ANTAKSHRI -

CRACKERS TAMBOLA
Description : On a paper draw any four crackers like annar, phuljhadi, firki,rocket. Now the players have to write 4 numbers of their choice on each cracker. The game can be played as four crackers as 4 lines, early 4 ie. one no. each in every cracker and full houses

CREATIVE CRAFT GAME
Description : We will need Thermocol paper plates and some pens. The paper plates are to be placed on the head and each child has to try to draw two candles , two diyas and a swastika. To finish off they also have to write HAPPY DIWALI 10 points for writing Happy Diwali correctly ie. in one line and 5 points if it is not. The best writing is the winner.

LIGHT THE DIYAS
Description : In this game kids are given a minute to light as many diyas as they can. Supervision and care needed if playing with little kids. the kid that has lit the maximum diyas is the winner.

FIND OUT AND COUNT LAKSHMI
Description : Draw or paste on a sheet of paper pictures of small Laxmi Ganesh surrounded by diyas, candles, different types of crackers, flowers, kalash etc.Get the same photocopied as per the no. of players. Give one paper and pen to everyone. The game is that players have to find and count the no. of Laxmi-Ganesh drawn or pasted on that paper in one minute.

FANCY DRESS COMPETITION
Description : Use Diwali to create a fun, fancy dress competition, maybe by using the Diwali colours as a theme? You can ask kids to dress up in the shades of yellow, orange or red and get creative as they can.

DIYA DECORATION
Description : This game can be conducted both for kids and adults. Get a few diyas and some decorative craft stuff a few days ahead. Get the kids to decorate their diyas using the given supplies within a set time limit. The kid who decorates the best diya is the winner. In case you have a lot of open space you can have flower Rangoli competitions as well.

PLAY DOUGH RANGOLI
Description : Get some play dough and assorted lentils ready. Get the little kids to make miniature rangolis and let them use lentils to decorate them. This game caters to the toddlers to set their imagination going.

THALI DECORATION
Description : Ask your guests to bring their own thalis. Give them the decoration items such as glitters, beads, sparkles, glue etc and ask each member to decorate their thali. Set a time limit of 45 minutes to one hour. The player who has decorated their thali in the most beautiful and innovative way, is the winner.

DHAMAKEDAAR MUSICAL CHAIRS
Description : Diwali Dhamaka Musical Chairs Things Required • Chairs • Some Dhamakedaar Music to spread the festive vibe How to Play • Make small chits and write the name of crackers on that chit for eg., Chakhri, Ladis, Rocket, Phuljadhi etc. Make sure you have two sets of chits, one set for the chairs and the other for the bowl. How To Play • Form a circle of chairs and make sure that the number of chairs is one less than the numbers of players playing the game. • Before starting the game, place one chit on each seat of the chair. Drop the chits in a bowl. Once the music starts, all your guests have to move and dance around the circle. As the music stops, everyone will sit but there will be one player left standing. • The player left standing has to pick one chit from the bowl and read the name of the cracker that he has picked up. • Before that, the players who are sitting on the chair will have to open the chits that are placed under their respective chair. • Now once the outer reads the name of the cracke

BLIND FOLD DRY FRUIT MIX
Description : No of players: 5 Things you need 5 bowls of mixed dry fruits (cashew, badam, pistas and dry grapes) 4 small empty bowls for each player Blind fold How to play? Blind fold 5 people and place a bowl of mixed dry fruits in front of them. Also line up the small empty bowls in front of them. The players have to sort out the different varieties in 4 different bowls. The player who sorts out the most number accurately, wins!

ANTAKSHRI
Description : Hosting a large number of people and wondering how to break the ice?? Divide them into groups and begin Antakshri. To make it more fun, make it mandatory to have only festival related songs.

Diwali CARDS
Description : Playing cards is extremely popular on Diwali day. It is said that on playing cards, the goddess of wealth smile upon the player and ensures her goodwill. The tradition of gambling on Diwali also has a legend behind it. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva and she proclaimed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuing year. Feeling lucky already?? Bring out those cards and see Goddess Lakshmi smiling down on you!

IDENTIFY THE SWEETS
Description : Things required • Printed sheets of papers with the English names of Indian sweets. • The papers can be printed according to the number of players. • Pens for writing How to play Type down the names of the sweets in English. For example, ? Royal meal ? Mercury sugar ? Pakistani carrots ? Rose berries ? Like husband ? Royal sand ? Message ? Honarable piece ? Holy mysore Handover these printed sheets to each player. They have to find out the orginal name of these sweets. The answers are given below ? Raj Bhoj ? Shakar Para ? Gaajar Pak ? Gulaab Jamun ? Patisa ? Baalu Shahi ? Sandesh ? Shahi Tukda ? Mysore Park Winner The person who gets all or atleast most of the answers right is the winner.

