Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is one of the most colorful, heartfelt celebrations in Mexican culture. It’s a time to honor, remember, and joyfully celebrate loved ones who have passed away. For parents, it’s also a beautiful opportunity to teach children about remembrance, family traditions, and the importance of cultural appreciation. In this post, photographer and mom of four, Wendy Cox, discusses the history of Día de los Muertos, how to celebrate at home with your kids, ideas for decorations and food, and ways to make this meaningful celebration fun and accessible for families everywhere.

Honoring Family Roots

My grandfather was born in Mexico in 1917. He immigrated to the United States when he was nine years old, and, luckily for me, he carried some of the Mexican culture with him when he crossed the border.

While we didn’t celebrate Dia de los Muertos when I was growing up, I have lived my life with an appreciation for so many things that are part of the Mexican culture. Someday, I hope to travel to Mexico to see how it’s done on a full scale model! But until then, to honor my heritage, I decided that our family would start celebrating Dia de los Muertos in our own way. This celebration has been a lot of fun for me and my family, and I hope that as you celebrate Dia de los Muertos with your kids that you will enjoy it as much as we have!

History of Día de los Muertos

The roots of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) stretch back thousands of years to ancient pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, long before Spanish colonization. Indigenous civilizations such as the Aztec, Maya, Toltec, and Nahua peoples believed that death was not an end, but rather a continuation of the life cycle. For them, death was simply another step in the great circle of existence, one that deserved celebration, not fear.

The native peoples believed that after death, souls traveled through nine levels of the afterlife to the land of the dead. To help guide and sustain the souls of their loved ones, families would leave offerings of food, water, and cherished belongings – an act of love and remembrance that remains central to today’s traditions.

Today, Día de los Muertos is celebrated across Mexico and in many parts of the world, including the United States, with altars (ofrendas), marigolds (cempasúchil), sugar skulls (calaveras), candles, papel picado, and favorite foods of the departed. It’s not a somber day of mourning—it’s a vibrant celebration of life, memory, and family.

In cities like Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Pátzcuaro, festivities include candlelight processions, music, dancing, and public displays of art and altars. The colorful decorations and joyful energy remind everyone that our loved ones continue to live on through our stories, traditions, and the love we share.

For families celebrating at home, understanding this history helps children see Día de los Muertos not as a “Mexican Halloween,” but as a sacred and joyful reminder that love never dies.

When to Celebrate Día de los Muertos

Día de los Muertos is typically celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, aligning with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. In the United States, many communities hold parades, festivals, and cultural events around these dates—sometimes on nearby weekends.

When we lived in San Diego, Old Town State Historic Park hosted ofrendas, live music, and family-friendly activities throughout October. To celebrate with your family, check local community calendars or cultural centers to see if there are Día de los Muertos events in your area.

How to Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Home

This celebration can be as grand or as simple as you want it to be. You could display a couple photos of your predecessors on your coffee table, or you could make a full on, multi-tiered ofrenda with candles, food, drinks, flowers, lights, and more. There is no requirement to make this extravagant, but if you want to go all in, here’s what my family has done.

Día de los Muertos Party

This year my family and I will be hosting our second annual Día de los Muertos party. We send out an invitation about a month ahead of time so people can save the date, but also so they have time to make any preparations that they want to.

On the invitation, we request that anyone who wants to can bring a photograph of a deceased family member to add to the ofrenda. We ask that they also come prepared to share a story about that person if they feel so inclined.

Día de los Muertos Decorations

On the day of the party, we bring out our brightly colored banner flags (papel picado) and hang them all over the place. We string up lights, bring out a couple fire pits, and make sure to have ample seating both inside and outside.

This year I’m going to look for some marigolds. Last year all I had was a pom pom-like orange garland, but this year I’m looking for something more authentic. I saw some beautiful marigolds while in Southern California recently, but here in Virginia they’re proving a little harder to come by. If the actual flowers are elusive, I may try tissue paper flowers, which are also found on authentic ofrendas.

Building the Ofrenda

Central to Día de los Muertos is the ofrenda. We put photographs of our grandparents here, and make sure to leave a lot of room for everyone else to place their photographs. Displaying the photos in frames is ideal. A simple photo can get bent or fall over easily, especially when things are getting moved around to make space for everyone.

We add candles to our ofrenda, and pan de muerto. This is a traditional bread baked during Día de los Muertos that has symbols representing the cycle of life and death. Look for this at your local panaderia (Mexican bakery), or you can try this recipe. Pan de muerto is used both on the ofrenda, and also eaten when visiting the graves of loved ones.

It’s also tradition to leave favorite foods and drink on the ofrenda. Usually the special items for each person are placed in front of the photograph of that person. This lends itself perfectly to tell your children why you chose those items, and any stories you have of the person eating or cooking that food while they were alive.

