Diwali Activities for Kids 2026: 6 Easy Crafts, a 15-Question Quiz and a Show-and-Tell Script

Quick answer: The best Diwali activities for kids are simple and flame-free: a paper diya, painting clay diyas, a paper lantern, a door toran, a rice and flower rangoli and a Diwali greeting card. Below you will find materials and steps for each, a 15-question Diwali quiz with answers, drawing prompts and a short show-and-tell script for school. Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026, and the festival runs in India from Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 November (Drik Panchang).

Pair the crafts with a bedtime story each night from our Diwali stories for kids: one story every night for five nights.

Diwali 2026 dates for kids' planning

Source: Drik Panchang. Abroad, check your local temple's calendar too. The weekend of 7 and 8 November is ideal for crafts.

6 easy Diwali crafts for kids

A general rule for all six: no real flames for young children. Use LED tealights inside anything made of paper, and let an adult handle scissors for under-6s.

Craft 1: Paper diya

Best for: Ages 4 and up

You need: Orange, yellow and red card, child-safe scissors, glue stick, glitter or sequins, a pencil.

1. Draw a wide bowl shape (like a smile with a flat top) on orange card and cut it out.
2. Cut a teardrop flame from yellow card and a smaller one from red.
3. Glue the red flame on the yellow one, then glue both behind the top of the bowl.
4. Decorate the diya with sequins, dots and lines.
5. Make several and stick them in a row along a window or wall: a real Deepavali, a row of lamps.

Safety: Paper diyas are decorations only. Never put a real flame near them.

Craft 2: Clay diya painting

Best for: Ages 5 and up

You need: Plain clay diyas (store-bought), washable acrylic or poster paint, brushes, cotton buds, old newspaper.

1. Wipe the diyas with a dry cloth to remove dust.
2. Paint a base colour on the outside and let it dry.
3. Add dots with a cotton bud, lines or simple flower patterns.
4. Leave the inside unpainted if the diya will later hold oil and a wick.
5. Let them dry fully overnight.

Safety: Only an adult should fill and light a painted diya. For children's rooms, place an LED tealight inside instead.

Craft 3: Paper lantern (akash kandil style)

Best for: Ages 6 and up

You need: A sheet of coloured A4 paper, a strip of paper for a handle, scissors, glue or tape, an LED tealight.

1. Fold the paper in half lengthways.
2. From the folded edge, cut straight lines about 2 cm apart, stopping 2 cm from the open edge.
3. Unfold, roll the paper into a tube with the cuts running up and down, and glue the edges.
4. Press gently from top and bottom so the strips bulge out.
5. Add the handle across the top and hang it up. In Maharashtra, star-shaped lanterns called akash kandil are a well-loved Diwali tradition; older children can try a star shape.

Safety: Use only an LED light inside a paper lantern.

Craft 4: Door toran

Best for: Ages 5 and up

You need: A long ribbon or string, coloured paper, a leaf or mango-leaf template, hole punch, beads or paper flowers.

1. Draw and cut 10 to 15 leaf shapes from green paper.
2. Punch a hole at the top of each leaf.
3. Thread them on the ribbon, adding a paper flower or bead between leaves.
4. Ask an adult to hang it across the top of the front door to welcome guests.

Safety: Keep string away from very young children and hang it out of reach of lamps.

Craft 5: Rangoli with coloured rice or flowers

Best for: Ages 4 and up

You need: Uncooked rice coloured with a little food colouring (dried overnight), or marigold and other petals, chalk, a sheet of card if you are indoors.

1. Draw a simple outline with chalk: a circle, a star or a lotus.
2. Fill each part of the pattern with one colour of rice or one kind of petal.
3. Add a border of dots around the edge.
4. Place it near the door or the puja corner.

Safety: Keep rangoli well away from lit diyas and walkways where someone could slip.

For more designs, see Diwali rangoli designs 2026 and Diwali decoration and diya ideas.

Craft 6: Diwali greeting card

Best for: Ages 4 and up

You need: Folded card, crayons or markers, glitter glue, stickers.

1. Fold a sheet of card in half.
2. On the front, draw a diya, a rangoli pattern or a lantern.
3. Inside, write a short message, such as Happy Diwali, may your home be full of light.
4. Give it to a grandparent, teacher, neighbour or friend.

Safety: Glitter glue only; keep loose glitter away from very small children.

Need words for the card? Browse Diwali wishes and quotes 2026.

15-question Diwali quiz for kids (with answers)

Read the questions aloud and let children answer, or cover the answers and use it as a family game on the evening of Saturday 7 November.

