Favourite Craft Ideas - Diwali

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Diwali Lamp

You will need:

Self hardening clay
Paint
Sequins
Varnish (optional)

The lamp is made using coils which is simple and fun for the children as most small children can roll out a sausage shape and it introduces spirals.

Take a piece of clay as big as a small apple (or smaller if the child finds this too big to handle).
Roll out the clay into a long sausage shape about 1cm thick. Curl it round on itself to form a flat spiral shape about 6cm in diameter, as shown in fig (a).
If the sausage breaks just roll out another one and using a dab of water join it on and continue.

Once decorated the tea light candle can be put inside.
*These lamps are obviously to be used with an adult present.

Rangoli

Hindu and Sikh families often use colourful Rangoli patterns to decorate their homes during festivals such as Diwali. Placed by the entrance to the house they act as a welcome to guests.

Some Rangoli patterns are geometric in design whereas others may show a picture. Traditionally Rangoli patterns are made using coloured sand or rice paper. As an alternative children could use chalk to colour their designs or glue tissue or petals for a different effect.

 

To create a Rangoli pattern You will need: Card 30cm x 30cm square Several pieces of Paper 30cm x 30cm square (for design and stencils) Coloured Sand or Rice Powder (if available) PVA Glue Scissors and Craft Knife   On one of the pieces of paper mark out a pattern of dots with an interval of 3cm. This should give you a 9 dot by 9 dot square. Lightly join up the middle row of dots both horizontally and vertically as shown, to divide the paper into 4 sections. Get the children to join up the dots to form a pattern. It can be symmetrical like the one shown, but it doesn't have to be. When this is done copy the design into the other three squares reflecting the design in the dividing lines. (The coloured illustrations shows the design on the pattern when it is finished and coloured in). If the children are careful with their gluing you can simply copy your design onto the piece of board. Decide on the colour scheme and apply glue to the card, and then sprinkle the coloured sand onto the chosen areas.

Otherwise you can copy the completed design onto two or more pieces of paper. Decide on the colours for the design and use a craft knife to cut out of one pattern sheet all the shapes that are going to be (for example) red, thus making a stencil. Do the same for the other colours.

Lay one of the stencils on the card, (a piece of sticky tape might help to hold it in position) then apply the glue where the shapes are cut out and sprinkle with the chosen colour sand. When these shapes are done repeat the process with the other stencils and different coloured sands until the Rangoli pattern is complete.