Celebrating Diwali With Toddlers and Preschoolers

Celebrating Diwali with toddlers and preschoolers in early childhood settings is a joyful opportunity to foster cultural awareness, sensory exploration, and inclusive belonging. Here are some developmentally appropriate, emotionally intelligent ideas to celebrate Diwali with toddlers and preschoolers.

Creative Arts & Crafts

Decorate paper diyas with glitter, sequins, and colored tissue.
Make Rangoli patterns using colored rice, sand, or flower petals.
Create Diwali cards with simple greetings and handprints.

Storytelling & Books

Share picture books like “Let’s Celebrate Diwali” or “Binny’s Diwali” to introduce the festival’s meaning.
Use puppets or felt boards to retell the story of Rama and Sita in a gentle, age-appropriate way.

Music & Movement

Play traditional Diwali music and encourage free dance or scarf play.
Use rhythm instruments to explore beats and patterns inspired by Diwali celebrations.

Food & Sensory Play

Offer safe, simple tastings of Diwali treats like sweetened puffed rice or coconut ladoos.
Set up a pretend play kitchen with Diwali-themed ingredients and utensils.

Light & Symbolism

Explore the concept of light by using flameless candles, fairy lights, or shadow play.
Talk about Diwali as a celebration of light, kindness, and togetherness.

Dress-Up & Cultural Textiles

Invite children to wear bright colors or traditional fabrics.
Display saris, scarves, and embroidered cloths for tactile exploration.

Family Engagement

Encourage families to share photos, greetings, or stories from their Diwali traditions.
Create a collaborative Diwali wall with family contributions and child artwork.

Sensory & Fine Motor Play

Dough Diyas: Use playdough to shape diyas and decorate with beads or sequins.
Spice Exploration: Set up a sensory tray with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves for smelling and sorting.
Glow Table: Use a light table with translucent shapes to explore the theme of light.

Calm & Mindful Moments

Diwali Breathing: Introduce “sparkle breaths” (deep breaths with hand movements) to mimic fireworks or candle flickers.
Kindness Jar: Invite children to add pom-poms or stars to a jar each time they show kindness—linking to Diwali’s themes of goodness and light.

Dramatic Play & Role Play

Diwali Market Stall: Set up a pretend play area with fabrics, sweets, diyas, and jewelry for children to “shop” and “sell.”
Family Celebration Corner: Include dolls, dress-up clothes, and pretend food for children to act out Diwali traditions.

Learning Through Play

Colour Sorting: Use Diwali-themed items (e.g., marigolds, saris, candles) for sorting by color or texture.
Counting Diyas: Create a simple math game where children count and match diyas to number cards.

Inclusive & Trauma-Informed Touches

Gentle Lighting: Use soft fairy lights or paper lanterns to create a calming atmosphere.
Emotion Cards: Explore feelings around celebrations—excitement, nervousness, joy—using visual prompts and storytelling.