Dussehra is a festival of stories, colourful decorations, family traditions and meaningful lessons. Dashera is also known as Vijayadashami and strongly associated with Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and good over evil. However, the day is marked differently across India, as it is the day when Goddess Durga defeated Mahishasura in one of the few battles that took place between the two.
It's more than a celebration day for children on the run up to the day of celebration that is celebrated on Dussehra. A time to find out what it means to be Kind, Honest, Brave and Make a Good Decision through stories, games, art and hands-on activities.
Common craft supplies are used for the majority of the materials and can be adapted for a variety of ages.
10 Easy Dussehra Activities For Kids
1. Make A Ten-Headed Ravana Craft
A paper Ravana is one of the most popular crafts of Dussehra for pre-school children. It will engage children with a familiar character from Ramayana and will provide an opportunity for children to engage in an activity involving their hands.
Materials required:
Coloured paper or paper white
Colour pencils/marker (soft)
Glue stick
Child safe scissors (and adult supervision!)
A piece of chart paper or cardboard
How to make it:
Draw or print 1 big face and 9 little faces.
Allow your child to add the faces and adorn them with crowns, moustaches and so on.
Help them to order the 10 faces in a row or fan configuration.
Attach the faces to a cardboard strip, and hang it up.
2. Create A Good Habits Versus Bad Habits Chart
This activity connects the theme of the festival with situations that children face in their lives.
Materials: Chart paper, Crayons, picture cards or simple drawings.
How to do it:
Have students split a sheet in half into two columns: “Helpful Choices” and “Choices to Improve.”
Ask the children to draw pictures or use the action words: sharing toys, telling the truth, helping a friend, shouting, refusing to take turns.
Discuss what a child might be feeling in a difficult situation and how he/she might be different.
Have the children each choose one of their helpful actions they will try to do each day throughout the week.
For the little ones it's a great good over evil activity as it makes this abstract concept come to life. Be positive: Focus on what children can do better than them saying that they are good or bad.
3. Make A Colourful Dussehra Greeting Card
Children have an opportunity to be creative and send a handmade greeting card to the rest of the family.
Needs: Folded paper or cardstock, crayons, stickers, glue, and decorative paper.
Steps:
Allow children to create a bow and arrow, flowers, diyas or a festive scene with a bow and arrow.
Add some simple words to the message with an adult's help, such as “Happy Dussehra”.
Invite children to colour in the card with their favourite colours.
Please forward the card to grandparent, friend, teacher or neighbour.
What children discover: How to express themselves through creative activity, how to write, how to recognize colours and how to create something for somebody else.
4. Organize A Dussehra Storytelling session
The children need not be familiar with the full story of the Ramayana to understand the basics of the story of Dussehra. A short, age appropriate retelling will be appropriate in preschool.
How to organise it:
In simple words tell the story of Lord Rama, Sita, Ravana and the celebration of victory on Dussehra.
To help follow the story use picture cards, puppets or simple drawings.
Ask questions such as “Who helped Rama?” or “What could a brave person do to help someone?”
Invite children to make their favourite scene or to retell a scene in their own words.
In the proposed guidelines for the foundation stage by NCERT, it has been recommended that story, question, drawing, role play and dramatisation can be used to help engage young children and to help them comprehend stories.
Note: If there is fighting or punishment, don't get too serious or frighten the child. Communicate at the appropriate level and culture for children.
5. Put On A Mini Ramleela
Dussehra doesn't have to be a huge show with an elaborate costume -- it can be a great experience with a little classroom or family performance.
What you need:
Simple paper crowns
Fabric-made Dupattas/scarves
Cardboard props
Clear space to perform
Give children a simple role and have them role play a short version of the story that is friendly. Those children who do not want to perform can do so with props, narration or decorations.
6. Design A Paper Bow And Arrow
Children will be introduced to this widely known symbol of Lord Rama in an easy and safe manner.
Materials needed: Paper, Crayons, Glue, Cardboard cut-out of a bow and arrow.
Steps:
Create a large paper/cardboard bow and arrow
Give children the opportunity to colour and decorate the shapes
Display them or use them as props when telling a story
Have children point to pictures or stories they've seen of bows and arrows
Use a flat craft, not a working craft if utilizing a craft for preschoolers. Avoid using sharp sticks, pointed ends, elastic bows or objects that can be thrown at a person.
7. Make A Dussehra Rangoli With Paper Shapes
Children will be introduced to patterns, colours and festive decoration in India through artwork in a simple way that incorporates patterns of the rangoli.
Requirements: Coloured paper circles, triangles and petals, large sheet of paper and glue.
How to do it:
Draw a simple flower or a circle on a sheet of paper
Allow children to select and manipulate paper cut-outs around it
Have them recognize colors and count the shapes
Hang the painting finished at the door of the classroom or at home
Use large, cut out shapes for toddlers.
8. Host A Dussehra Dress-Up And Show-And-Tell
Children are able to express themselves and talk about what they know in a dress up activity.
Invite children to dress up in their holiday attire or bring a picture, greeting card or craft they made. Give each child a couple of sentences to share their item.
Possible prompts include:
What did you make?
Which colours did you use?
What is your favourite thing about Dussehra?
What is one thing that you can do for someone?
It is important that this is a choice, preferably for shy children. Children can also show their work to a friend or the teacher will show their work on their behalf.
