Free Holi activities for kids for children, with seven printable activities that use real Holi words, from colored powder and bonfires to sweets and spring dancing. Print a word search in three levels, bingo cards, a word scramble, a “how many words can you make” page, an acrostic poem, a writing prompt and a fold-up Holi card, each with an answer key where one is needed.
Holi activities for kids to print (PDF)
These four pages show what the Holi maker prints: a medium word search with a word list, two bingo cards on a page, an acrostic poem for the letters of COLORS, and the fold-up card that says “Happy Holi!” Click a picture for the PDF.
About Holi: the holiday at a glance
A little background makes the words on the page mean more. Here are the basic facts that go with these Holi activities for kids:
| When | The full moon in the month of Phalguna, usually in March |
|---|---|
| Also called | The Festival of Colors |
| Where | India and Nepal, and Hindu communities around the world |
| What it marks | The arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil |
| Symbols | Colored powder (gulal), water, bonfires and sweets |
| Colors | Pink, yellow, green, blue and orange |
The story of Holi
Holi is a Hindu spring festival celebrated on the full moon in the month of Phalguna, which usually falls in March. It marks the end of winter and the coming of spring and a good harvest, and it is also a day for forgiveness and for mending broken friendships.
On the night before Holi, communities light a bonfire called Holika Dahan, remembering the story of Prahlad, a boy who trusted in God and was saved, while the demoness Holika was defeated. The next day is the colorful part: people throw colored powder called gulal and spray colored water on each other, dance to music and share sweets.
Wikipedia’s Holi article describes the stories and customs of the festival.
What is in the Holi activity pack?
Every activity uses the same list of 24 Holi words, so children meet each word several times in different ways. The list is the heart of these Holi activities for kids: the word search hides it, the scramble mixes it up, the bingo calls it out and the writing prompt asks children to use it.
Holi word search: three levels
The word search comes in easy, medium and hard grids, with 10, 14 and 18 words from the list.
The longest Holi word is celebrate with 9 letters, and the shortest word is joy with 3.
Holi vocabulary: words to talk about
Take a few minutes to talk about the words before children search for them. These eight are a good place to start:
| Word | Letters | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| gulal | 5 | Colored powder thrown at Holi |
| bonfire | 7 | A big fire lit outdoors; Holika Dahan is the Holi bonfire |
| festival | 8 | A special day or period of celebration |
| splash | 6 | To throw or spray water so it flies in drops |
| forgive | 7 | To stop being angry with someone who did something wrong |
| harvest | 7 | Gathering the ripe crops |
| sweets | 6 | Treats such as gujiya and ladoo shared at Holi |
| laughter | 8 | The sound of people finding something funny |
The other 16 words in the list are holi, colors, spring, powder, water, india, dance, music, friends, family, joy, celebrate, pink, yellow, green and blue.
How people celebrate Holi
- Lighting a bonfire the evening before
- Throwing gulal and water balloons
- Dancing to music and drums
- Sharing sweets and visiting friends and family
- Forgiving old quarrels and starting afresh
Holi activities for kids to do with the worksheets
Pair the printed pages with a hands-on idea, and the vocabulary sticks:
- Color mixing: mix red, yellow and blue paint to make orange, green and purple, then name each color.
- Holi painting: blow watery paint across paper with a straw to make a splash picture.
- Color writing: use the prompt about filling the sky with one color, and explain why.
- Forgiveness circle: talk about a time you said sorry or forgave someone.
- Colors acrostic: write COLORS down the page and add a word for each letter.
A note for families and teachers
Holi is a Hindu festival with regional customs. These activities are a gentle introduction, and families who celebrate may wish to add their own traditions.
Holi activities for kids for different ages
The activities suit a wide range, and you can choose the right level for each child:
| Age | Best pages | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Ages 4 to 5 | Bingo cards and the Holi card, with a grown-up reading the words | Use pictures or real objects as bingo counters |
| Ages 6 to 7 | The easy word search (10 words), the scramble and the acrostic | Work in pairs and use the word list at the bottom of the page |
| Ages 8 to 10 | The medium and hard word searches (14 and 18 words) and the writing prompt | Ask for a paragraph, not a sentence, and add a drawing |
How to use these Holi activities for kids in five minutes
The holi activities for kids maker works from the 24-word Holi list, so every holi activities for kids page you print uses the same words. Choose an activity, set the level and press Download PDF or Print, and press New puzzles for a fresh set.
Holi activities for kids: frequently asked questions
When is Holi?
Holi falls on the full moon in the month of Phalguna, usually in March, so the date changes every year.
Why do people throw colors at Holi?
The colors celebrate spring and joy. Throwing them is also linked to stories about Krishna playing with friends, and it mixes people together in a spirit of fun and friendship.
Is Holi only celebrated in India?
No. It is also celebrated in Nepal, and by Hindu communities around the world, and many other people join in color festivals.
Holi printables: find the right page
Festival of colors for kids
The Festival of Colors is easy for kids to understand, because the colors and the water play are visible and joyful. The word list and the bingo cards introduce the vocabulary, and the writing prompt asks children to imagine filling the sky with one color.
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