Diwali Diya Maze: Free Printable Game for Year 2

Diwali Diya Maze is a free printable game for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7) in Key Stage 1. Children find their way through a maze to light the lamp, then draw a rangoli pattern of their own in a box on the page. It is screen free and needs only a pencil. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children work through a maze to reach the diya and light the lamp. They follow the route with a pencil and try another way if a path does not work. Then they move to the box headed My rangoli pattern, where they draw and colour a design of their own. The sheet also has boxes for drawing or notes, so children can add words or pictures about Diwali.

• My rangoli pattern

Make Diwali real beyond the page

About Diwali, diyas and rangoli

Real diyas and candles have open flames. Adults light them and look after them. Children should not handle a lit lamp. For a safe alternative, use battery tea lights, or just draw the flame.

Quick facts about Diwali

• A diya is a small lamp. Many diyas are made from clay.
• Rangoli patterns are often made near the front door of a home.
• Rangoli can be made from coloured powder, rice flour, chalk or flower petals.
• Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
• The date of Diwali changes from one year to the next.

Skills and curriculum link

• Following a path
• Pattern making
• Learning about festivals
• Pencil control
• Talking about traditions

Helping your child talk about Diwali

• Start with what they knowAsk whether they have seen Diwali lights, cards or decorations. Some children will celebrate it at home. Others may have heard about it at school.
• Use the right wordsSay diya for the lamp and rangoli for the floor pattern. Repeating the words while you work helps them stick.
• Respect different familiesFamilies celebrate in different ways. Say many families, not all families. Invite children who celebrate Diwali to share what they do, but never expect them to.
• Link RE and artThe maze and the rangoli box use the same sheet for two subjects. Talk about the festival first, then let your child be creative with shapes and colours.

Key words

• DiwaliA festival of light celebrated by many families, including Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
• DiyaA small lamp, often made of clay, that holds oil and a wick.
• RangoliA colourful pattern made on the floor, often near a doorway.
• FestivalA special time when families and communities celebrate together.
• PatternShapes or colours that repeat in an order.
• SymmetricalThe same on both sides, like a mirror picture.

How to use it

1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
2. Read the box together. Talk about why people light lamps in the dark.
3. Work through the maze together the first time. Talk about each turn your child chooses.
4. Let your child draw and colour their rangoli. Look at page 2 for ideas to help or stretch.
5. Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

Talk about it

• What do you notice about the diya on the sheet?
• Why might a lamp be special on a dark evening?
• Which way did you choose first in the maze, and why?
• What shapes could you repeat in a rangoli?
• How could you make both sides of your pattern match?
• What would you like to ask someone who celebrates Diwali?

Take it off the page

Who it is for

Where this fits in learning

Before this sheet, children in Key Stage 1 learn that people celebrate special times in different ways. They also practise following simple paths and making repeating patterns with shapes and colours in art and play.

After it, children can learn about other festivals and how families mark them. They can also move on to more detailed pattern work, such as symmetry, and to talking and writing about what different communities believe and do.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Diwali Diya Maze for?

It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7) in Key Stage 1. Younger children can try it with help, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2.

What will children practise?

Children learn that Diwali is a festival of light. They follow a route through a maze and make a pattern of their own. It links RE with art.

Do children need to know about Diwali already?

No. Read the box together and talk about it first. Children who celebrate Diwali can share what they know. Others can learn from the sheet and from your conversation.

Is it safe to use with real lamps?

The sheet itself needs only a pencil. If you talk about real diyas, remember that adults light and look after any flame. Battery tea lights are a safe alternative for display.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class.

Do I need to print in colour?

No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add their own colours to the rangoli with pencils or crayons.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.