OHM
Description : Give each of your guests clay diyas, oil and a match box. Ask them to light the diyas and arrange them in the form of a ohm. The person whose design is the best and has finished in the least time is the winner.

WAX WRITING
Description : Handover one colorful wax candle and a sheet of paper to each member. Set a time limit of one minute and ask them to write happy diwali on the sheet of paper using wax. The player who finishes the task first within the time limit is the winner.

Making Ladoos
Age group : 4 years and above
Description : Get all ingredients ready , preferably for Besan Ladoos as they are easy to prepare. Once they are all in, give them the ingredients such as besan, jaggery and raisins and a time frame to complete the task of making the ladoos. Add more fun to the task by asking them to make them as round as possible.Watch the kids getting their hands dipped in ghee, mixing the besan, adding the raisins and working their way towards getting round ladoos

Decorating The Diyas
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Set of 2 Diyas, few paints, lot of embellishments, glue, apron
Description : Give each kid 2 diyas and have them decorate their diyas using their creativity. Once done , put them in a gift bag along with some goodies and let them take the goodie bag home

Rangoli Drawing Activity
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Flowers and Grains
Description : Give the kids flowers and grains to work on instead of colours. That way, the mess will be under control and they wont end up spoiling their festive clothes. Allocate a space to each one and make the activity more fun by having a special gift for each child irrespective of the way they end up desigining their rangoli

Play Dough Rangoli
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Play Dough Kit, sequences / embellishments
Description : Give each kid a play dough kit and ask them to make a rangoli out of it. You may want to show them one as a sample. You can give them some sequences / embellishments too to decorate their play dough rangoli

Priceless Messages !
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Paper and Paints
Description : Give the kids some paper and paints and help them make Diwali Greeting Cards for all your close family and friends . Imagine the smile on your relative

Origami craft
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Origami paper, scissors, tape
Description : Make your kids feel closer to the festival by decorating your house with items made by them. Cut , fold, string colorful papers together to make beautiful lanterns, flowers, artificial flower garlands etc.

Glitterati Diwali
Age group : 5 years and above
Items required : Sparkle glue, wax and wicks
Description : Diyas and candles are popular house adornments during Diwali. Get some sparkle, glue, wax and wicks for your kids and help them make candles. Just pour melted, coloured wax into a diya - make sure you wear gloves or similar safety measures , so that you do not get hot wax on your child

Masterchef Diwali
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Items required for making the sweets
Description : If your kid is fond of cooking, this wouldn

Experience the joy of giving !
Age group : All age groups
Items required : Gently used toys and clothes
Description : Kids outgrow toys and clothes on a reglar basis and Diwali is the best time to teach them the joy of giving ! As you stack away gently used clothes and toys , explain to the kids how these may benefit the less-privileged . You could also do a trip to a nearby orphanage and have them volunteer for a community contribution for a more personal touch . This is also a chance to help your kids practice gratitude as they learn to count their blessings !

Bangle Diyas
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : bangles, tea candle
Description : Want to put your bangles to good use ? You can turn them into bangle diyas. Stick bangles together, add a tea light candle and watch as colourful lights dance across your walls ! It

Paper Cup Lanterns
Age group : 4 years and above
Items required : Serial lights, paper cups, paint, sequence / embelleshment ( to decorate the paper cups )
Description : Got serial lights at home? Instead of just hanging them across your wall, how about adding a splash of creative art on paper cups, attaching them to the lights and giving your house a complete makeover ? Paper cup lanterns enhance the look of serial lights and look absolutely great to ring in the festive fervour !

Children's Fancy Dress Competition
Age group : 3 years and above
Items required : Fancy Dress according to the character they are playing
Description : Kids are welcome to showcase their talent by dressing them up as Ram, Laxman, Sita etc. They can recite slokas, sing devotional songs, narrate few sentences about the character they are playing

Candles and Dice
Age group : 5 years and above
Items required : 4 candles for each player, dice
Description : Let the kids sit in a circle and give 4 candles to each player. The game is for everyone to roll the dice one by one. If the player gets any number from 1 - 4 for example 4 , then the player sitting fourth from his/her right has to give one candle to the player who has rolled the dice. If the dice rolls 5 or 6 then the player has to do nothing, just to pass on the dice to the next player. The moment any player gives his/her candle , he/she is out of the game. The player with the maximum candles wins !

Alphabets and Diyas
Age group : 5 years and above
Items required : Diyas, Table
Description : Take 26 Diyas and write the alphabets A - Z at the base . Mix them all up and keep them on a table. The players have to check the diyas one by one and arrange them in alphabetical order in a line i.e from A to Z in one minute !