10 of the best Diwali gifts for children

They are nearly all gifts to express creativity with, play with, or learn more with about the origins of Diwali and its key protagonists.

Here’s our pick of the best Diwali gifts for children…

1. Peppa’s Diwali book, £4.99

Peppa Pig has embraced multicultural Britain this year, not only by marking Chinese New Year but also by celebrating Diwali in this latest book that’s guaranteed to have British Hindu preschoolers up and down the country beaming with pride for their culture.

The highlight is undoubtedly the pages that show Peppa and her family donning salwars, kurtas and sarees – not forgetting the bindis worn by mummy, granny and aunty pig too.

Traditional Indian sweets make it on to the dinner table, topped off by a pig-tastic firework display. Sharing Peppa’s pleasure in celebrating the festival of lights with her family is a sure way to please any Peppa fan.

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones and WHSmith

2. Russian doll stacking Ganeshas, £9.99

Russian dolls are one of those toys adults actually like having on display in their homes and young children also genuinely love playing with.

Not only are these beautifully hand-painted wooden set of Russian dolls a classic children’s toy that will live on beyond Diwali, they also provide an opportunity to talk to your little ones about Ganesha, the much loved elephant-headed deity that is invoked on all major Hindu festivals.

The small company that sells these also offer a limited range of personalised Diwali gifts, like bags of sweets.

Available from: Curly mango gifts

3. Ganesha soft toy, £20

It’s hard to get a cute looking soft toy of a Hindu god – we’ve certainly seen some that are more likely to put the child off a deity than forge a loving bond. This one produced by a small UK –based company is by far the best we’ve seen.

It’s a lovely size, design and feels like a high quality product, with nice details like the stitched oms and laddus in one of Ganesha’s hands.

It’s the ideal gift for adding a bit of Diwali sparkle to any highly prized soft toy collections.

Available from: Amazon, Etsy and Plushindia.com

4. Ganesha goes to a party book, £4.99

Feasting features heavily in most Diwali celebrations – and this book is all about Ganesha’s endless appetite (the thing that fills him up in the end is love).

It’s an ancient Hindu tale that fits nicely with the theme of abundant food and gathering people together.

The author, Swamini Supriyananda, has written a range of beautifully illustrated books on Hindu themes – but this one is a good fit for Diwali. Perfect for children aged between 2-5 years.

Available from: Chinmayabooks.com, Amazon and Little Heroes

5. Personalised Diwali themed kids colouring in set, £30

While this is at the pricier end of the list, children are unlikely to be disappointed by the vibrant personalised wooden case that contains a full set of felt-tips, watercolours, pencils, crayons and more.

A rangoli (coloured powder pattern), Indian elephant or diya (lamp) design is available to order with a personalised message or simply a name – all are bold and striking.

While the art supplies will eventually run out, the beautifully designed personalised wooden case can be used to store children’s artwork or memorabilia for many years.

Suitable for children aged 3 upwards with delivery in approx 3-5 days.

Available from: Treatrepublic.com

6. Happy Diwali chocolates, £9.95

Lots of kids love Indian sweets – but some don’t. And they certainly aren’t something you can pop in the post. That’s where these Cocoapod chocolates come in – solid blocks of delicious handmade Diwali themed Belgian chocolate that children (and their parents) will enjoy as an alternative option to the usual mithai.

Those who’ve just learnt to read can have fun deciphering the letter blocks and others will enjoy the colourful chocolate blocks surrounding the Diwali message.

Available from: cocoapod and notonthehighstreet

7. Diwali book by the Jai Jais, £6.99

This colourfully illustrated and well-researched book summarises the ancient and much-loved story behind Diwali (the Ramayana). It details how the divine Prince Rama was exiled to the forest for 14 years with his brother Lakshman and wife Sita and the many adventures that led to their homecoming that saw their city’s streets filled with lights.

The book’s language is easy to follow and share with children aged 3 upwards. For older children seeking a richer and deeper insight into the story behind Diwali, the Jai Jais have also published ‘The Ramayana’ which is also highly recommended.

Available from: Thejaijais.com and Amazon

8. Raani handmade paper notebook, £10.50

This beautifully presented paisley design handmade notebook will help encourage kids to swap their screens for a bit of quality-time jotting down thoughts and musings.

It arrives delicately wrapped with a Ganesha embossed stamp and has a hard hand-screen printed cover that is reminiscent of a beautiful saree. It’s made from 100% cotton handmade paper…so it feels special, and makes a great Diwali gift for stationary lovers.

Available from: Paper Haveli and notonthehighstreet

9. Rama’s story puzzle by 108 puzzles, £14.99

The story behind Diwali is brought to life in this rich and colourful puzzle that depicts key scenes from the epic Ramayana. Children already familiar with the story will take great joy in seeing the scenes come together as they fit each piece of the puzzle.

Ideal for children aged 5 years and above.

Available from: 108puzzles

10. Terracotta diyas, £2.70 for a pack of 10

Children love to paint 3D objects and painting your own clay lamps or diyas provides a great opportunity to do so at great value.

Ordering a set of the plain clay diyas that define this festival and adding a splash of colour with paints and stick on jewels will creatively occupy children who can then also proudly parade their creations on the day of Diwali.

Available from: terracottaworld