Diwali – The Festival of Lights 

Diwali is a magical time of year for all ages. Regardless of your cultural upbringing, Diwali, the festival of lights, can be enjoyed by everyone. Diwali or Deepavali translates to “a row of lights” and celebrates the victory of light over darkness. It is a five-day celebration which originated in South Asian Culture including Indian & Nepalese. It is a wonderful, joyous time of togetherness. 

Exploring global celebrations from a young age leads to a better understanding and appreciation for other cultures later in life. Which is something we’re passionate about here at Aurora Early Education. In particular, Diwali is close to many of our hearts amongst members of our team. In addition to our celebrations at our centres, here are 6 ways you can celebrate at home with your family. 

1. Reading picture books about Diwali 

There are so many wonderful and colourful picture books to explore the themes and traditions around Diwali. Here are some of our favourites:

Diwali – Celebrate the World by Hannah Eliot, Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrator) 

Suitable for ages 2 – 4 years old.

Peppa Pig – Diwali, by Pig Ladybird and Peppa
Suitable for ages 0 – 5.


It’s Diwali! By Kabir Sehgal, Surishtha Sehgal, Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrator)
Suitable for ages 4 – 8.

2. Create colourful Rangoli art 

Rangoli is derived from the Sanskrit word “Rangavalli” meaning “row of colours”. It has been long practised as an ancient Indian art form with Rangoli creations presented at the front of homes, courtyards and on walls. You can use a variety of materials such as flower petals, sand, rice, lentils or beans!

Steps:

  1. Sketch or plan the outline of your Rangoli Art
  2. Create a paper cone or funnel to distribute your decoration of choice.
  3. Have fun and get creative!

3. Preparing a nourishing meal together 

Obviously, we can’t expect our toddlers to be chefs (if only they could fend for themselves haha), but they can benefit from watching the fascinating process of preparing a meal. Talk to them about what you’re doing and why. Pinterest has a plethora of Diwali-themed recipes to try out. Alternatively, why not support a local restaurant that is celebrating Diwali? 

4. Making and painting lanterns 

Let’s get creative!  Why not have an Art & Crafts afternoon with your little ones to get those fine motor skills stimulated? Here is a short 3-minute YouTube video on how to make DIY Diwali paper lanterns for kids: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noLh-uKCCv4

5. Getting creative with lights!
Of course, the star of the show of this celebration is the lights. If you’re looking for a hazard-free, child-friendly option to candles you can create magic in your garden or balcony with solar lanterns or twinkle lights. Traditionally, clay lanterns are lit outside homes to symbolise an inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. You can also simply light candles around your home (out of reach of little hands) to call in the good energy. 

6. Listen to Diwali-themed music
Perhaps our favourite Diwali activity (asides from creating a pretty lightscape in our garden) is to get dancing. Our little ones naturally love to move and groove, it’s an innate human reaction to music. It’s time to remember that feeling in our adult bodies. Put the music on and literally dance like no one is watching. Even if it’s just 10 minutes. It will be sure to brighten your day – creating more light in your soul. Which is the essence of Diwali. Spotify has some great Diwali-themed playlists to immerse yourself in.

We hope you found some inspiration from these celebration activities and enjoy spending time with your family and friends this Diwali. Feel free to tag us on social media so we can share the Diwali light and love across our community.