03 November,2020 08:27 PM IST | Mumbai | Maitrai Agarwal
Representative Image. Pic/iStock
As the city comes to terms with an extended run of the lockdown, Diwali is likely to be a quiet affair for most families. The festivities might be low-key, but that is no reason for us to let our spirits down. Kids are the most excited when it comes to any sort of festive celebration. Eleven-year-old Shaurya Pratap Singh agrees, "It is saddening that we can't celebrate Diwali like we used to due to the pandemic but we need to be positive and think of new ways to enjoy it."
Thankfully, our homes have always been the epicentre of Diwali celebrations even if we cannot receive many visitors this time around. Since most of us are spending a great deal of time at home, Diwali is the perfect opportunity to deck it up for the upcoming festivities. Parents can engage their children of varied ages by making them undertake creative activities. "With schools shut, I miss the artistic projects we used to do. It would be exciting to decorate my home because it would be a good utilisation of my time and a nice bonding activity with my parents," said Shaurya.
We've picked a list of 5 Do-It-Yourself (DIY) kits that can help kids create fun Diwali decor at home.
Make your own glittery diya hangings
The Glitter and Pearl Hanging Diya kit by Little Birdie contains glittered cut outs of diyas, ribbons, and pearls for your young ones to make a couple of beautiful hangings. Children love being creative if given the opportunity and it translates into several other activities which they undertake. Engaging in a creative activity like this will help develop motor skills and fine tune the hand-eye coordination of kids.
COST: Rs 299
BUY: Amazon
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Hang up some elephant torans
The Indian festival themed art and craft kit offered by Jaipur Craft Kit is ideal for younger kids who enjoy getting creative with paper. The kit is a completely self-sufficient ensemble in which you will find multi-coloured handmade sheet cut-outs, paper cut-outs, ribbons, sparkles, sparkle tube and glue. However, the most interesting component to make elephants will be the googly eyes. Make them pick out a spot to hang the torans- it will be a great way to channelize the energy of your hyperactive children.
COST: Rs 454
BUY: Amazon
Light it up
The Diwali Lantern DIY kit offered by Crack of Dawn Crafts Store includes video instructions in addition to printed ones to help your kid make three faultless paper lanterns. The activity keeps them occupied for hours and involves problem solving techniques and a high level of concentration.
This helps the children learn how to execute what's in their head and develop a love of the creative process.
COST: Rs 799
BUY: Amazon
Add colour to your home
The Sand Art Rangoli kit by Toykraft is the perfect relaxing activity for all ages. Children can make four rangoli designs using the coloured sand and templates provided. It gives kids an outlet to express their creativity and the intricacy of it all tests their patience. The best part is that you can simply start over once you are done with a template.
COST: Rs 399
BUY: Amazon
Natural fragrance
The Natural Incense Making Kit by Phool is for older kids and adults. The kit offers us a unique opportunity to experience the ancient art of handcrafting incense sticks from the comfort of our homes. You don't need to worry about messing it up; their descriptive instruction manual breaks the process down into six easy steps and all the ingredients are pre-measured. Each pack will help you make 40 incense sticks and they are available in multiple fragrances- Indian Rose, Patachouli, and Lemongrass.
COST: Rs 395
BUY: Phool.co
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