Cinco de Mayo Fiesta With Latino-Inspired Games, Crafts, Activities

Cinco de Mayo--"fifth of May" in Spanish--celebrates the Mexican victory at the Battle of Pueblo. It's not the Mexican independence day though it sounds like 4th of July in the US. Ironically, my Latino friends tell me Cinco de Mayo isn't a big thing in Mexico (except in the Puebla province) like it is stateside. Regardless, we Americans love our ethnic kitsch. And how to we observe holidays? We party! Or in this case, fiesta. Here's are kid-friendly Cinco de Mayo games, crafts, lesson plans, cultural activities and food! Now if ONLY I could find one of the tortilla chip hats like El Macho has in Despicable Me--that would really make the fiesta! Kid-Friendly Cinco de Mayo Fiesta With Latino-Inspired Games, Crafts, Food

Free Catholic Bible Easter Printables for Lent and Eastertide

Easter is the major feast day in the Catholic church. For forty days of Lent we've fasted, prayed and journeyed with Our Lord in His walk to Golgotha. In Lent, we take an inward spiritual pilgrimage amidst the activities of our everyday lives. Children in the Catholic faith take part in this journey as well. Some are making first reconciliation and are preparing for first Holy Eucharist. At the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, catecumens and candidates will be welcomed into the Church. Many will be baptized. The new Easter candle is lit for the first time. The sacred oils are blessed on Holy Thursday. The parish priest renews his vows of ordination. The Holy Eucharist is placed in repose for the three days of the triduum in a solemn and lovely pageant. Here are free printable lesson plans, Bible coloring pages to help children and adults experience Lent and Easter more deeply. Free Catholic Easter Printables 

Free Printable Origami, Kirigami, Pop-up Scissors Craft Patterns

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding and kirigami is the art of cutting paper to create stand up, pop up or three dimensional figures. Here are free printable origami and kirigami patterns and template for you to cut, fold and create. Let's celebrate Japan with these crafts. Free Printable Origami, Kirigami and Pop-up Scissors Craft Patterns, Stencils and Templates

Jewish Shavuot Resources for Parents, Home-Schoolers, Educators

The Jewish festival of Shavuot honors giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. It's celebrated in Sivan on the Hebrew calendar. It's a 3-day observance that falls in May or June on the Western calendar. Shavuot is Sivan 5-7 and May 14-16 in 2013. G-d gave the Torah (including the 10 commandments) to the nation of Israel, via Moses.  Shavuot or Matan Torah, is one of the Shalosh Regalim, the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It concludes the Counting of the Omer.The date of Shavuot is set by Passover (Pesach). The Torah mandates a seven-week Counting of the Omer, beginning the second day of Passover.  The counting of days and weeks imitates the anticipatory countdown to the Giving of the Torah. The people of Israel were freed from slavery on Pesach and on Shavuot they received the Torah and became a nation. This article was written about Sukkot, but all the links provided have lesson plans for shavuot, too. Jewish Sukkot Resources for Parents, Home-Schoolers, Educators

Free Printable Lent Activities for Catholics, Protestant Christians, Orthodox, Copts

The Catholic observances of lent begins each year with the Imposition of the Ashes on Ash Wednesday, which in the western calendar for 2013 will begin on February 13. Other Christians observe Lent including Orthodox, Copts and some protestants. Lent begins a 40 day journey of fasting, acts of mercy and spiritual pilgrimage. We try to live, in our poor humble human way, in solidarity with Our Lord as he fasted in the desert for 40 days and made his final pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A Roman cross, torture and crucifixion awaited Him. But so did the glory of Easter, the Resurrection. Lent is a season for intense and deep personal and spiritual reflection. Looking for free printable activities to teach kids about lent and Christian Easter? Read more Lent Printables and Catholic Activities

Free Printable St. Nicholas Day Crafts and Activities

To mark the Orthodox New Year celebrated Sept. 1, here are free printable St. Nicholas activities. St. Nicholas is a patron saint of many Orthodox churches. December 6 marks his Feast Day. Nicholas was a 4th century bishop in Asia Minor and is the patron saint of Russia and Holland. Here are free printable St. Nicholas activities for your family, homeschool, religious education classes and Catholic school students. Explore St. Nicholas the man, the legend, the bishop and the saint. Free Printable St. Nicholas Day Crafts and Activities 

Free Printable Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Islamic Activities for Children

The Islamic world ended Ramadan 2012 and entered Eid al-Fitr (also called simply Eid or lesser Eid and sometimes spelled Eid ul-Fitr). For Muslims, Ramadan is holy season marked by prayer, fasting and abstinence. Ramadan, in the Islamic calendar is a month-long observance, falling roughly in the month of August. Here are free printable activities to help Islamic children explore Ramadan and Eid more fully. These activities help non-Muslim kids understand other cultures, too.  Free Printable Ramadan and Islamic Activities for Children