Holi, the vibrant and joyous festival of colors, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India and other parts of the world. As parents, we have a wonderful opportunity to introduce our young kid’s classrooms to this rich cultural celebration. Holi is inherently a messy celebration and probably gulal activities might be restricted in favor of a more mess-free celebration in classrooms. In this blog post, I’ll share some creative and educational Holi activities suitable for kindergarten and elementary school classrooms. Keep in mind that if your schools allows, our number one activity, would always be gulal play! Grab some perfect Gulal Potlis here to make sure you maximize fun and minimize waste.
1. Classroom Decorations- Happy Holi Banner
Collaboratively create a “Happy Holi” banner using handprints. Each child can dip their hands in different colors and press them onto paper and then cut it out. Hang the banner alongside this Happy Holi coloring bunting across the classroom. Download here.
2. Class Project - Holi Craft Letter Display
Cut out extra large letters spelling “HOLI” from plain paper. Cut up colored paper, use magazine pages if available or colored construction paper will do. Let the children decorate each letter with paint and/or colored paper. Display these letters prominently in the classroom.
3. Individual Project - Straw Painted Holi Card
Provide children with straws and diluted paint. They can blow through the straws to create beautiful abstract designs on cards. Encourage them to experiment with different colors and patterns. Have them make patterns on this template to create a beautiful card they can send to their friends and family.
4. Individual Project - Bleeding Tissue Paper Craft
Bleeding tissue paper is a fun colorful and relatively mess-free alternate to paint. Use a spray bottle or wet paint brush to dampen the surface and have the kids arrange colorful tissue paper in patterns to create a colorful backdrop. This can be done on watercolor paper, canvas and even white paper lanterns, such as the ones included in the Holi Box. If doing on paper the resulting prints can be used as Holi greeting cards, the canvas can be turned into a picture frame and the colorful lantern can be a fun decoration for the door.
5. Books About Holi
Read age-appropriate books about Holi to the children. Discuss the cultural significance, legends, and traditions associated with the festival. Based on the kids ages a few of my favorite Holi books have been:
- Festival of Colors by Kabir Sehgal. This is especially perfect for kindergarteners with its bright illustrations and focus on the celebratory atmosphere of the festival.
- Let’s celebrate Holi - Maya and Neel’s India Adventure Series Book 3 by Ajanta Chakraborty and Vivek Kumar. This is our all time favorite for all ages with the perfect balance on understanding how and why the festival is celebrated.
- Its That Time of Year Holi by Vanessa Kapadia is a wonderful narration of Holi rituals and traditions. The book also includes fun games along the way to captivate and engage the little ones.
- Amma Tell Me About Holi by Bhakti Mathur. Perfect for children who love mythology and want to learn the why behind the celebrations.
- My Holi: Colors of Cheer by Priya Kumari and Komal Garg. This book explains the significance, traditions and story behind Holi, perfect for the curious slightly older kids.
- Holi Colors! by Deven Jatkar. This is a fun tale of how a little girl embraces Colors.
By incorporating these mess-free Holi activities into your kindergarten or elementary school classroom, you’ll not only celebrate the festival but also foster cultural awareness and creativity among your little learners. Let the colors of Holi brighten your classroom and hearts! 🌈🎨
