Kids crafts: Mexican dancing doll

ALTHOUGH Cinco de Mayo is not considered a major holiday in America, it is very important to some of the more than 52 million Hispanic Americans who live in the United States.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the Fifth of May) is a holiday many celebrate with parades and festivals. It commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over invading French troops at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Whether you are of Latin American descent, you can make this Mexican dancing doll - which I found at ph.ly/cincodemayo - to celebrate the holiday.

Supplies you will need

* 2 coffee filters

* Yellow paint and brush

* Red, green and blue markers or crayons

* Wooden doll pin and stand

* Brown chenille stem

* Black yarn

* Craft glue

* Red and black fine-point markers

* Optional: Small flower

How to make it

Paint the coffee filters yellow and set aside to dry.

Glue the pin into the stand.

When filters are dry, color stripes around the outer edges of one of the filters in red, green and blue.

Cut the chenille stem in half. Wrap one piece around the pin at arm height and hold with glue.

Fold the decorated filter in half once, then fold in half again. Cut a small section out of the center to create a hole for the head, then cut a larger section 2 1/2 inches from the center to form the blouse portion of the dress. Place the blouse on the doll, drape around the pin and glue to hold.

Use the rest of the decorated piece for the skirt. Scrunch the filter around the pin and glue in place, or wrap the other half of the chenille stem around the center and twist tight to hold.

Using the second filter, cut a circle (2 inches wide) for a dress collar. Decorate the same way you did the skirt. Cut a hole in the center and drape over the blouse. Glue to hold.

Cut black yarn into 4-inch lengths (about 12) and tie in the center with another piece of yarn. Divide each side into three sections and braid. Tie the ends with yarn and glue to the top of the doll's head.

Use a black fine-tip marker to make dots for the eyes and nose, and use a red marker to draw on a mouth.

As an option, glue a small flower to the dancer's hair.