The festival of lights is just around the corner, and what better way to brighten up the celebrations than with a delightful craft that lights up not just our homes but also the spark of creativity in children? This Paper Plate Diwali Diya Craft is a fantastic project that’s simple, fun, and adds a handmade touch to your festive decorations. Kids can dive into the spirit of Diwali by creating their own colorful paper plate ‘diyas’—traditional lamps lit during the holiday. This craft combines basic materials and a dash of sparkle to create something that can truly shine!
So, gather the little artists and crafters, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to transform an ordinary paper plate into a festive diya. It’s time to create a little piece of Diwali magic, complete with all the sparkle and glow that comes with one of the most cherished festivals in many cultures around the world.
List of Materials
- Paper plate
- Paint (preferably pink or a color of your choice)
- Paintbrush
- Glue
- Yellow and orange construction paper
- Gem stickers
- Sparkle foam sheet
- Scissors
Tips for Making this Craft
- Ensure the paint is completely dry before proceeding to glue parts together.
- When cutting the slit for the candle, adult supervision is recommended to help younger children.
- Encourage kids to be creative with their gem sticker placement to make their diyas unique.
What is Diwali?
Diwali is a luminous festival that is most widely celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. The name ‘Diwali’ is from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’, meaning ‘row of lights’. This beautiful festival signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. People decorate their homes with lights and diyas, set off fireworks, share sweets, exchange gifts, and offer prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. The crafting of diyas is more than just a fun activity; it is a nod to the cultural essence of creating light in a season dedicated to celebrating brightness and joy.
Paper Plate Diwali Diya Craft for Kids Instructions
- Begin with a clean paper plate and have your child paint it with their chosen color. This will be the base of your diya, so make sure to cover it completely. Let the paint dry thoroughly.
- While the paint dries, take the yellow and orange construction papers to make the flame of the diya. Draw and cut out a flame shape from the orange paper and a slightly larger one from the yellow paper to create a layered effect. Cut a rectangle from the yellow construction paper and glue it to the bottom of the flame. You will slide this part into the middle of the paper plate to light the Diya.
- If you want to add an extra sparkle to your flame, cut a smaller flame shape from the sparkle foam sheet. Layer it on top of the orange flame.
- Once your paper plate is dry, fold it in half gently. Cut a thin slit starting from the folded edge towards the center of the plate, stopping about halfway down. This is where you’ll slide in your paper flame.
- Insert the layered paper flames into the slit so that they stand upright, giving the impression of a flickering flame. Secure the bottom with glue if needed.
- Now, let’s add some bling to your diya. Use gem stickers to decorate the edge of the paper plate. This will mimic the decorative work often found on traditional clay diyas.
- Your paper plate diya is almost ready! To display it, simply slide the plate’s flame through the slit you’ve made. The plate should be able to stand on its own with the flame proudly perched at the top.
- Find the perfect spot in your home to showcase your child’s handmade diya, and watch as it adds a personal touch to your Diwali decor.
Skills Learned
- Hand-eye coordination through painting and sticker placement.
- Creative decision-making in the design process.
- Understanding of Diwali traditions through symbolic craft-making.
With every dab of paint, every chosen gem sticker, and every sparkle added, children are not just making a craft; they’re crafting a piece of tradition to light up the night sky. So let’s paint, paste, and bedazzle our way to a festive masterpiece!
Age Suitability
This activity is good for toddlers aged children 2 years old and up with adult assistance.
Mess Level
The mess level for this activity is low.
Difficulty to Create
Easy.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
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Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023. My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids
Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.
Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!
Shop our ready made play kits here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Paper Plate Diwali Diya Craft for Kids
Materials
- Paper platePaint (preferably pink or a color of your choice)
- Paintbrush
- Glue
- Yellow and orange construction paper
- Gem stickers
- Sparkle foam sheet
- Scissors
Instructions
- Begin with a clean paper plate and have your child paint it with their chosen color. This will be the base of your diya, so make sure to cover it completely. Let the paint dry thoroughly.
- While the paint dries, take the yellow and orange construction papers to make the flame of the diya. Draw and cut out a flame shape from the orange paper and a slightly larger one from the yellow paper to create a layered effect. Cut a rectangle and glue it to the bottom of the flame. You will slide this part into the middle of the paper plate to light the Diya.
- If you want to add an extra sparkle to your flame, cut a smaller flame shape from the sparkle foam sheet. Layer it on top of the orange flame.
- Once your paper plate is dry, fold it in half gently. Cut a thin slit the same width as the rectangle in the middle of the paper plate. This is where you'll slide in your paper flame.
- Stand the paper plate up right. Insert the layered paper flame into the slit so that they stand upright, giving the impression of a flickering flame.Now, let's add some bling to your diya. Use gem stickers to decorate the edge of the paper plate. This will mimic the decorative work often found on traditional clay diyas.
- Now, let's add some bling to your diya. Use gem stickers to decorate the edge of the paper plate. This will mimic the decorative work often found on traditional clay diyas.
- Your paper plate diya is almost ready! To display it, simply slide the plate's flame through the slit you've made. The plate should be able to stand on its own with the flame proudly perched at the top.
- Find the perfect spot in your home to showcase your child's handmade diya, and watch as it adds a personal touch to your Diwali decor.
WILL YOU SET UP THIS PAPER PLATE DIYA CRAFT? PIN IT FOR LATER!
