βοΈ Templates
Holi dot marker mat and pichkari craft template
βοΈ Printable templates Β· Little Ladoo
Free PDF dot marker mat and water-squirter (pichkari) craft template, plus a long list of Holi activity ideas.
Open on Little Ladoo βThe Festival of Colours, when Hindu families welcome spring by throwing bright coloured powder and water.
Kids can make all sorts of colourful things for Holi, the Hindu festival of colours. Easy favourites include blow-painted or splatter-painted pictures, a powder-paint painted person, a tissue paper blossom tree for spring and a drip-painted Happy Holi card. Toddlers enjoy dot marker mats and colouring sheets, while older children can make their own colour powder.
When is Holi in the UK 2027? Monday 22 March 2027. (approximate: the date can vary with the moon or by community)
Holi is a Hindu spring festival, often called the festival of colours. It marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring, and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It begins in the evening with Holika Dahan, when bonfires are lit to remember the story of young Prahlad, who was kept safe from the fire, and Holika, who tried to trick him. The next day, Rangwali Holi, people throw brightly coloured powder, called gulal, and coloured water, remembering the playful love of Krishna and Radha. Families also visit the temple, share sweets and special food, and forget any bad feelings towards each other. In the UK, Hindu families celebrate at home and at mandirs, and colourful community events with music and dance are held in towns and cities, often on the weekend after the festival day. Because Holi follows the Hindu lunar calendar, its date moves each year and customs vary between regions and families, so check with your local mandir. For young children, Holi is a joyful way to explore colour, spring and kindness.
In 2027 Holika Dahan falls on Sunday 21 March and Holi on Monday 22 March, according to the National Council of Hindu Priests UK festival calendar.
Date checked against hinducounciluk.org.
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βοΈ Printable templates Β· Little Ladoo
Free PDF dot marker mat and water-squirter (pichkari) craft template, plus a long list of Holi activity ideas.
Open on Little Ladoo βποΈ Colouring pages Β· Hobbycraft
Three free PDF colouring sheets, including a Happy Holi elephant and a bright town scene to colour.
Open on Hobbycraft βποΈ Colouring pages Β· Activity Village
Members-only Holi colouring pages, including decorated elephants and the story of Prahlad and Holika.
Open on Activity Village βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· Hobbycraft
Tissue paper wooden people, a bottle bonfire lit with LED tealights and a straw-painted Happy Holi card.
Open on Hobbycraft βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· RNIB
A Holi hand craft with blow painting, flicked paint and a mess-free paint-in-a-bag option, so every child can join in.
Open on RNIB βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· Activity Village
Bright, messy Holi crafts: painted people, marbled plates, a spring tree and bonfire collage. Almost all are free.
Open on Activity Village βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· BBC CBeebies
Make a tissue paper blossom tree on a cardboard tube with CBeebies House to welcome the spring.
Open on BBC CBeebies βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· Activity Village
Sprinkle powder paint on a card person, spray with water and watch the colours run, just like Holi!
Open on Activity Village βπ Cards & letters Β· Activity Village
Drip watered-down paint in lots of colours onto folded card, then add letters to say Happy Holi.
Open on Activity Village βπ How-to & videos Β· The Artful Parent
Clear blow painting guide, with a clever pin-hole straw tip so little ones can't suck up the paint.
Open on The Artful Parent βπ How-to & videos Β· BBC CBBC β Blue Peter
Blue Peter's recipe for homemade gulal-style powder from cornflour, water and food colouring.
Open on BBC CBBC β Blue Peter βπ The story Β· BBC CBeebies
Watch Sumedh and Purvaja make sweets, visit the temple and enjoy a colourful Holi with their family.
Open on BBC CBeebies βπ The story Β· Activity Village
The best-known Holi story of good over evil, with a free flipbook version to read together.
Open on Activity Village βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· National Day Nurseries Association
EYFS group artwork: throw powder paint at damp paper outdoors to explore colour mixing and movement.
Open on National Day Nurseries Association βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· BBC Teach
Ready-made primary assembly with a video, two story animations and a printable framework.
Open on BBC Teach βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· BBC Bitesize
Short video explaining Prahlad and Holika, Krishna and Radha, and why people throw colours at Holi.
Open on BBC Bitesize βπ‘οΈ Grown-up rules Β· National Capital Poison Center
Advice on choosing safer Holi colours and protecting eyes, skin and breathing when playing with powder.
Open on National Capital Poison Center βTap the β on any template to save it here. Your plan stays on this device.
A simple make to start with. Grown-ups handle anything sharp or hot.
Based on artfulparent.com.
Simple ways to keep Holi crafts safe and fun.
Choose natural or cornflour-based colours from trusted sellers, as some Holi powders contain metals or industrial dyes.National Capital Poison Center (Poison Control)
Wear sunglasses or goggles rather than contact lenses, cover arms and legs, and wash powder off soon after playing.National Capital Poison Center (Poison Control)
Keep colour powders away from open flames, as some can catch fire.National Capital Poison Center (Poison Control)
If colour gets in an eye, rinse it with clean water that isn't hot, and get advice if it isn't better after 24 hours.NHS
At a Holika Dahan bonfire, teach children to stay a safe distance from the fire and supervise them carefully.Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
Risk-assess messy colour activities for allergies and choking, and make sure children are always supervised.National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
One short email before Holi with the best free templates and ideas. For grown-ups, no spam, unsubscribe any time.
The bits you need for these crafts, on Amazon UK. See the full Holi shop β
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Painting and printing crafts suit little ones best. Try a Holi hand print, sprinkling powder paint onto a damp card person, or drip-painting a Happy Holi card. Toddlers also love dot marker mats and simple colouring sheets. For children who dislike messy hands, RNIB suggests sealing a card shape and some paint inside a zip-lock bag so they can squish the colours around. Keep sessions short and expect some mess.
Most Holi crafts use everyday supplies: paper and card, washable poster or powder paint, drinking straws, paper plates, tissue paper, PVA glue and a spray bottle of water. For homemade colour powder you need cornflour, water and food colouring, left to dry for at least a day. Old clothes, aprons and a wipe-clean table cover, or the garden, will save a lot of scrubbing afterwards.
Yes. The NDNA suggests a group powder-paint picture on damp paper hung outdoors, which supports colour mixing and motor skills. CBeebies has a Let's Celebrate Holi video showing a family preparing for and enjoying the festival, and BBC Teach offers a free KS1 and KS2 Holi assembly with story animations. Pair these with blow painting, a colour-mixing table or a spring blossom tree craft.
Yes. The free Holi colouring sheets and templates we link to are PDFs that print on a standard home printer. Choose 'fit to page' in your print settings so nothing gets cut off, as some files may be set up for US Letter paper. For crafts that get wet, such as painted people or blow painting, print onto thin card so it doesn't go soggy.
Play with colours outdoors and choose natural or cornflour-based powders from trusted sellers, as some products contain metals or industrial dyes. Protect eyes with sunglasses and keep powder away from mouths. If colour gets into an eye, rinse it with clean water that isn't hot; the NHS advises getting help if it isn't better after 24 hours. For blow painting, pierce a pin hole halfway down each straw.