Naraka Chaturdashi falls on the same day in 2026, so Deepavali in Tamil Nadu and Diwali in the north coincide.
Diwali Worksheets for Kids
Printable Diwali worksheets for children aged 3 to 8. This Diwali activity pack brings the festival into pencil-and-paper practice: rangoli dot patterns to complete, Diwali word tracing, and counting pages. Every sheet prints on plain A4 at home or in a classroom, and the whole pack is designed to work without colour printing.
- 16 printable pages
- Ages 3–8
- A4 and US Letter
- Black and white — no colour printer
Rangoli patterns that teach symmetry
Half of each rangoli pattern is printed; the child completes the other half so both sides match. A rangoli is a dot grid joined by straight lines, which makes it a genuine symmetry exercise as well as a festival activity. Children work on pencil control, left-right awareness and pattern recognition while drawing something they already recognise from their doorstep. Six rangoli pages come in the pack, each a different design, and a seventh blank grid is left for the child to invent their own kolam.
Diwali word tracing
Six Diwali word tracing pages cover DIYA, LAMP, LIGHT, SWEET, STAR and RANGOLI. Each word appears first as a hollow outline to trace over, then again fainter, then on ruled lines to write unaided. This is the standard trace-then-write progression used for early handwriting, applied to words a child hears all week during the festival.
Diwali counting worksheets
Three Diwali counting worksheets ask the child to count the shapes on the page and circle the right number, then write that number on the line below. Numbers stay within ten, which suits nursery and LKG. Older children can use the same pages as a quick warm-up before the rangoli work.
Printing your Diwali printable worksheets
Sixteen Diwali printable worksheets, black and white, sized for A4 and US Letter. Nothing needs a colour printer. Teachers can print a class set; parents usually print two or three pages a day across the Diwali holidays rather than the whole pack at once. Once you have the PDF it is yours to print as often as you like.
Diwali word tracing pages in this pack
About Diwali
Children ask while they are working. Short answers you can give at the table, alongside the diwali worksheets.
What is Diwali?
Diwali, also written Deepavali, is the Indian festival of lights. It runs over about five days in autumn: homes are cleaned, rows of small clay oil lamps called diyas are lit along doorways and balconies, rangoli patterns are drawn at the threshold in coloured powder, new clothes are worn and sweets are shared with neighbours. It is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, and is a public holiday across India and in several countries with large Indian communities.
Why do we celebrate Diwali?
The story depends on where in India you ask, which is itself worth telling a child. In much of North India, Diwali marks the return of Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years in exile, when the city lit rows of lamps to guide him home. In much of South India it remembers the defeat of Narakasura by Krishna. In western India it is closely tied to Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, and the start of a new business year. Different stories, one idea running through all of them: light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance.
How to explain Diwali to a young child
Start with what they can see rather than the history: the lamps, the rangoli at the door, the new clothes, the sweets. For a three or four-year-old, the idea that people light lamps because light wins over dark is enough, and the rangoli pages give them something to do while you talk. Five and six-year-olds can usually hold one story, so pick the one your own family tells.
When is Diwali?
In 2026, Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November. It follows the lunar calendar — the new moon of the month of Kartika — so the date moves by a couple of weeks each year. In 2026 Naraka Chaturdashi lands on the same day, which means Deepavali in Tamil Nadu and Diwali in the north coincide rather than falling a day apart as they sometimes do. Schools usually run Diwali activities in the fortnight before.
Diwali worksheets — common questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
Sunday 8 November 2026. Naraka Chaturdashi falls on the same day, so Deepavali in Tamil Nadu and Diwali in the north coincide this year.
What age are these Diwali worksheets for?
Ages 3 to 8. The rangoli grids come in three sizes — a 5x5 grid suits nursery, 7x7 suits LKG, and 9x9 suits UKG and above.
Do I need a colour printer?
No. Every page in the Diwali activity pack is designed for black and white printing on plain paper.
Can a school print these for a whole class?
Yes. The licence covers classroom use, so a teacher can print a set for every child.
What is a rangoli or kolam worksheet?
A grid of dots with part of a pattern already drawn. The child joins the remaining dots to complete the design, usually by mirroring the half that is printed.