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Diwali, or Deepavali as it’s typically known in South India, is the Indian festival of lights. It’s typically a 5-day long celebration of “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.” It’s one of the most important and celebrated Indian festivals both inside and outside of India. I know it’s one my family always celebrated growing up, and I’m excited to share some ideas on how to appreciate Diwali with kids!
While participating, it’s important to learn in a respectful way that centers those of Indian ancestry. This guide is intended to help you appreciate and avoid cultural appropriation as you learn with and teach your children about this beautiful holiday. It also directs you to resources created by those of Indian heritage, and provides ways to support Indian creators as we benefit from the gift of their beautiful traditions.
This guide to Diwali with kids contains affiliate links, but all opinions are 100% my own. That means I earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, but doesn’t change your price.
Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali! by Ajanta Chakraborty and Vivek Kumar
Color in India on this map of Asia!
Flag from HERE
HERE is a fun printable India flag coloring sheet!
Sweets are very common during Diwali to celebrate the sweetness of life. Barfi (or burfi) is a very common sweet that is similar to a white fudge. It is traditionally made out of milk solids and ghee (clarified butter), but some simple recipes allow you to make it from sweetened condensed milk!
Halwa is another popular sweet that can be made from different vegetables or fruits (carrot is popular) mixed with ghee and spices.
You can make your own barfi with some basic pantry staples like shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk!
Rangoli is an Indian art form that uses a variety of patterns created with colored sand or rice. It is often displayed in front of homes or temples. You can create your own rangoli with simple sidewalk chalk!
Start by creating 3 concentric circles, with the first about 1 foot in diameter, the second about 3 feet in diameter, and the third about 5-6 feet in diameter. Create petals and color them in with alternating colors, and fill in the rest of the circle with a different color. Continue adding petals and other designs to your rangoli!
There are a number of wonderful ways to celebrate Diwali with kids:
Since my family is from South India, I wanted to learn more about celebrating the South Indian Deepavali and some of the religious rituals specific to that area.
Traditionally, family members are anointed with sesame oil before sunrise and washed to symbolize a fresh beginning. A traditional greeting is, “Ganga Snanam Aacha?” or “Have you had a holy bath?” This page has more information on how the sacred oil is made.
An important part of avoiding cultural appropriation is to financially support the cultures from which we learn and borrow. It’s important compensate those from those cultures so that the culture can continue to thrive.
Here are some ways you can support those of Indian ancestry:
Instead of searching a big supermarket or even making it yourself, consider support a Indian grocer. You may want to purchase other things while there, as well. Or perhaps buy some for yourself, and take some to a friend!
You should absolutely purchase rangoli powder and Diwali diyas from someone of Indian heritage. Profiting off another culture is one of the most egregious forms of appropriation. We should avoid purchasing traditional items with deep significance, like these things, from big corporations or those appropriating Indian culture and religious heritage. These big wooden rangoli floor stencils come straight from creators in India and can be used year after year!
The best way to purchase rangoli powder and diyas is from someone native to the culture. Shops like this one sell authentic rangoli powder, or this creator hand makes clay diyas. Supporting shops like this is one of the best ways to avoid perpetuating power imbalances that stem from cultural appropriation in celebrating Diwali.
Here are some beautiful floor decorations that you can also purchase!
While it’s fun to celebrate, it’s really important to understand the religious significance behind the festival, or habba as it is called in South India. As I noted above, different regions of the country celebrate different mythological stories, so read up the different ones.
This stunning children’s Ramayana book is a wonderful way to learn even for adults. I highly recommend purchasing a copy of this one to learn about all these Hindu stories throughout the year!
Diwali is a perfect time to learn more about India with kids. It’s a wonderful opportunity to study this diverse and beautiful country and its people, and also participate in some traditional activities. Here’s a virtual tour of India with kids to jump start your learning!
It’s easy to Google recipes, but it’s also wonderful to support Indian (or Indian-American) cookbook authors! Madhur Jaffrey is a queen of Indian cooking and translates recipes to cookbook form so well. Her Quick & Easy Indian Cooking book is one of my favorites, but they’re all great!
Read a book about Diwali and learn about the different ways to celebrate each of the 5 days. Make a timeline to visualize what happens on each day, and draw a picture for the importance of each day.
Read the different Diwali stories. Which is your favorite, and why?
It’s so fun to move your body and enjoy some Diwali music. You can even learn about the different days of Diwali with this dance!
We’ve loved putting together this resource with Diwali activities for kids. We’d love to hear if you do any of these activities!
We hope to inspire curiosity and connection through exploring and learning, and we hope this guide helps you and your families. Please share any activities you do with us over on our Instagram. And we’d be delighted if you passed this Diwali with kids resource along to others, as well!