My Grandpa Ben used to put honey on almost anything! He had such a sweet tooth, and so we place a bottle of honey next to his photo on the ofrenda. It makes me think of him every time I see honey or use it in any way!

The Potluck

We like to make our Día de los Muertos party a potluck. We invite everyone to bring a dish that is special to their family, or something that a relative used to make or enjoy. The dish doesn’t have to be something that relates to the relative whose photograph they bring, but that does end up happening quite a bit. 

My Grandma Mary made the very best Mexican rice in the whole world! The best compliment you can give me, or any of my aunts or sisters, is that their rice tastes like Grandma’s rice. Rice also goes a long way with a crowd, so it was my obvious choice for the potluck last year. 

Since this is a Mexican holiday, and my dad’s side of the family is Mexican, I brought out my tortilla press and made fresh tortillas during most of the party. I’m no tortilla pro, but it was a fun way to add a little bit of my heritage to the evening. I let anyone, adults and children, who wanted to make their own tortilla have a try at it. I was surprised at how many people had never used a tortilla press! I was so glad to have given them the opportunity.

This year I plan to add Mexican hot chocolate to the potluck menu. The Abuelita brand is my favorite, but not the instant packets. In my opinion, the best kind is the Abuelita that comes in little discs of chocolate that you simply melt in milk on the stove. You can probably find Abuelita at a local Mexican or international market, but if not try this link. If you’ve never tried Mexican hot chocolate, it has more of a cinnamon flavor than other types of hot chocolate, but it’s incredibly delicious and I highly recommend you try it!

Sharing Stories

Towards the beginning of the evening, we gather everyone together to share stories of our loved ones. To get things started, my husband and I share something about one of our ancestors on the ofrenda while showing their photograph. Then, we go around the room giving everyone (usually one member of each family) the chance to share about the person whose photo they brought.

It’s such an honor to hear all of the stories. There’s often laughter combined with tears shed in fond remembrance of these loved ones. The kids all sit together on the floor and they love hearing the stories. This is my favorite part of the celebration!

Other Día de los Muertos Activities

Because there are a mixture of both adults and kids at this party, we try to have a variety of activities. We print out some Día de los Muertos coloring pages for the younger kids. I put out a bucket of crayons for them to use. I also set up a movie projector and have the movie Coco going in one room for anyone who wants to use that. 

This year, we thought about getting some live entertainment. I wanted to ask some friends to perform a song from Coco, but things got crazy and we didn’t get that coordinated in time. We may try that for next year though! And how fun would a dance party be to some traditional Mexican music, or a grito (shouting) contest for the best, “ayyyyyyyyyyy ayyyyyy ayyyyyyyy!” 

Calavera Face Painting

You may have seen the traditional Dia de los Muertos face painting, known as calavera (skull). Remember Miguel in Coco with his white face and black eyes? That’s a simple version of the calavera, but it can get very elaborate.

Calavera makeup can range from simple to intricate, with flowers, spider webs, and hearts painted around the eyes and mouth.

Each element has meaning:

  • Marigolds symbolize life and remembrance.
  • Hearts represent love for the departed.
  • Cobwebs mark the passage of time.

Adding face painting to your celebration makes the experience even more immersive for kids—and helps them appreciate the artistry behind this beautiful tradition.

If you want to try the calavera, here are a few ideas and some explanations of the symbols that are often used.

Why This Matters for Kids

Whether you’re inviting the whole neighborhood, or having an evening at home with your family, telling stories about your ancestors is an incredibly important and powerful experience for your children. Hearing the stories gives children a sense of where they came from. It helps them understand their roots. Learning about their ancestors helps a child build a sense of who they are, and hearing how their ancestors overcame obstacles can give children motivation to persevere through their own struggles. Psychology Today has an entire article on this subject if you’re interested in learning more about the topic.

Final Thoughts

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with kids is about more than food and decorations. It’s about remembrance, connection, and gratitude. When families come together to share stories and honor loved ones, they’re not just celebrating life after death; they’re celebrating life itself.

As you build your own traditions, encourage your children to participate – by helping decorate, asking questions, or sharing their favorite memories. Through these small acts, they’ll learn that love lives on, and that remembering those who came before us is one of the most beautiful ways to celebrate being alive.

About the author

Wendy is a married momma who recently moved from central San Diego, CA to Roanoke, Virginia. She’s raising 4 human kids, 2 goat kids, 4 chickens, and one grumpy cat. She enjoys gardening, hiking, camping, backpacking, going to the beach, and generally getting out-of-doors. Wendy is a family photographer and also works at several local elementary schools as the garden educator. She dreams of traveling to all 50 states and beyond, and believes that there is great beauty to be found in all parts of the earth, we just have to open our eyes to see it.

Instagram: @wendycoxphotography
Website: http://www.wendycoxphotography.com