Onam is a wonderful opportunity for young children to learn Kerala's culture using flowers, colours, music, story, food, movement and creatively. Festivals have the greatest value for preschoolers when children are not just watching a programme, but can actually be involved in the festival.
Onam is celebrated as the harvest festival of the state of Kerala and is also related to the story of King Mahabali. Celebration with colourful Pookkalam, Onasadya, traditional games, music, dance and boat race.
This is an excellent opportunity for hands-on learning for teachers and parents during Onam. These Onam preschool activities are easy, fun and can be done in school or at home.
Why Are Onam Activities Important For Preschoolers?
Culture-based activities may integrate cultural learning and early childhood development in a festival based approach. Children develop when a well-planned Onam activity is implemented:
Fine-motor skills by cutting, colouring, pasting and arranging
Dancing and movement (gross motor skills)
Language and vocabulary
Recognising colours and shapes
Creativity and imagination
Teamwork and cooperation
Being able to listen and follow directions.
Intermediate understanding of Indian traditions and culture of the region.
Confidence through participation
It is not to make Onam a complex lesson for the preschoolers. Rather, teachers can help children and their families understand the festival through the use of simple experiences that children can see, touch, create, sing, and talk about.
10 Fun Onam Activities For Preschool Kids
1. Make A Simple Pookalam
Pookalam is a must have item in the list of Onam activities for preschools.
Pookalam is an onam day, one of the traditional carpets of flowers. It is an important integral aspect of Onam festivities and is said to be made from Atham and gradually developed during the celebration of Onam as mentioned in Kerala Tourism.
How to do it:
Give children:
Colourful flower petals
Large sheets of paper
Paper flowers
Glue
Crayons
Print and draw a large circle on the paper and give children the opportunity to fill it with flowers or paper petals.
Teachers can make the outline in advance for younger children.
What children learn:
Colours
Shapes
Patterns
Fine-motor coordination
Teamwork
Teacher tip:
Do not urge children to create the perfect design, allow them to play with colours and patterns. The process is more important than the finished Pookalam.
2. Pookalam Colour Sorting Activity
Looking for a less involved way to create a whole Pookalam?
Try colour sorting.
How to play:
Present paper flowers of various colours to children.
Have them categorize them:
Red
Yellow
Pink
White
Orange
Use the sorted flowers to make a classroom Pookalam.
This is an early math concept activity as well as an Onam celebration activity.
Extra challenge:
Ask:
"Which group has more flowers?"
"Which colour has fewer flowers?"
This is just an introduction to comparison skills and it doesn't feel like a lesson.
3. Make An Onam Greeting Card
Give kids an opportunity to create colourful Onam Cards for their parents, grandparents, friends or teachers.
Materials:
Paper or cardstock
Crayons
Sketch pens
Stickers
Paper flowers
Glue
Children can draw:
A Pookalam
King Mahabali
Flowers
A traditional lamp
A banana leaf
A boat
Teachers can write:
"Happy Onam!"
For younger children, a card has been included inside the box.
Older preschoolers can attempt to write the words.
Skills developed:
Pencil control
Creativity
Hand-eye coordination
Early writing
Emotional expression
This is one of the easiest onam crafts we have for the preschoolers as it does not need costly materials and can be done in a short period of time.
4. King Mahabali Story Time
Onam is synonymous with the tale of King Mahabali, a generous and prosperous king who is traditionally remembered for his generosity. The festival is in honour of his yearly visit to his people, according to Kerala Tourism.
Use a short, age-appropriate story, rather than the whole mythology, to tell preschoolers.
Simple story approach:
“Once upon a time, there was a kind and generous king, named Mahabali, who lived in Kerala and people were happy during his time here. It is believed that he comes to Kerala during Onam festival and people celebrate by decorating their homes, making Pookalam, wearing new clothes, sharing food and spending time together.”
Follow it with questions:
“Who was Mahabali?”
“Why is Onam celebrated?”
“What can we do with flowers?”
"What do families do together?"
This transforms storytelling into a language development activity.
5. Paper Boat Craft
The Onam celebration in Kerala is a popular feature, known as the Vallamkali or snake boat race. Vallamkali is one of the important Onam traditions celebrated by the Kerala Tourism.
Introduce the concept of boats to your classroom with this fun paper craft.
How to make it:
Provide one piece of paper to each child.
Assist them to fold an easy paper boat.
Allow them to decorate it.
Add their name to the boat.
Use blue chart paper to make a pretend river with the boats.
Make it interactive:
Children can pretend to row their boats saying:
"Row, row, row!"
A fun alternative is to blow air, instead of water, towards the paper boats, creating a paper-boat race!
Learning benefits:
Following instructions
Fine-motor skills
Creativity
Imaginative play
To know about the culture of Kerala.
6. Onam Music And Dance
For children who like to be active, music, movement are good Onam activities.
Onam festival in Kerala is marked with a number of traditional arts and dances such as Thiruvathirakali and Pulikali.
Preschool version:
Play appropriate holiday tunes and have children:
Clap to the rhythm
Walk in a circle
Make flower movements with their hands
Act as a rowboat!
Grow as a playful tiger.
When the music stops, freeze!
Don't be afraid to teach difficult dance steps.
To promote rhythm, coordination, confidence and enjoyment.
7. Onam Dress-Up Day
Celebrate Onam in the classroom by organizing a dress up day – either a traditional dress up day or a festive dress up day.
The children will be dressed in:
Traditional Kerala-inspired clothing
Simple white and gold clothes styles
Festive clothes
Flower accessories
Another option is to use picture cards to introduce traditional clothing in an age-appropriate manner for teachers.
