Cinco de Mayo for Kids: Yoga Poses to Celebrate the Mexican Holiday

Cinco de Mayo (SINK-oh DAY MY-OH) is the biggest Mexican holiday in the United States. It is a special day to honor and celebrate the Mexican heritage and culture. The 5th of May (“Cinco de Mayo” in Spanish) was the day in 1862 when the Mexican army won an unlikely victory over the French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The anniversary of that date is a time to celebrate freedom and liberty.

Personally, I look forward to the 5th of May each year to be able to celebrate my love for the Latino culture. I taught at an American International School in Guatemala for many years and remember fondly the parades, dancing, music, fireworks, and food. The sights and sounds of these spectacular Spanish holidays are enriching and unforgettable.

As per usual, we went to the library and took out all the Cinco de Mayo for kids books in our district. Most of the books were non-fiction books, and I’ll bet you’ll be able to find similar ones in your local library, too. One of our favorites was from the Cloverleaf Holiday Books series, titled Marco’s Cinco de Mayo, by Lisa Bullard and Holli Conger.

5 Cinco de Mayo Yoga Poses for Kids

Cinco de Mayo is yet another fun holiday to practice through Mexican-themed yoga poses for kids! You could either choose some Mexican-inspired yoga poses to go on a pretend journey to Mexico, or follow the Cinco de Mayo-themed yoga sequence below. These are suggested yoga poses, and you can certainly change or adapt according to your child’s interest, age, and enthusiasm. The yoga postures are also listed in a particular sequence to invite flow from one pose to the next:

1. Pretend to be a Mariachi (mahr-re-AH-chee) band. How to practice Mountain Pose: Stand tall with your legs hip-width apart and feet facing forward. Take your arms in front of you like a mariachi band member holding a guitar as you play Latin music.
2. Pretend to dancing at a Fiesta (fee-ES-tah). How to practice Tree Pose: Stand on one leg. Bend the knee of the leg you are not standing on, place the sole of your foot on the opposite inner thigh or calf (just not your knee), and balance. Pretend to be dancing at a fiesta (party) celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
3. Pretend to be swinging at a Piñata (pin-YAH-tah). How to practice Warrior 1 Pose: Stand tall with your legs hip-width apart, feet facing forward, and straighten your arms alongside your body. Step one foot back, angling it slightly outward. Bend your front knee, bring your arms straight up toward the sky, and look up. Imagine you have a stick in your hand and that you’re swinging at a piñata.
4. Pretend to be Mexican Bandera (ban-DARE-ra) flapping in the wind. How to practice Half Moon Pose: From a standing position, step your left foot back while opening your hip out to the side. Tilt forward, place your right hand flat on the ground (or on a block) in front of your right foot, while simultaneously lifting your left foot. Open your hips and extend your left arm up to the sky. Align your shoulders over each other and open your chest. If possible, try gazing out to the left. Imagine being a Mexican bandera (flag) flapping in the wind. Switch sides and repeat the steps.
5. Pretend to be a Sombrero (som-BREH-ro) surrounded by dancers dancing the Mexican Hat Dance. How to practice Downward-Facing Dog Pose: Step back to your hands and feet in an upside-down V shape, with your buttocks up in the air. Pretend to be a sombrero (hat) surrounded by dancers doing the Mexican Hat Dance.

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Other Cinco de Mayo for Kids Activities:

Make mini-piñatas and fill it with treats and sweets.
Make a tissue paper Mexican flag.
Play or sing Cinco de Mayo songs and rhymes.
Make Mexican pork tacos.
Study the Mexican Culture.
Make a sombrero and maracas.
Make Guatemalan worry dolls.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! ¡Viva el Cinco de Mayo!

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Cinco de Mayo Yoga for Kids

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