Ten-headed Ravana templates, Rama and Sita masks, bows and arrows, colouring pages and the story of good beating evil.
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Dussehra 2026 is on Tuesday 20 October, and Dussehra 2027 falls on Saturday 9 October. It is the day good beats evil: Rama defeats the ten-headed demon king Ravana, and Durga defeats the buffalo demon. We have checked dozens of pages of free Dussehra crafts for kids: ten-headed Ravana templates for paper-plate puppets and Ravana masks, Rama and Sita masks for acting out the Ramayana, safe bow and arrow crafts, Dussehra colouring pages, Durga crafts for Navratri and Durga Puja, and Dussehra activities for kids at home, in EYFS and in KS1. Pick a tile, build your own Ravana puppet below, and read the grown-up rules before the effigy goes up in flames.
Dussehra activities for kids: what shall we make?
Tap a tile to see templates, tutorials and ideas for that kind of craft. Every link opens the real website in a new tab.
The craft table
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Build your own ten-headed Ravana puppet
Pick a face for each of Ravana's ten heads, choose his crown and moustache, then print the puppet to colour, cut out and stick on a lolly stick.
Which head? tap one, then pick its face
Face for that head
Moustache all heads
Crown colour all heads
Ravana's ten heads stand for ten kinds of trouble: anger, pride, greed, jealousy and the rest. In the story, Rama's final arrow brings every one of them down, which is why the festival is about good beating evil, not just one battle.
Fire Rama's arrow
At a real Ramlila the giant paper Ravana is set alight with an arrow and the fireworks inside go off. Try it here with no matches needed.
Rama's arrow flies, the effigy catches, and the crowd cheers because evil has lost again. The real ones can be taller than a house.
What is Dussehra? The story for kids
Dussehra (also called Vijayadashami, "the tenth day of victory") comes straight after the nine nights of Navratri. Long ago, Prince Rama's wife Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka. With his brother Lakshman, the monkey hero Hanuman and a whole army of monkeys and bears, Rama built a bridge to Lanka and fought a great battle. On the tenth day his arrow struck Ravana down and Sita was free. In the east of India the same day celebrates the goddess Durga defeating the buffalo demon Mahishasura after a ten-day fight. Either way, it means good beats evil, and twenty days later the lamps of Diwali welcome Rama home.
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Ramlila plays
For nine nights, towns act out the Ramayana on open-air stages, finishing with the battle on Dussehra night.
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The effigies
Giant paper-and-bamboo Ravanas, often with his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnad, are packed with fireworks and set alight with a flaming arrow.
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Mysore Dasara
In Mysore a decorated elephant carries the goddess Chamundeshwari through the city in a huge procession with lights and music.
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Durga Puja
In Bengal, beautiful clay statues of Durga are worshipped for days, then carried to the river on Vijayadashami.
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Golden leaves
In Maharashtra, families swap leaves of the Apta tree as "gold" and wish each other well. In the south, tools, books and instruments are blessed for Ayudha Puja.
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Sweets and new starts
Jalebi, fafda and kheer are shared, and many people start new lessons or projects because it is a lucky day to begin.
Grown-up rules
Effigies, fireworks and bows are all part of the fun. These tips come from UK safety charities and fire services.
My Dussehra plan
Tap the β on any template to save it here. Your plan stays on this device.
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Dussehra questions
What is Dussehra, explained for kids?
Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, is a Hindu festival that celebrates good winning over evil. In the north of India it remembers Prince Rama defeating the ten-headed demon king Ravana to rescue Sita. In the east it marks the goddess Durga defeating the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Families watch Ramlila plays, burn giant paper effigies of Ravana with fireworks inside, and share sweets. Twenty days later comes Diwali.
When is Dussehra in 2026 and 2027?
Tuesday 20 October 2026 and Saturday 9 October 2027. It falls on the tenth day of the Hindu month of Ashvin, straight after the nine nights of Navratri, so the date moves each year.
What Dussehra crafts can children make?
The favourite is a ten-headed Ravana from a paper plate, a toilet roll or printed heads on a stick. Children also make Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman masks or puppets to act out the story, a safe cardboard bow and paper arrows, Durga colouring pages, marigold garlands and a mini paper effigy. The tiles above link to free templates for all of them.
How do I make a ten-headed Ravana?
Print or draw ten faces, give each a crown and a moustache, and glue them in a fan shape on a strip of card with the biggest head in the middle. Stick the fan onto a paper plate or a lolly stick for a puppet. The builder above lets children choose a face for each head and print the whole puppet to colour and cut out.
Is burning a Ravana effigy safe for children to watch?
Go to an organised event, stand well behind the barriers, and keep little ones on a grown-up's shoulders or hand so they can see without getting close. Effigies are packed with fireworks, so treat them like a bonfire night display. At home, make a paper effigy and light it with a torch or LED candle instead of a flame.
My Festoonie Ravana puppet
Colour the heads, cut around the outside, and tape a lolly stick to the back.