Festivals Around the World: Free KS1 Worksheet

Why young children explore festivals

Learning about festivals is one of the first ways children begin to understand that families near and far have their own traditions. For five to seven year olds, the aim is not to memorise dates or religious detail but to build a warm, respectful curiosity: noticing that some people light diyas, some decorate trees, some hang lanterns and some share special meals. Seeing these celebrations side by side helps children feel that difference is normal and welcome, which is at the heart of early Religious Education and the Reception focus on people, culture and communities. Starting with a shared symbol, light, gives children an easy way in.

Four festivals, one shared idea: light

This worksheet mentions four widely celebrated festivals. Diwali, often called the festival of lights, is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, who light small oil lamps called diyas. Christmas is celebrated by Christians, and by many other families too, often with candles and strings of lights. Eid al-Fitr, at the end of the month of Ramadan, is a Muslim celebration with prayers, special meals, new clothes, gifts and giving to people in need; many families also decorate their homes with lights and lanterns. Lunar New Year, celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and other communities, is known for its red lanterns. Light links them, but it is worth telling children that each festival has its own meaning, and that light is only one part of it.

How to use this sheet at home or in class

Offer crayons or coloured pencils. Begin with the colouring: as children colour the diya, lantern, bunting and candle, talk gently about where they might have seen lights like these. Bunting is not tied to one festival, so it is a good way to talk about the decorations families put up for all kinds of celebrations, from Eid to birthdays. Then move to the writing task, reading each sentence aloud and letting children choose a word from the word bank. Keep the conversation open and accepting, and follow children's questions. Many children will have festivals of their own to share, which makes this a good small-group or circle-time activity.

Building respect and vocabulary

Alongside geography and early RE, this activity supports speaking, listening and vocabulary. Words such as festival, celebrate, lantern, candle and diya may be new, and saying and writing them helps fix them in memory. Encourage children to describe what they can see and to ask about traditions they do not know. Talking about every festival in the same respectful way, rather than treating one celebration as the normal one, sets a positive tone. You might extend the work by sharing a picture book linked to one festival, listening to music from a celebration, or inviting families to tell the class about a festival that matters to them.

Frequently asked questions