This Diwali, How About Helping Your Kids Make Their Own Lights?

Here are 3 easy-to-do crafts that are designed to make your Diwali brighter and your children happier.

The much awaited festivities are just around the corner. With the holidays ringing in, it becomes important for moms like me to keep the children busy! And this year, at home, we decided to make a few decorations around the house for Diwali.

I have always shied away from crafts. Art and I don’t quite, well, gel. So I scouted the internet for some really easy designs and came across these three designs that are simple to make – and absolutely non-fussy! The best part is that you can get your children to work with you on creating these beautiful decorations.

I’ve bookmarked these and am waiting for the holidays to start so that we can begin working on these to gift to friends and family! Here are 3 easy-to-do crafts that are designed to make your Diwali brighter, your children happier and your decorations lovelier!

Bangles Tea Light Holder

How to Make Them:

Make a stack of glass bangles. You’ll need about 12 bangles for each holder. The more colourful the better! Glue the bangles one on top of the other and glue this stack on the cut-out piece of the cardboard. You can use colours and sequins to decorate the bottom of the cardboard. Turn the empty tea light candle holder on its head and glue it to the bottom of the cardboard sheet. Place the lit candles on this to avoid direct contact with the cardboard.

Tip: Please do not use plastic bangles as the heat from the candles can cause the plastic to melt. For this craft, use only glass bangles. And, as with fire, use such decorations away from flammable objects and materials and never leave them unsupervised.

Diwali Twine Lights

What’s Diwali without a few lights? These beautifully crafted twine lights add elegance to the décor. And trust me, they look better than the plain string of lights that are available in the market. These are a bit complicated and take at least 12-14 hours to set. (So, if you have a bunch of hyper kids, it’s best to do this craft in the evening – just before they sleep – so that the balloons can be left overnight without anyone checking on them!)

How to Make Them:

Blow up the balloons and apply a thin layer of glue on them with the help of a paintbrush. While the glue is still wet, wrap the twines around the balloons. Wrap them tightly because you want the twine balls to be sturdy. You can choose to use multiple coloured twines or a single-colour one. Let the balloons dry overnight, with the twines wrapped around them.

In the morning, burst the balloons and you will have coloured twine balls ready for use. String a light of LED bulbs through them to get the twine lights ready. Decorate around doors or windows for some colourful lighting.

Jar Lights

I have these jar lights lit up at my home every evening; they’re probably one of the easiest crafts you can make without any hassle! Once you’ve set the light flickering you’ll end up with a beautiful silhouette on the walls too. The best placement for the light jars is preferably at a height, and in the corner of your home.

How to Make Them:

Just place the lights in the jar and plug in the end. If you are using a clear jar, use colourful lights. If you are using a coloured jar, use plain white lights. Place your little masterpiece in the corner to have it throw some unique, colourful patterns on the walls.

You don’t need to spend a bomb getting your home ready for Diwali. These easy-to-make decorations will not just make your home look fab, but will also keep the children busy during the holidays.

(Pratibha spent her childhood in idyllic places only fauji kids would have heard of. She grew up reading a variety of books that let her imagination wander and still hopes to come across the Magic Faraway Tree. When she's not rooting for eco-living or whipping up some DIY recipes to share with her readers, Pratibha is creating magic with social media. You can tweet to her @myepica.You can view her blog at www.pratsmusings.com)