βοΈ Template
Fall leaf Durga craft (free printable)
βοΈ Printable templates Β· Little Ladoo
Free Durga outline for A4: collect autumn leaves to make her a beautiful crown. Doubles as a colouring page.
Open on Little Ladoo βNine nights of dancing, music and colour when Hindus celebrate the goddess Durga.
Kids can make lots of bright, dance-ready crafts for Navratri. Favourites include decorated dandiya sticks made from rolled newspaper or card, paper plate dandiya dolls, a Durga picture with a crown of autumn leaves and colourful pattern work. Then put on some music and try tapping the sticks together in a circle dance.
When is Navratri in the UK 2027? Thursday 30 September 2027 to Friday 8 October 2027. (approximate: the date can vary with the moon or by community)
Navratri means nine nights. It is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar and honours the mother goddess Durga, whose nine forms are remembered over the nine nights. Many families recall her battle with the demon Mahishasura, a story of good overcoming evil. Evenings are full of music, prayer and dancing, especially garba, danced in a big circle, and dandiya raas, where dancers strike pairs of decorated sticks together in time to the music. Families also perform aarti, waving a lamp in front of sacred images, and share food and gifts. The festival is followed by Dussehra, another celebration of good over evil, and in Bengali communities the same season brings Durga Puja. In the UK, Navratri nights are held at mandirs and community halls, from long-running celebrations in Wythenshawe, Manchester, to free events in Oldham, and they bring people of all ages together. Dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar, so they change each year. For children, Navratri is a wonderful excuse to make, decorate and dance.
In 2027 Navratri begins on Thursday 30 September, with Dussehra on Saturday 9 October, 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 Durga outline for A4: collect autumn leaves to make her a beautiful crown. Doubles as a colouring page.
Open on Little Ladoo ββοΈ Printable templates Β· Little Ladoo
Free PDF template for swaying paper plate dancers in festival clothes, each holding tiny dandiya sticks.
Open on Little Ladoo βποΈ Colouring pages Β· Little Ladoo
Three free one-page PDFs for Dussehra, which follows Navratri: Lord Rama, Ravana Dahan and Mysore Palace.
Open on Little Ladoo βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· Little Ladoo
Durga crafts, garba dolls, Ramayana puppets and torn-paper rangoli. Some printables are free, some paid.
Open on Little Ladoo βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· FeviCreate
Navratri crafts to make with children, including decorated dandiya sticks and a puja thali.
Open on FeviCreate βπ How-to & videos Β· FeviCreate
Three ways to make dandiya sticks at home: rolled newspaper, garba-style lace wraps and soft felt.
Open on FeviCreate βπ The story Β· BBC News
Pictures of Dussehra, the festival of good over evil that comes straight after Navratri's nine nights.
Open on BBC News βπ The story Β· BBC News
Suffolk's Bengali community holds its first Durga Puja, the autumn festival of the goddess Durga.
Open on BBC News βπ The story Β· BBC News
Photos from Manchester's Navratri: dandiya stick dancing, aarti and a shrine to the nine goddesses.
Open on BBC News βπ The story Β· BBC News
How Oldham's Indian community celebrates nine nights for the goddess Durga, ending with Dussehra.
Open on BBC News βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· Little Ladoo
Paid learning pack on the nine forms of Durga, with picture, name and fact cards and a poster.
Open on Little Ladoo βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London
Book a free school visit to a London mandir, with downloadable worksheets for ages 6 to 10.
Open on BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London βπ‘οΈ Grown-up rules Β· London Fire Brigade
Fire safety advice for candles, incense and diya lamps used for worship and festivals.
Open on London Fire Brigade βπ‘οΈ Grown-up rules Β· Child Accident Prevention Trust
Keep anything smaller than a 2p coin, like sequins and beads, away from little ones.
Open on Child Accident Prevention Trust 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 fevicreate.com.
Simple ways to keep Navratri crafts safe and fun.
Never leave diya lamps, candles or incense sticks unattended, and keep them out of children's reach.London Fire Brigade
Keep decorations, paper crafts and festival clothes well away from naked flames.London Fire Brigade
Anything smaller than a 2p coin, such as sequins, beads or small mirrors, can choke a young child, so keep them away from toddlers.Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
Don't give whole nuts to children under five when sharing festival snacks; chop or flake them instead.Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
Check for food allergies before sharing festival food, as milk, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat are common triggers.NHS
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The bits you need for these crafts, on Amazon UK. See the full Navratri shop β
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Little ones can decorate a pair of card or rolled-newspaper dandiya sticks with paint, stickers and ribbon, colour a simple Durga outline, or make a crown for Durga from fallen autumn leaves. Paper plate dandiya dolls are fun for slightly older children who can manage scissors. Then put on some music and let everyone tap their sticks together gently in time.
Dandiya sticks can be made from tightly rolled newspaper or thin card, glued along the edge, or from plain wooden sticks. You'll also want poster or acrylic paint, coloured paper or felt, ribbon or lace, wool for tassels, PVA glue and child-safe scissors. Paper plates, card and a home printer cover most other Navratri crafts, and fallen leaves make a lovely free extra.
Yes. Navratri is a lovely way to explore music, movement and pattern. Try a simple circle dance to music, tapping homemade dandiya sticks in pairs, colouring and pattern work inspired by festival clothes, and talking about how families celebrate together. Many mandirs welcome school visits; Neasden Temple in London, for example, offers free visits and worksheets for ages 6 to 10.
Yes. The Durga outline and dandiya doll templates we link to are free PDFs that print on a home printer, and the Durga outline is set up for A4 or US Letter. For pieces that need to stand up or be painted, such as the dandiya dolls, print onto thin card instead of paper, and choose 'fit to page' if any edges look cut off.
Keep diya lamps and candles out of reach, never leave them unattended, and keep paper decorations and costumes well away from flames. Small decorations such as sequins, mirrors and beads can choke under-threes, so save those for older children. Make dandiya sticks from rolled paper or card for younger dancers, and give everyone plenty of space when the sticks start tapping.