Celebrating Diwali in the Early Years: Simple Ways to Share the Festival of Light with Children

As the days grow shorter and the evenings glow a little earlier, many families around the world are preparing to celebrate Diwali — the Festival of Light (Monday 20th Oct 2025).

This beautiful celebration is all about family, hope, love, and new beginnings, making it a wonderful time of year to share with young children.

At nursery, Diwali offers a joyful way to explore light, colour, and kindness — and to introduce children to the richness of different cultures and traditions.

Whether through storytelling, creativity, or sensory play, there are so many ways to make the magic of Diwali come alive for little ones.

Let's jump straight into Celebrating Diwali in the Early Years!

1. Storytime with a Spark

Books are a wonderful way to introduce children to new celebrations. Look for picture books that bring the sights, sounds, and meanings of Diwali to life.

Some lovely titles include (linked below):

• Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar

• The Best Diwali Ever by Sonali Shah & Chaaya Prabhat

• Peppa Pig: Peppa's Diwali

• Baby Touch: Happy Diwali!

After reading, children can talk about how they celebrate special days with their own families — building early empathy and understanding.

2. Create Colourful Rangoli Art

Rangoli patterns are a traditional part of Diwali, often made on doorsteps to welcome guests and bring good luck. You can create your own child-friendly versions using safe, sensory materials.

You’ll need:

• Coloured rice, sand, or chalk

• Large sheets of paper or a tray base

• Recycled bottle tops, scoops, or spoons for sprinkling

Children can design simple shapes or repeating patterns. It’s a great activity for exploring colour, pattern, and fine motor skills — all while creating something beautiful! Click here for a full activity guide.

3. Make Your Own Diyas

Diyas (small oil lamps) are used to decorate homes during Diwali. With little ones, you can create salt dough or air-dry clay diyas, then decorate them with paint and glitter once dry.

You’ll need:

• 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt, ½ cup water

• Paints or gems for decoration

• Battery-operated tealights (for safety!)

This is a brilliant sensory craft that ties into early maths and design skills — shaping, pressing, and decorating in unique ways. Click here for a full activity guide.

4. Explore Light and Shadow Play

Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness — a theme children naturally love to explore.

Set up a light and shadow area using torches, mirrors, scarves, and shiny materials.

Babies and toddlers especially enjoy watching how light moves and reflects.

This can easily become a calm, sensory moment for quiet play and discovery.

5. Share Food and Togetherness

Food is a big part of Diwali celebrations. You might try a simple recipe like sweet coconut ladoos (rolled balls made with desiccated coconut and condensed milk) or mini naan bread pizzas with colourful vegetable toppings.

You can also talk with children about the idea of sharing food with family and friends — one of the central values of the festival. Click here for recipes ideas.

Celebrate Diversity Every Day

While Diwali is a special time to highlight South Asian culture, representation and diversity should shine all year round.

Reading stories, exploring food, and celebrating traditions from many cultures helps children develop respect, empathy, and curiosity about the world around them.

At our nurseries, we love celebrating festivals like Diwali as part of our child-led, inclusive approach — helping children learn that every culture brings something bright and beautiful to our shared story.