Icy Treats During Semana Santa

Remember that first ice cream cone of the summer? Families in Mexico celebrate the beginning of ice cream season during Semana Santa, the weeks before and after Easter.

1. In Mexico, ice cream stands and frozen fruit ice vendors line the streets to sell their refreshing snacks during the week before Easter called Semana Santa. These small stands, often homemade, are shaped like outdoor water wells. They are decorated with paper cut-outs of palms, flowers, and fruit. The stands are filled with delicious frozen treats. Here’s a way to recreate the fun!

2. Use a paper cup as the base of your well-shaped stand. To make the supports for your roof, glue two craft sticks to the side of well. Air-dry the roof supports.

3. Form the roof by cutting a paper rectangle a little wider than the space between the craft sticks. Fold to create a roof. Glue it on top of the craft sticks. Air-dry the glue.

4. Cut out decorative paper palm fronds, fruits, and other designs. Bananas, mangoes, and oranges are all fruits that are made into frozen ice treats. Color the fruit with Crayola Gel Markers. Glue your fruits to the stand. Air-dry the glue.

5. You are now officially a Raspadores—a vendor of fruit-flavored snow cones, called raspados, and paletas, which are fruit ice bars.

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

Wood—By its nature, wood is rough and may contain splinters or sharp points

Tie-Dye Table Runner

Pretend Paper Planets

Love You! Model Magic Imprint

Crafts

crayola supplies

• Gel Markers
• No-Run School Glue
• Blunt-Tip Scissors
• Construction Paper

household supplies

• craft sticks
• paper cups

"Teaching my children about the traditions of my country was fun. After we made our stand we got out the blender and mixed up some banana and ice frozen slushes. "
Maria C., mother of ages 12, 7, and 4.

"After we tried this project, my 9-year-old son said, ‘I guess the ice cream truck that comes down our street during the summer is sort of like the Raspadores of Mexico.’ "
Courtney R., mom of 9-year-old.

Before freezers were invented, snow was carried down from the mountain tops and flavored with delicious fruit syrups to make these ice confections. They are just like snow cones.