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How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

July 22, 2026 | Leave a Comment
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A fun Mexico craft is a great way to include some hands-on fun in your study of other countries and cultures. Also, look at my page Mexico Unit Study and Make a Fun Easy Floral Headband.

If you’re looking for a fun way to teach your children about countries around the world, this paper plate & cup sombrero Mexico craft is the perfect addition to your homeschool lessons.

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Kids love creating wearable crafts. And this simple project uses inexpensive supplies. For example, we used paper plates, paper cups, markers, and colorful pom-poms to introduce them to the rich culture and history of Mexico.

As your children decorate their sombreros, take time to explore the fascinating traditions, geography, food, music, and history of one of North America’s most colorful countries.

Hands-on learning helps children remember what they’ve learned. This is a wonderful activity for elementary-aged students or anyone studying world geography.

Mexico is the southern neighbor of the United States. It is known for its beautiful beaches, ancient civilizations, delicious cuisine, lively music, and colorful celebrations. It is one of the largest countries in North America.

Also, it is home to more than 130 million people.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT MEXICO
  • A QUICK HISTORY OF MEXICO
  • HISTORY OF THE SOMBRERO
  • MEXICO CRAFT IDEAS
  • PAPER PLATE SOMBRERO

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT MEXICO

Next, I’ve gathered a few books about Mexico to go with this craft.

10 Mexico Books & Resources For Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add some of these books to your home library about Mexico. Also, use them for a homeschool unit study.

Image for The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution (Penguin Classics)

The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution (Penguin Classics)

The Underdogs is the first great novel about the first great revolution of the twentieth century. Demetrio Macias, a poor, illiterate Indian, must join the rebels to save his family. Courageous and charismatic, he earns a generalship in Pancho Villa’s army, only to become discouraged with the cause after it becomes hopelessly factionalized. At once a spare, moving depiction of the limits of political idealism, an authentic representation of Mexico’s peasant life, and a timeless portrait of revolution, The Underdogs is an iconic novel of the Latin American experience and a powerful novel about the disillusionment of war.

Image for Stories from Mexico

Stories from Mexico

Tales from Mexican folklore including The Palace of Canela, In Through the Window, The Coyote and the Sheep, The Cu Bird, and SenÄor Coyote and Juan's Maguey.

Image for Adelita

Adelita

Hace mucho tiempo—a long time ago—there lived a beautiful young woman named Adelita. So begins the age-old tale of a kindhearted young woman, her jealous stepmother, two hateful stepsisters, and a young man in search of a wife. The young man, Javier, falls madly in love with beautiful Adelita, but she disappears from his fiesta at midnight, leaving him with only one clue to her hidden identity: a beautiful rebozo—shawl. With the rebozo in place of a glass slipper, this favorite fairy tale takes a delightful twist. Tomie dePaola's exquisite paintings, filled with the folk art of Mexico, make this a Cinderella story like no other.

Image for Hill Of Fire (I Can Read, Book 3) (I Can Read Level 3)

Hill Of Fire (I Can Read, Book 3) (I Can Read Level 3)

Every day is the same for Pablo's father. Then one afternoon the ground growls, hisses smoke, and swallows up his plow. A volcano is erupting in the middle of his cornfield!

Image for Mexico in Story and Pictures

Mexico in Story and Pictures

Image for Imagine

Imagine

Have you ever imagined what you might be when you grow up? When he was very young, Juan Felipe Herrera picked chamomile flowers in windy fields and let tadpoles swim across his hands in a creek. He slept outside and learned to say good-bye to his amiguitoseach time his family moved to a new town. He went to school and taught himself to read and write English and filled paper pads with rivers of ink as he walked down the street after school. And when he grew up, he became the United States Poet Laureate and read his poems aloud on the steps of the Library of Congress. If he could do all of that . . . what could you do? With this illustrated poem of endless possibility, Juan Felipe Herrera and Lauren Castillo breathe magic into the hopes and dreams of readers searching
for their place in life.

Image for Old Ramon

Old Ramon

Fun novel combining Mexico and California cultures where a young boy learns about life and growing up.

Image for The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes

The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes

In the picture book Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes, award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh brings a cherished Mexican legend to life.A Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor BookALA/ALSC Notable Children’s Book! “A palette of earthy, evocative colors .

