Diwali crafts for kids

Before you start

Safety first. Use battery tea-lights with paper crafts. Never put a real flame near paper. Lanterns, torans and chains are for display, so keep them well away from any lit diya.

Look for the label Grown-up does this part. It marks cutting, hot glue and anything involving a flame. Spread newspaper on the table, wear old clothes and let paint dry fully between layers. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

New to Diwali? Read Diwali for kids first for the five days and the many stories.

1. Clay diya painting

Age hint: 4 and up.

Materials: plain clay diyas, poster or acrylic paint, brushes, a cup of water, a few sequins or sticky dots, newspaper.

1. Cover the table with newspaper.
2. Paint the outside of the diya in one base colour and let it dry.
3. Add dots, waves, petals or stripes in a second colour.
4. Stick on sequins or dots while the paint is still tacky.
5. Leave it to dry for several hours, then set it on a tray.

Grown-up does this part: any lighting. Paint is best kept for display, so put a battery tea-light in the bowl.

2. Paper lantern (akash kandil)

Age hint: 6 and up.

Materials: a sheet of coloured paper, scissors, a ruler, glue stick, a strip of card for the handle, a battery tea-light.

1. Fold the paper in half lengthways.
2. Draw a line about two fingers from the open edge, all along the paper.
3. Cut from the folded edge up to that line, making evenly spaced slits.
4. Open the paper, roll it into a tube and glue the short edges together.
5. Glue the card strip across the top as a handle.
6. Hang it or stand it up, with a battery tea-light inside.

Grown-up does this part: cutting the slits for younger children.

3. Toran from paper flowers

Age hint: 5 and up.

Materials: coloured paper, a cup to trace, scissors, a long piece of string or ribbon, glue stick, tape.

1. Trace circles with the cup on several colours.
2. Cut out the circles, then snip petals around each edge.
3. Glue a small circle of a different colour in the middle of each flower.
4. Space the flowers along the string and glue or tape them on.
5. Hang the toran over a doorway.

Grown-up does this part: cutting, and hot glue if you choose it over a glue stick. Keep the toran clear of any lit lamp.

4. A handmade greeting card

Age hint: 3 and up, with help.

Materials: a folded sheet of card, crayons or markers, glitter glue or stickers, a pencil.

1. Fold the card in half.
2. Draw a diya on the front, with a bright flame on top.
3. Colour it in and add stickers or glitter glue.
4. Write “Happy Diwali” inside, with a message for someone you love.
5. Sign it and let any glue dry before closing.

Prefer a screen? Make one with the Diwali card maker. No part of this craft needs a grown-up, though younger children may want help with writing.

5. Recycled bottle-cap decorations

Age hint: 6 and up.

Materials: clean metal or plastic bottle caps, paint, small beads, glue, string, a paper circle for a backing.

1. Wash and dry the caps.
2. Paint each cap a bright colour and let it dry.
3. Glue a bead in the middle of each cap.
4. Arrange the caps in a flower on the paper circle and glue them down.
5. Add a string loop at the back to hang it.

Grown-up does this part: checking caps for sharp edges, and any hot glue. You could also use clean jar lids or old buttons.

6. A paper chain

Age hint: 3 and up, with help.

Materials: strips of coloured paper about the size of your hand, glue stick or tape.

1. Make a loop from the first strip and glue the ends.
2. Thread a second strip through it and glue that into a loop too.
3. Keep adding strips, changing colours as you go.
4. Stop when the chain is as long as you like.
5. Drape it along a shelf or window.

Grown-up does this part: cutting the strips.

More to do on Rangooo

Print and colour the story of each day in the Diwali colouring pages. Design a pattern in the Rangoli Studio, cook something with a grown-up in Dadi’s Rasoi, or check other dates on the festival calendar. For another hands-on project, try easy science activities for kids. For more things to make from paper all year round, see easy paper crafts for kids.

Questions

What is an easy Diwali craft for a young child?

Painting a clay diya or making a paper chain is a good start. Both need only simple materials, and a grown-up can do the cutting.

Is it safe to put real flames in paper lanterns?

No. Use battery tea-lights inside paper crafts and never put a real flame near paper.

Can I use a painted diya with a real flame?

Paint is best kept for display. If your family lights a diya, a grown-up should do it on a steady tray, away from paper and curtains, and stay close. A battery tea-light is the safe choice beside paper crafts.

When is Diwali in 2026?

The main day, Lakshmi Puja, is on Sunday 8 November 2026. Aim to finish your crafts a day or two before.