Day of the Dead Crafts: Paper Marigolds, Papel Picado and Paper Skulls

The easiest Day of the Dead crafts are made from paper: bright tissue paper marigolds, cut paper banners called papel picado, and paper skulls decorated with flowers and swirls. All three need only tissue paper, card stock, scissors and markers, and each takes between 15 and 45 minutes, so they work well for a family afternoon or a classroom table in the days before November 1 and 2.

Below you'll find a short note on the holiday, a supply list, steps for each craft, a table to help you choose and fixes for common problems.

What Is the Day of the Dead?

Día de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition, held on November 1 and 2, when families remember and honor relatives and friends who have died.

It is a celebration of memory rather than a scary holiday. Many families set up an ofrenda, a home altar with photos of loved ones, candles, their favorite foods and drinks, and bright orange marigolds (cempasúchil). Papel picado banners are hung above the altar, and skulls, or calaveras, often appear as colorful sugar skulls or decorations. When you make these crafts with children, treat the designs as part of a living culture rather than a costume theme.

What You Need

• Tissue paper in orange, yellow, pink, purple, green and other bright colors
• White card stock or paper plates for the skulls
• Scissors (small, pointed craft scissors help with papel picado; use rounded children's scissors for young kids)
• Green pipe cleaners or florist wire for flower stems
• Markers, crayons or paint pens in bright colors, plus a black marker
• A glue stick, clear tape and a length of string or twine
• A pencil and a ruler
• Optional: sequins, glitter glue, a hole punch and a craft knife with a cutting mat (adults only)

Craft 1: Tissue Paper Marigolds

Tissue paper marigolds are made by stacking squares of orange and yellow tissue, folding them like a fan and fluffing out the layers into a round flower.

1. Cut 6 to 8 squares of tissue paper, about 5 inches (13 cm) across. Mix orange and yellow layers for a fuller color.
2. Stack the squares neatly and fold the whole stack back and forth in accordion pleats about half an inch (1 cm) wide.
3. Pinch the folded strip in the middle and twist one end of a green pipe cleaner tightly around the center. The rest of the pipe cleaner becomes the stem.
4. Snip both ends of the folded strip into small points or fringe them with short cuts.
5. Gently pull the layers up toward the center, one sheet at a time, on each side.
6. Fluff and shape the flower into a ball. Make a few in different sizes for a bouquet or a garland.

If you have made our tissue paper pom poms, this is the same method on a smaller scale.

Craft 2: Papel Picado Banner

Papel picado is made by folding tissue paper several times and cutting small shapes along the folds, so a repeating lace-like pattern appears when you open it.

1. Cut tissue paper into rectangles about 8 by 11 inches (20 by 28 cm). One sheet makes one flag.
2. Fold a strip about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide along the top long edge. This stays uncut so you can hang the flag on string later.
3. Fold the rest of the sheet in half from side to side, then in half again, and once more if the paper is thin enough. Fewer folds give bigger shapes and are easier for small hands.
4. Cut small triangles, half circles, teardrops and diamonds along the folded edges. Keep at least a finger's width of paper between cuts so the flag holds together.
5. Cut a wavy or zigzag edge along the bottom, avoiding the top folded strip.
6. Open the flag carefully and flatten it under a book.
7. Lay a length of string inside the top fold of each flag, fold the strip down over it and secure it with a glue stick or small pieces of tape. Leave a few inches between flags.

Older crafters can draw a flower or skull on the folded paper and cut it with a craft knife on a mat. Our tissue paper garland tutorial has more tips for hanging lightweight paper banners.

Craft 3: Decorated Paper Skulls

A paper skull is a simple skull outline on card stock or a paper plate, decorated with flowers, dots, hearts and swirls in bright colors.

1. Draw a skull shape on white card stock: a large rounded top with a narrower jaw at the bottom. A paper plate works too; just trim the lower sides to form the jaw.
2. Draw two large eye sockets. Children often like to fill them with flower petals or circles instead of leaving them empty.
3. Add an upside-down heart or a small triangle for the nose and a row of small rectangles across the jaw for teeth.
4. Decorate the forehead and cheeks with flowers, leaves, dots, swirls, hearts or stars. Some families add a loved one's name across the forehead.
5. Color everything in with markers or paint pens, then outline the shapes in black so the colors stand out.
6. Cut out the skull. Add sequins or glitter glue if you like, and let it dry flat.

To turn the skulls into a mask, cut out the eye holes, punch a hole on each side and tie on string. For a beaded version, try our sugar skull Perler bead pattern.

Which Craft Should You Make?

Pick the craft that fits the time you have and the age of the crafters; all three use mostly paper and basic supplies.

Craft	Time	Best for	Main supplies
Tissue paper marigolds	15–20 min each	Ages 5 and up with help	Tissue paper, pipe cleaners
Papel picado banner	30–45 min for a string of 5	Ages 7 and up; craft knife for adults only	Tissue paper, scissors, string
Decorated paper skulls	20–30 min	All ages, including preschoolers	Card stock or paper plates, markers

Troubleshooting

Most problems come from thin tissue paper tearing or folds that are too thick to cut.

• Marigold petals tear when you pull them up: separate the layers starting from the outside edge, and use fewer sheets next time.
• Papel picado falls apart when opened: the cuts are too close together. Leave wider gaps and keep cuts away from the corners.
• Marker soaks through the paper skull: use card stock or a paper plate rather than printer paper, and let each color dry before outlining.

Ways to Use Your Crafts

Hang papel picado above a table or mantel, set a jar of marigolds beside family photos and prop the decorated skulls in front. In a classroom, each child can make one flag for a shared banner. Keep candles away from tissue paper; use battery tea lights instead.

If your family enjoys these, keep the paper crafting going with our skull paper fans, the free printable Halloween crafts collection, or Perler bead skull earrings for older kids. Painted designs also work beautifully on stones, as in our painted Halloween rocks guide. Browse more ideas in our skeletons and skulls section.