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Easy Paper Sugar Skull Craft

By ProjectswithKids

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Day of the Dead craft

This is an easy and fun sugar skull craft that can be adapted for kids of all ages! Kids can practice scissor skills and learn about why people celebrate the Day of the Dead and what a sugar skull actually is.

If you are looking for more easy paper crafts, check out this bat art project with printable.

Sugar skull craft

What is Day of the Dead?

Day of the Dead or Día de Los Muertos originated in Mexico but is celebrated across Latin America. It’s a day to celebrate and remember loved ones that have passed. Besides attending celebrations, families also clean and decorate the gravesites of their loved ones.

Take a look at this article and video on the history and celebrating the Day of the Dead from National Geographic that goes into more detail.

What is a sugar skull?

Sugar skulls or Calavera were traditionally made of sugar and decorated with colorful icing. Now, you can see images of sugar skulls everywhere in art, pop culture and crafts.

Sugar skulls are not supposed to be scary, they are meant to be bright and colorful, reflecting happy memories of loved ones. People will also paint their faces to look like sugar skulls in celebration of their ancestors.

Create your own sugar skull craft

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Sugar skull printables, markers, scissors, glue stick, colored cardstock

Supplies

  • Sugar skull printables (printed on white paper)
  • Markers, pencil crayons or crayons
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Black fine sharpie
  • Colored cardstock or construction paper

Instructions

Coloring a printable with markers

1. Print out your sugar skull templates onto white paper. There are 3 different types of sugar skulls to choose from depending on the age of the kids making this craft.

One blank sugar skull, three drawn in sugar skull designs, three half-drawn sugar skulls and 3 pages of decorations.

Cutting and gluing decorations to make a sugar skull craft.

2. For the first option, have kids cut out the blank sugar skull template and glue it on to a colorful paper background.

Paper cutouts glued to a blank sugar skull

3. Use the 3 pages of decorations to color, cut and glue designs onto the blank sugar skull and colorful background. Have kids place their decorations on the skull first, before gluing to make sure they are happy with their design.

Older kids can design their own sugar skulls without using the printed decoration pages if they like.

Drawing designs on a sugar skull craft

4. Another great way to make this craft is to use one of the 3 half-drawn sugar skulls. Kids can use a pencil and then trace with a black sharpie to draw in the other half of the design.   

Color the sugar skull in and add in some colorful decorations to the background.

Coloring a sugar skull printable with markers.

5. For younger kids in preschool, there are 3 different types of sugar skulls already drawn and ready to be colored. Younger kids can color these with crayons.

Cut out the sugar skull and glue it onto brightly colored cardstock.

Sugar skull printable glued to purple cardstock and colored with markers.

Older kids, of course, can also use these printables and color them in with markers or pencil crayons. Use the decoration pages to color, cut and glue some designs to the background.

Finished image of a sugar skull art project glued onto blue paper.

I love that this sugar skull craft comes with so many options for kids of all ages! This is such a fun and colorful paper craft, great for kids to practice scissor skills and a great opportunity to learn about the history behind the Day of the Dead celebrations and what sugar skulls symbolize.

>> Click here to visit my shop and get the sugar skull printable pack!  

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Celebrate fall with this easy paper quilling apple craft! No special tools are needed, making it a perfect craft for kids to learn this fun technique. Kids will love learning and creating with this unique paper craft.

Follow me on Pinterest for more amazing project ideas. 

Pin this Day of the Dead craft for later 

Sugar skull craft for kids
Yield: 1 sugar skull craft

Easy Paper Sugar Skull Craft

Sugar skull craft

Make this easy colorful sugar skull craft with kids and learn about the Day of the Dead. Three different printable options make this paper craft perfect for kids of all ages!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • Sugar skull printables
  • White printer paper
  • Colored cardstock or construction paper
  • Markers, pencil crayons or crayons depending on the age of the kids
  • Black sharpie
  • Glue

Tools

  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Print out your sugar skull templates onto white printer paper.
    There are 3 different types of crafts kids can do, depending on their age.
  2. The first option is to cut out and glue the blank sugar skull to a colored piece of paper. This can be cardstock or construction paper.
  3. Use markers or pencil crayons to color in the 3 pages of design options.
  4. Cut and glue the designs to the blank sugar skull and colored background.
  5. Another option is to use one of the 3 half-drawn sugar skulls. Cut and glue one down to a colored piece of paper.
  6. Finish drawing in the design with a pencil and then trace your pencil lines with a black sharpie.
  7. Color in your sugar skull with markers or pencil crayons. Decorate the background with the printable designs.
  8. The last option is perfect for younger kids. Kids can choose to color in 1 of the 3 drawn sugar skull designs. They can use crayons or markers.
  9. Cut out the sugar skull and glue to a colored piece of cardstock or construction paper.
Project Type: Paper craft / Category: Craft Projects
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Filed Under: Art projects, Craft Projects, Halloween/Fall, Holidays/Seasonal, Paper Crafts

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Hi! I'm Angela, welcome to Projects with Kids. I love creating and having fun with art and am excited to be able to share my project ideas with you!

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Sharing is awesome! Please understand that all images and text are property of Projects with Kids. You may use one or two images provided that a link back to my original post is included and credit is given to this blog. Please do not remove any watermarks, crop, or edit any of my images. You may not republish an entire post or post photos of my family. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

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