Happy Diwali everyone!
Nita Sharda from Happy Healthy Eaters teamed up with me to put together some crafts to do this Diwali with your family as well as a short booklist to read with your kids to learn more about the holiday.
Below is the instructional video that walks you through making the three different crafts....
Air Dry Clay Diyas
Supplies:
- Air-dry clay (I pick my up from Dollarama)
- Assorted colours of Acrylic Paint
- Paintbrush
- Tea Light
- Optional - glitter or sticker gems for decorating after painted
Paper Diyas
Supplies:
- Paper (I used origami squares that I picked up from Dollarma)
- Construction paper in orange/yellow/gold cut into flame shapes
- Glue stick
- Optional - tape which helps hold the flame on the back
Fireworks Painting
Supplies:
- Black construction paper
- Fork
- Assorted acrylic paint
- Optional - coloured construction paper & glue or a white crayon to make a cityscape on the bottom of the paper.
Book Suggestions
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Binny's Diwali by Thrity Umrigar
Binny's class is learning about different holiday traditions, and today it is time for Binny to share the story of her favorite holiday, Diwali, the Festival of Lights--and she even has some special treats to give her classmates.
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Amma, Tell Me About Diwali by Bhakti Mathur
"Amme Tell Me" is a charming and informative series of children's books that introduces the major Hindu festivals and figures to young readers, and is perfect for families wanting to share stories of Hinduism with their children or for educators looking for resources on the Hindu culture for their students. Written in rhyme with vivid, captivating illustrations, this series brings Hindu mythology to its readers in a fun and non-preachy way. The Series has ten books on the festivals of Holi, Diwali, and on the Hindu gods Krishna, Hanuman and Ganesha.
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Lighting a Lamp, A Diwali Story by Jonny Zucker
Books in the Festival Time series describe the activities of typical families as parents and children celebrate some of their culture's major holidays. Attractive color illustrations on every page will appeal to younger children. The simply yet delightfully told stories describe the festivities while giving children background information about holidays in many different cultures. A two-page spread at the back of each book contains information for parents, and includes suggestions on ways to communicate the holiday's meaning to kids. Diwali is the Hindu five-day festival of lights that welcomes in the lunar new year. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin, or Aasho, which occurs in October or November, depending on the lunar calendar. During the festival, parents tell stories that relate to the holiday, exchange gifts of sweets, light candles, and attend elaborate fireworks displays. The holiday is marked by an abundance of lights displayed in homes and businesses.
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Learn all about the traditions of Diwali with this third book in the delightful board book series Celebrate the World, which highlights special occasions and holidays across the globe.
Each autumn we gather with our friends and family and light our brightest lanterns. It’s time for Diwali, the festival of lights! In this lovely board book with illustrations from Archana Sreenivasan, readers learn that the five days of Diwali are a time to pray for a bountiful season, celebrate the special bonds between siblings, and rejoice in the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
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