. . A genuine triumph.” ―Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)“Use this Aztec legend to inspire readers while teaching a bit about dramatic irony.” —School Library Journal Izta was the most beautiful princess in the land, and suitors traveled from far and wide to woo her. Even though she was the daughter of the emperor, Izta had no desire to marry a man of wealth and power. Instead, she fell in love with Popoca, a brave warrior who fought in her father’s army—and a man who did not offer her riches but a promise to stay by her side forever. The emperor did not want his daughter to marry a mere warrior, but he recognized Popoca’s bravery. He offered Popoca a deal: If the warrior could defeat their enemy, Jaguar Claw, then the emperor would permit Popoca and Izta to wed. But Jaguar Claw had a plan to thwart the warrior. Would all be lost? Today two majestic volcanoes—Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl—stand overlooking Mexico City. They have been admired and revered for countless generations and have formed the basis of many origin and creation myths.

Image for Growing Up In Aztec Times (Growing Up In series)

Growing Up In Aztec Times (Growing Up In series)

Describes the daily life of the Aztecs, discussing life in the city, life in the country, education, food and drink, and other aspects.

Image for The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote

The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote

Poor Coyote! What’s he doing, hanging upside down in the farmer’s house, next to a pot of boiling water? How’d he wind up underneath the jicara tree, getting bonked by rock-hard fruit? Who tricked him into whacking a wasps’ nest with a stick? And why is he always howling at the moon? Because of Rabbit, that’s why! Longtime collaborators Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola look to the folklore of Oaxaca, Mexico, for this nutty, naughty tale of trickery and hijinks. Written with sly humor and illustrated in the vibrant golds, blues, and reds of the Southwest, this is a story with a flavor as distinctive as chile peppers.

Mexico has 31 states and one federal district (Mexico City); the official language spoken here is Spanish. 

This variety of environments makes Mexico one of the world’s most biologically diverse countries.

  • Tall mountain ranges
  • Dense jungles
  • Vast deserts
  • Tropical beaches
  • Volcanoes
  • Rainforests

It is a fascinating place to learn more about, and that is just what we are going to do today, ending in a fun and easy paper plate and cup sombrero Mexico craft.

A QUICK HISTORY OF MEXICO

Long before Europeans arrived, Mexico was home to incredible civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztecs. These cultures built enormous cities, developed advanced calendars, studied astronomy, and created beautiful art and architecture that still amazes historians today.

In the early 1500s, Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico. Spain ruled the country for nearly 300 years before Mexico gained its independence on September 16, 1810, a day that is still celebrated every year as Mexican Independence Day.

Today, Mexico blends Indigenous traditions with Spanish influences, creating a rich culture filled with unique foods, music, festivals, and art.

HISTORY OF THE SOMBRERO

The word sombrero comes from the Spanish word “sombra,” meaning shade.

Originally, a sombrero wasn’t designed as a costume piece. It was practical clothing worn by farmers, ranchers, horse riders, and laborers who spent long hours working under the hot Mexican sun.

The hat’s extra-wide brim helped protect the wearer’s face, neck, shoulders, and eyes from harsh sunlight and heat.

Different regions of Mexico developed their own styles of sombreros. Some were made from woven straw for cooler comfort, while others were crafted from felt or leather for durability.

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Wide-brimmed hats have existed for centuries in many parts of the world, but the Mexican sombrero became especially popular during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Many historians believe wealthy Spanish horsemen inspired some early designs, but Mexican craftsmen adapted the hats for everyday workers. Ranchers, known as charros, often wore beautifully decorated sombreros while riding horses.

Charro sombreros became works of art featuring intricate embroidery, silver trim, decorative stitching, and rich colors

Today, these elegant hats remain part of traditional Mexican dress and are commonly worn during charreadas (Mexican rodeos), parades, and cultural celebrations.

MEXICO CRAFT IDEAS

  • Paper Bag Mariachi Craft – Our Kid Things
  • Mexico Unit Study and Make a Fun Easy Floral Headband
  • Mexican Talavera Vase Craft
  • Easy Mexican Crafts: How to Make a Taco Craft
  • Free Lapbook Mexico For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Frida Kahlo Art Made Simple: Free Easy Art Printable
  • Fun Chocolate Unit Study and DIY Chocolate Candy Bar Activity

PAPER PLATE SOMBRERO

You will need:

  • Paper plate
  • paper /styrofoam cup
  • Markers
  • School glue
  • Colorful pom poms
How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Allow your child to decorate the paper plate, curved side up, with markers, giving it an elaborate stitched and designed look.

Now they can do the same with the cup, adding a design near the hat band or anywhere they like, using markers.

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Roll the rim of the cup in a puddle of school glue

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Press the cup firmly into place in the center of the hat. You can set something a little heavier on top while it dries to keep it in place.

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Finally, add the little pom pom embellishment.

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

You can either make dots of glue around the brim and press into place or use a Q-tip to add a generous puddle of glue and place your pompom.

How to Make a Fun Paper Plate & Cup Sombrero Mexico Craft

Allow glue to dry completely.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, Mexico

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