9. Play The Festival Picture-Matching Game
Guide children to learn through making it an easy game with pictures of Dussehra.
Materials required: Set of two picture cards that can be used to show something such as a crown, bow, flowers, holiday clothes, a card and a picture of a story book.
How to play:
Face up the cards for younger children
Have children locate pairs of pictures
With older preschoolers, face the cards down and allow them to take turns to match them
Ask kids to label each of the pictures, and discuss where each image might appear in a celebration.
This activity is good for visual memory, word recognition, focusing and taking turns.
10. Start A “One Good Deed A Day” Challenge
The best thing is to continue the celebration after the festival.
Have Children choose one small gesture they performed for someone as an act of kindness:
Sharing toys with brother/sister
Assisting in books being put away
Saying thank you
Playing with a sibling or extended family member
To admit a wrongdoing and accept responsibility for it
Being helpful to someone who requires assistance
Make a simple chart for the children to add their good deed to or stick a good deed in after they try it. Encourage their work and not their behaviour.
Helps the children connect with the victory of good over evil, and choices they can make in their life.
Related Topic: Dussehra Speech for Kids: A Simple and Easy Speech
Easy Dussehra Celebration Ideas For Preschool And Home
Not all activities have to be organised to make a happy celebration. Choose 2 or 3 activities that will suit your child's age, attention span and interests.
An easy-to-follow plan for a 45–60 minute celebration
First 10 minutes: Greet children and say a few words about Dussehra.
Next 10 minutes: Tell a simple story using pictures, puppets or models in 10 minutes.
In the next 15 minutes: Finish making a craft activity, like Ravana craft or greeting cards.
In the following 10 minutes: Play a picture matching game or a show and tell.
Final 5-15 minutes: Discuss one good habit and give each other some festive wishes and demonstrate artwork.
Important Safety Tips For Dussehra Activities
Events should be fun, safe and participatory. Here are a few suggestions to follow:
Keep fire activities away: Ensure that children don't touch fireworks or light diyas or effigy, or use matches. Watch public displays from afar, in designated locations.
Use child friendly resources: Use big craft pieces which are easy for the child to handle, washable colours and non-toxic glue.
Supervise Tools: Sharp scissors, cutting tools which may cause injury, hot glue are to be used with caution by watchers.
Accept other traditions: Dussehra is a festival with different traditions in different parts of India. Talk about family traditions and ensure children have a respect for traditions that vary from their own.
Encourage participation: Don't pressure participation in any way or to participate in a religious activity if not comfortable, or to participate in the religious activity. Invite other activities to offer, like drawing, or reading a story.
How To Make Dussehra More Meaningful For Young Children?
The best Dussehra activities are those that include some discussion and a party. Discuss with children what they observe as acts of kindness, bravery and honesty in the world, as they colour a Ravana craft or read a story.
Don't make the festival just about a good guy vs. a bad guy fight. Encourage children to realise they are not the only ones to make mistakes and that they can learn from these mistakes, apologise and make better choices.
These activities can also be used by the preschool teachers to relate to the early learning goals, such as counting the ten faces to make Ravana, identifying colours in a rangoli, learning new words while reading a story, taking turns in a group game. Here are some fun and easy hangers to help you have a fun and educational festival celebration.
Final Thoughts
This is a beautiful time to introduce the tales, art, culture and positive values to the child's life during this festival of Dussehra. The most effective activities are those which allow children to be active participants in the activity, for example creating a Ravana of 10 heads, making greeting cards or taking part in an act to share a story, or launching a kindness challenge.
Get parents and kids into the spirit of the festival with some of these easy ways to celebrate Dussehra at home or at preschool and allow the kids to learn at their own speed. It doesn't matter if it's a craft or a kind word, a message of good overcoming evil will stick with them long after the party's over.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some easy Dussehra activities for kids?
Easy activities are: Make a paper Ravana, Make paper greeting cards, Decorate a paper rangoli, listen to a Dussehra story, Picture matching games and start a good-deed challenge! Choose activities that are suitable for your child's age and interests and keep instructions simple for younger children.
2. How can I make a Ravana craft for kids?
Create 1 large face and 9 small faces out of paper, crayons, glue and cardboard. Invite your child to colour and decorate them then ask him/her to glue the ten faces on the strip of cardboard. If the toddlers or children need help with the scissors then adults should cut out small pieces first.
3. How to relate the triumph of good over evil to a preschooler?
Explain to them that Dussehra celebrates tales of good triumphing over evil. Connect the message to previous decisions made, such as telling the truth, sharing toys, and assisting others and apologizing for a mistake. Be soothing with words and remind kids that they can learn to make good decisions as well.
4. How to celebrate Dussehra in a preschool classroom?
Preschools can arrange for a short story time, a Ravana making activity, a paper rangoli making activity, a picture matching activity and/or a simple role play or a festive show and tell. Be ready to be flexible with the programme, to support adults and plan an alternative programme for children who are not interested in performing.
5. What are the safe ways for you to celebrate Dussehra with young children?
Always have toddlers use non-toxic craft materials, supervise scissors and glue and keep small objects out of toddler's reach. Never allow children to make or use fireworks, do not allow children to play with effigies or light diyas. Wherever you are attending a public event: Do keep a distance from the event and do follow the instructions of the organiser.
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