Kid Friendly Latino Crafts Inspired by ‘Baby Shark’s Big Show!’

The love for arts and crafts in our home runs as deep as the ocean! We are always finding new ways to incorporate arts and crafts into our daily routine for holidays and celebrations, whether big or small

baby-shark-loteria — Courtesy of Dris Wallace

April 05, 2021 - 17:46

Baby Shark’s Big Show! Lotería

Lotería is a traditional game of chance (aka the Mexican Bingo)! I love playing Lotería with the kids because it’s a perfect game to help build their vocabulary and spelling and in addition, it’s super easy to play! I love that it’s in Spanish because we are really trying to raise bilingual children and the cards help a whole lot in this process! With Baby Shark’s Big Show! on the mind, we are going to create a Baby Shark’s Big Show! inspired Lotería game.

baby-shark-cards — Courtesy of Dris Wallace

Here is what you will need:
27 – Baby Shark’s Big Show! Playing Cards
9 – Baby Shark’s Big Show! Playing Boards

Here are the simple steps:

Step 1: Print Board Card template above. Board cards will be printed out at 6”x 8”.
Step 2: Print Playing Cards template above. The same exact photos will then be used for the playing cards. You will have a total of 27 playing cards. This will be printed out as sheets and then cut into cards that should be 2 ¼ x 3 ¼ in size.
Step 3: You can use beans as the chips to play. Beans will be used to cover the boxes as you play.
Final Step: Enjoy fun, family time together and play a few rounds!

baby-shark-board — Courtesy of Dris Wallace

How to Play Lotería:

Playing Lotería is a lot like playing Bingo! Each person gets one to two boards to play with. One person is in charge of shuffling the playing cards and calling out the names on the cards. As the card caller is calling out the cards the rest playing are placing down frijoles or chips on the matching images on their boards. The first person to have three frijoles or chips in a row calls out ¡Lotería! and wins!

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Baby Shark Piñata

baby-shark-pinata — Courtesy of Dris Wallace

A piñata is a must-have in order to celebrate Baby Shark’s Big Show! coming up on Nickelodeon. What better piñata, than a Baby Shark piñata! If after making this you think it’s too cute to break, don’t do it! Save and bring out every time there is a new episode and start a viewing party tradition. Once the kids see the piñata, they know a new episode of Baby Shark’s Big Show! will be on.

baby-shark-pinata-prep — Courtesy of Dris Wallace

Here is what you will need:
1 Balloon
Yellow crepe paper
Newspaper
Plain paper
Cardboard
Scissors
Glue
Acrylic Paint and brush
Flour, water & salt (DIY- Paper Mache Paste)
Bowl

Here are the simple steps:
Step 1: Make your paper mache paste. Mix two parts white glue to one part water. If you are using a large balloon: mix one cup of flour, with one cup of water, and add one teaspoon of salt. Stir until you get a thick glue-like consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little water.
Step 2: Before applying, set your balloon onto a bowl throughout the whole process, so that the balloon does not roll. Tear the newspaper into strips 1-2” wide, dip each piece into the paper mache paste, and apply each layer to the balloon. Smooth out the newspaper strips to remove any bumps that may appear. Keep adding layers of newspaper until the entire balloon is covered up. Allow 4-5 hours in between each layer. Two layers of strips should be enough.
Step 3: Once the layers are completely dry and hardened, stretch the top of the balloon, make a small cut, and allow the balloon to deflate slowly. Once deflated fully, the balloon should come right on out.
Step 4: Use the cardboard paper to draw out the tail and fins. Make sure to cut out with flaps on both sides, so it’s easier to glue onto the balloon. With the white paper, cut out a strip of bottom and top teeth to glue onto your baby shark.
Step 5: Cut 1”-2” strips of yellow crepe paper and glue them around the balloon. Cover the entire balloon in yellow crepe paper. No need to wait into between layers. Make sure it’s covered all in yellow, just like Baby Shark!
Step 6: Secure tail and fins with glue. Use yellow crepe paper to cover any flaps from the tail and fin.
Step 7: With paint: add eyes, mouth and tongue. Glue paper teeth onto baby shark’s mouth.
Step 8: Cut a hole on top of the shark’s head and add your treats.
Step 9: Hold onto your dorsal fins friends we are almost done. Lastly, we want to poke two small holes onto the opposite side of each side at the top of the shark’s head and insert a rope or string so that you can hang up during your viewing party on Fridays at 12:30/11:30c for a new episode of Baby Shark’s Big Show! on Nickelodeon!