1. Q1. What does the word Deepavali mean? Answer: A row of lamps (deepa means lamp, avali means row).
2. Q2. On which date is Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) in 2026? Answer: Sunday 8 November 2026.
3. Q3. How many days does the Diwali festival usually last? Answer: Five days, from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj.
4. Q4. Which day starts the five days of Diwali? Answer: Dhanteras, on Friday 6 November 2026.
5. Q5. Which healer of the gods is remembered on Dhanteras? Answer: Dhanvantari, who rose from the ocean of milk holding a pot of amrit, as traditionally told.
6. Q6. For how many years did Rama live in the forest before returning to Ayodhya? Answer: Fourteen years.
7. Q7. Who came home to Ayodhya with Rama? Answer: Sita and Lakshmana.
8. Q8. Which goddess is worshipped on Diwali evening? Answer: Goddess Lakshmi, along with Lord Ganesha in many homes.
9. Q9. Which demon king did Krishna and Satyabhama defeat? Answer: Narakasura. The day is remembered as Naraka Chaturdashi.
10. Q10. What did Krishna lift to protect the people of Vrindavan from storms? Answer: Govardhan hill.
11. Q11. What does Annakut mean? Answer: A mountain of food, offered on Govardhan Puja.
12. Q12. Bhai Dooj celebrates which relationship? Answer: Brothers and sisters. It recalls Yamuna welcoming her brother Yama.
13. Q13. What are rangoli patterns made with? Answer: Coloured powder, rice, flower petals or chalk, usually drawn at the doorway.
14. Q14. Which phase of the moon is Diwali night? Answer: The new moon (Amavasya), the darkest night of the month, which is why lamps matter so much.
15. Q15. Name one other faith that celebrates around Diwali time. Answer: Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas and Jains remember the nirvana of Lord Mahavira.

Colouring and drawing prompts

• Draw your front door on Diwali night with a rangoli and three diyas.
• Draw Ayodhya lit up with lamps as Rama, Sita and Lakshmana come home.
• Draw Krishna holding up Govardhan hill with cows sheltering underneath.
• Draw Dhanvantari rising from the ocean of milk with his pot.
• Design your own rangoli inside a big circle, using only three colours.
• Draw your family sharing sweets with the neighbours.

School show-and-tell script for NRI kids (2 to 3 minutes)

Children abroad are often asked to talk about Diwali in class. Here is a simple script they can learn and adapt. Bring a painted diya (unlit), a rangoli photo or a small box of sweets if the school allows food.

"Hello everyone. My name is ____, and today I want to tell you about Diwali, the festival of lights. This year Diwali is on Sunday 8 November.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus all around the world, and Sikhs and Jains have special celebrations at the same time. The name Deepavali means a row of lamps.

One story says that Prince Rama came home after fourteen years in the forest, and the people lit lamps to welcome him. Another story is about Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune, and families pray to her on Diwali night.

At home, we clean the house, wear new clothes, draw rangoli patterns like this one, light little lamps called diyas, and share sweets with family and friends. Diwali reminds us that light is stronger than darkness, and good is stronger than bad.

Here is a diya I painted. Thank you for listening. Happy Diwali!"

Tip for parents: ask the teacher a week ahead whether lamps, food or rangoli powder are allowed in class.

A note about crackers

Crackers are part of Diwali for many families, but they cause burns and eye injuries every year. Children should watch from a safe distance, wear cotton clothing, and never hold or light crackers without close adult supervision. Keep a bucket of water or sand ready. Many families now choose LED lights, music and a sweet-sharing evening instead. Read Diwali cracker safety precautions and eco-friendly, cracker-free Diwali ideas. Abroad, check local fireworks rules and building fire safety rules before lighting anything outdoors.

Where the crafts fit in the family puja

Painted diyas, the toran and the rangoli can all be part of the family Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November. For timings in your city, see the Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat page (Drik Panchang gives 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM for New Delhi, local time; every country uses its own local times). For the steps, see the Lakshmi Puja vidhi 2026 step-by-step guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026?

Diwali and Lakshmi Puja fall on Sunday 8 November 2026, in India and also in the USA, Canada and the UK, per Drik Panchang. The five-day festival runs in India from Dhanteras on Friday 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November.

What is the easiest Diwali craft for a 4 or 5 year old?

The paper diya or the coloured-rice rangoli. Both need no sharp tools or heat beyond child-safe scissors and glue, and an adult can pre-cut shapes for very young children.

Can children light real diyas?

Young children should not light lamps or crackers. Older children can help place diyas while an adult lights them, and everyone should keep lamps away from curtains, paper crafts and loose clothing. LED tealights are a safe choice for paper lanterns and children's crafts.

How do I explain Diwali at my child's school abroad?

Keep it short and visual: Diwali is the festival of lights, people light lamps, draw rangoli, share sweets and celebrate good over evil. Use the 2 to 3 minute show-and-tell script in this article and bring a painted diya or rangoli photo to show.

Are the quiz answers the same in every family?

The quiz sticks to widely known facts and stories as traditionally told. Families and regions tell some stories differently, so if your child gives another version they heard at home, that is a good conversation, not a wrong answer.

Editor's note (8 October 2026)

These crafts were chosen for being cheap, simple and flame-free for children. The quiz uses widely known facts and stories as traditionally told; regional versions differ. Festival dates follow Drik Panchang for India, the USA, Canada and the UK. Always supervise children around lamps and crackers.

Related guides

• Diwali stories for kids: 5 nights, 5 stories
• Diwali / Deepavali 2026: complete 5-day guide
• Diwali 2026 5-day calendar at a glance
• How to celebrate Diwali at home in 2026: a day-by-day plan
• Dussehra activities for kids: crafts and quiz
• Diwali sweets recipes 2026