honor Hispanic heritage and culture with kids of all ages. I’m excited to share some of my favorite Hispanic Heritage Month read alouds with you.
These books are great for storytime in the classroom or bedtime reading at home.
From biographies to Hispanic folktales, there’s something amazing for every reader. You’re going to love these inspiring books!
Read about Selena Quintanilla
Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Diana Lopez is the biography of acclaimed Hispanic music artist, Selena Quintanilla. Children will enjoy reading about a famous Hispanic pop star and her journey from performing at small parties to singing in front of stadiums filled with fans.
Explore Mexican American History with Daisy Ramona
Daisy Ramona loves riding around Southern California with her Papi on his motorcycle in Isabel Quintero’s beautiful book, My Papi Has a Motorcycle. In this book, your students can learn about Mexican American history and culture with Daisy through the beautiful murals in her hometown.
Learn About Life in Hispanic Communities
See the world through the eyes of Carmela in Matt de la Pena’s new book, Carmela Full of Wishes. It’s a new way for kids to experience life in someone else’s shoes as they travel to the laundromat, celebrate a birthday, and read about Carmela’s birthday wish during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Meet the First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice
Introduce your preschoolers to Sonia Sotomayer in her autobiographical picture book Turning Pages. This inspirational story will introduce your kids to the first Hispanic supreme court justice with a Hispanic Heritage Month read aloud that focuses on hope, education, and public service.
Hispanic Heritage Month Easy Reader
This easy reader Hispanic Heritage Month activity is formatted to teach young readers independent early reading skills. The simple text structure and limited vocabulary in my printable Hispanic Heritage Easy Reader will also inspire your kids to learn more about important figures like Oscar De La Hoya, Selena, and Sonia Sotomayer.
Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Preschool
Adding hands-on Hispanic Heritage Month activities for preschool to your lesson plans this September and October will help your kids internalize what they learn in a way that’s fun and engaging. Check out some of my favorite Hispanic Heritage Month activities, crafts, art projects, movement games, and more below.
Crafty Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Preschool
My printable cut-and-paste crafts make it easy to add learning opportunities to your classroom. You can use these Hispanic Heritage Month activities for school to encourage your preschoolers to get creative and build important fine motor skills this Fall.
And then save them for March when you introduce Women’s History Month to your students.
Plus, they’re perfect for adding to lessons about important historical figures. You’ll get printable crafts to help your preschoolers learn more about the following figures:
Sensory Activities for Hispanic Heritage Month
It’s the perfect time to introduce your kids to sensory experiences with Hispanic Heritage Month activities for students. Sensory activities are an excellent addition to any preschool lesson plan because they give early learners an opportunity to experience the subject in a way that’s hands-on and multisensory. Hispanic Heritage Month sensory activities are a fun way to learn through play this Fall!
Telling stories, listening to music, and experiencing food from Hispanic cultures is an excellent way to begin teaching your preschoolers about this important celebration. Along with the read aloud books above, we really enjoyed Pam Munoz Ryan’s book, Mice and Beans. Plus, the book has Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout to help expose preschoolers to a second language.
The main character in Mice and Beans, Rosa Maria, knows that no meal is complete without rice and beans. You can explore this staple with your preschoolers by creating a rice and beans sensory bin activity for Hispanic Heritage Month. Add spoons, cups, and bowls to give kids lots of ways to explore the ingredients.
Taco Stand Dramatic Play Center
Experiencing traditional cuisine is a big part of understanding and learning about another culture. You can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with your preschoolers this year using my Taco Stand Dramatic Play Activity. It’s a great way to encourage your kids to learn about and participate in creating a traditional meal that’s fun and engaging for them.
Sing Songs to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Another fun way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in the classroom is by learning to sing a traditional song with your preschoolers. Check out 10 Songs for Hispanic Heritage Month from Becca’s Music Room. It’s filled with fun songs in Spanish for kids of all ages.
You can add traditional Hispanic musical instruments to your songs for Hispanic Heritage Month too. Maracas and castanets are a great place to begin. Guitars are also common in Spanish music, so don’t be afraid to bring your guitar and play a few traditional songs for your students this month.
Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Families
Are you looking for Hispanic Heritage Month activities for your family to do at home? Learning together as a family is a beautiful way to explore other cultures and encourage your kids to see the beauty in traditions that might be different than your own. Check out some of the fun ways you can celebrate and learn about Hispanic Heritage at home with your family this year.
Host a Themed Dinner
One of the most fun ways to learn about and explore other cultures is by experiencing their food. Host a themed dinner with your whole family to explore Hispanic Heritage together this Fall.
You can enjoy tacos, fajitas, empanadas, churros, flan, rice and beans, arepas, elote, and more. It’s a truly delicious way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and learn about other cultures too.
Family Movie Night for Hispanic Heritage Month
One of our favorite Hispanic Heritage Month activities for preschool is hosting a family movie night. Instead of traditional popcorn, I make churro popcorn and we cuddle up with one of these great family-friendly movies inspired by Hispanic culture:
Decorate for Hispanic Heritage Month
Before a family movie night or Hispanic meal, take the time to decorate your home in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. You can get a head start on decorating for Dia de Los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead which happens on November first. Another idea is to decorate with traditional Hispanic decorations like paper flowers, pinatas, Picado banners, and straw baskets.
Family Field Trip
Finally, consider taking a family field trip to an important historic site to learn more about Hispanic heritage this month. There are so many amazing virtual field trips you can enjoy with the whole family right in your living room this Fall. Check out these fun virtual field trips for Hispanic Heritage Month:
The Immigrant Experience at Ellis Island
Explore the wonders at Macchu Picchu in Peru
Visit the ruins of Chichen Itza in Mexico
See Iguazu Falls in Brazil and Argentina
How will you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this year? Which Hispanic Heritage Month activities for preschool are you most excited about?
Share your family’s plans or classroom plans for exploring Hispanic heritage at home and at school in the comment section. I can’t wait to read them and add your own great ideas to my lesson plans for Hispanic Heritage Month too.
Where did you obtain all of the “food items” for your taco stand?
Most are Melissa and Doug brand from Target!