pinata-baby-shark — Courtesy of Dris Wallace

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Papel Picados

Papel picado is a decorative craft that is made by cutting designs into sheets of tissue paper and then hung as a banner. Papel picado is typically used to decorate buildings, streets and other celebrations that originated in Mexico. The pattern can be used to decorate any celebration. I decided to incorporate the Papel picado in our celebration of Baby Shark’s Big Show! on Nickelodeon by selecting different colored tissue paper inspired by each character.

Here is what you will need:
Yellow, Orange, Purple, Blue and Green Tissue Paper (12 x 9 approximately)
Scissors
Marker
Yarn and Tape to be used to display the Papel picados
Clear Tape

Here are the simple steps:
Step 1: Do this for each color. Use a stack of 4-5 sheets of one solid color of tissue paper, fold your tissue paper in half, then in half again vertically, so you have what looks like a long skinny quarter sized sheet.
Step 2: Cut a scallop on the bottom.
Step 3: Fold the scallop in half and cut a shape out of the middle. Diamonds seem to be the easiest shape to cut.
Step 4: Unfold your paper to see your artwork (you’re not done quite yet!)
Step 5: Fold the tissue paper in half again vertically.
Step 6: Fold in half horizontally. Make sure to not overlap the diamonds.
Step 7: Fold the quarter size sheet so that it makes a cone shape.
Step 8: Cut patterns into the tissue paper while making sure you leave plenty of room around the edges of the tissue paper.
Step 9: Open up the stack of tissue. Tada! The cutting part is complete, now time to put each beautiful papel picado onto some yarn.
Step 10: Fold ½ of the top of the tissue paper over a long piece of yard and tape down. The yarn should be as long as you want the banner to be. Make sure you leave a little room on each end to hang it up from. Repeat until the yarn is full of papel picado.
Like Baby Shark would say, “mission accomplished”! Now you can hang your beautiful paper picado anywhere for your next celebration. We will be hanging ours around our television so that we are ready to watch the new series, Baby Shark’s Big Show! Can you tell how excited we are to watch the show?

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More Kid Friendly Latino Arts & Crafts (On A Budget) to Try this Month are:

Banderitas (aka mini flags). They can be used with the same instructions as papel picado but in a miniature version. In lieu of a banner, you are creating a flag of papel picado. You are creating a mini version papel picado and attaching to a toothpick to create a banderita.

Maracas, also known as a musical rattle, are used to play music. You will need one plastic egg, two plastic spoons, tape, and dried beans or rice. Try finding a yellow egg, to match Baby Shark! Add the beans or rice into the egg and seal. Take the two spoons and face them towards each other. Tape the spoons together at the base. Place the egg in between the concave of the sections of the spoon. Tape the egg into place. Mission accomplished! Let’s use your maracas and dance and sing like Baby Shark!

Flores Del Papel, also known as, tissue paper flowers are widely used in Latino culture for decorations and accessories. Layer 4 pieces of tissue paper, alternate your colors. Cut out 6” x 10” rectangles. Accordion fold the tissue paper. Lay your pipe cleaner down. Place the center of the accordion rectangle about 2 inches down from the top of the pipe cleaner. Fold the pipe cleaner over the folded tissue paper. Twist the pipe cleaner several times. Now, carefully start pulling up the tissue paper sections from the center to the outside, one at a time until you create a flower. Create a bouquet or add the flowers to a headband.

Hopefully you are as inspired as I was to try these 6 Kid Friendly Latino Arts & Crafts and know that you can doo doo doo anything mis amigos (friends)! In true Baby Shark spirit, “we do fun things and through it all we dance and sing!” Don’t forget, Baby Shark’s Big Show! will air on Nickelodeon on Fridays at 12:30/11:30c. I know it’s going to be jaw-some! I hope you will join us and watch together!