Include a mini activity:
Allow the children to alternate in offering themselves as volunteers:
"My name is ____. Happy Onam!"
For some children who are shy, this is a simple exercise to do to practice speaking in front of others in class.
Important:
There is no such thing as obligation when it comes to participation. Children shouldn't be pressured to wear a particular type of clothing.
8. Banana Leaf Food Art
The traditional Onam feast, Onasadya, is an important part of celebration. Kerala Tourism has said Sadya is a vegetarian feast that is served on a banana leaf and is related to togetherness and abundance.
Preschools can find out about the traditional meal but do not need to touch hot food.
Activity:
Provide children with a big banana leaf outline on green paper.
Get cut-outs of paper of foods such as:
Rice
Banana
Papad
Vegetables
Payasam
Have children put the objects on the paper leaf.
Learning opportunities:
Talk about:
Fruits
Vegetables
Colours
Shapes
Healthy foods
Traditional meals
You can ask:
“Which of the following foods is yellow?”
“Which item below is round?”
“What would you put in the rice?”
This renders the activity cultural and educational.
9. Onam-Themed Matching Game
Create and make simple picture cards of objects related to Onam.
For example:
Pookalam
Boat
Flowers
Banana leaf
King Mahabali
Traditional clothes
Musical instruments
Create 2 cards for each object.
How to play:
Turn over the cards face down.
Children turn over 2 cards per child.Children turn over 2 cards and 2 cards are turned over to them.
If they are the same, the child retains the pair.
If the children are younger, begin with just 3-4 pairs.
If raised for older preschoolers, start to increase the number.
Skills developed:
Memory
Observation
Concentration
Vocabulary
Turn-taking
This is helpful when searching for Onam activities for school which can be played in small groups.
10. Make An Onam Wall Or Classroom Display
Make a colourful display board called:
"Our Onam Celebration"
Divide the display up among the children.
They can contribute:
A flower drawing
A Pookalam
A boat
A Mahabali picture
An Onam greeting
A colourful handprint
Teachers may mark judiciously in the following manner:
- Pookalam
- Vallamkali
- Onasadya
- Onam
- Mahabali
It is a collaborative project where all children are involved in some manner.
Why it works:
Children can see their work displayed in the classroom, this can encourage:
Pride
Confidence
Belonging
Communication
Peer interaction
Tips for Teachers Planning Onam Activities
Prepare Materials in Advance: Keep all the required materials ready before the children begin the activities. This saves time and helps the session run smoothly.
Keep Instructions Simple: Give children one instruction at a time instead of explaining too many steps together. This makes it easier for preschoolers to understand and follow.
Do Not Focus on Perfection: Every child's Pookalam may look different, and that is perfectly fine. Encourage creativity instead of expecting children to make perfect designs.
Allow Children to Explore: Give children the freedom to choose their own colours, shapes, and materials. This helps them express their creativity and learn through exploration.
Connect Every Activity With a Story: Explain the meaning behind each activity. For example, while making a Pookalam or paper boat, tell children a simple story about its connection to Onam. This makes the activity more interesting and meaningful.
Celebrate Participation
Praise children for:
Trying
Sharing
Helping
Creating
Listening
Not only the "best" artwork is rewarded but all artwork is rewarded.
Final Thoughts
Onam is a wonderful platform to weave culture and early childhood education. Children can have a meaningful participation in the festival by participating in various activities like Making colourful Pookalam, Making Paper boats, Dance with Onam songs, Listening to the story of Mahabali, Making Onam Greeting cards etc.
So, it doesn't have to be expensive and complex to enjoy the best Onam activities for preschoolers. Just a few flowers, a few sheets of paper, crayons, music and the imagination to make it all happen can transform a regular classroom into a joyful learning environment.
Most importantly, these activities help children to learn that festivals are not just about the decoration and celebration. They are a lot about community, creativity, sharing, tradition and togetherness.
Allow children to make, sing, move, explore and celebrate this Onam – when children learn through play, the learning is more memorable to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some fun activities for kids during Onam?
Some simple activities which can be done with preschoolers during Onam are Pookalam making, Flower sorting, Onam colouring, Paper-boat making, Greeting-card making, Storytelling, Music and dance and Picture-matching games.
2. How to celebrate Onam in preschool classes?
A blend of creative, cultural and movement activities can be offered in schools. This can be a mere celebration including Pookalam, Onam story, traditional dress up, Onam craft, music, dance and Onam theme display in the classroom.
3. What are some of the easy handicrafts for toddlers on the occasion of Onam?
Preschool good Onam crafts are based on paper Pookalam, greeting card making, paper boats, Onam food art with banana leaf, collage and colouring sheets. Select easy crafts which are appropriate for children's fine-motor skills.
4. What are the advantages for the children in Onam activities?
Children will learn to develop their fine-motor skills, language skills, creativity, colour recognition, counting, memory, team working and cultural awareness. Introduction to traditions such as Pookalam, Onasadya etc. and traditional arts can also be part of the activities.
5. What are some of the ways I can celebrate Onam at home, with my preschoolers?
This Pookalam craft, Onam Story, Paper Boat activity, festive music, colouring and a kid-friendly festive food activity will make a simple home celebration for the parents. There is no need to get fancy decorations or expensive materials.
6. What is Pookalam and why is it associated with Onam?
Pookalam is a colorful carpet of flowers, which is traditionally made during Onam. Pookkal is traditionally cooked on the days of Pookkal festival; its origin is traced to the welcome given to King Mahabali by the Malayalis who reside here. This is an easy activity to get the preschoolers on board with, called Paper Pookalam or Petal Pookalam.
Related Topics: 10 Easy Onam Games For Kids To Enjoy At School And Home
