October 6, 2017 Leave a Comment
Share Tweet Pin +1Shares 0Every time Diwali rolls around, I hear the elders in my family talk about the Diwali they celebrated in the good ol’ days. Earlier, I just tossed it aside as typical ‘elderly-person-nostalgia’, but as I grow older myself, I realize that times indeed have changed. Perhaps, festivals like Diwali remind us more of this fact, since this is when we refresh age-old traditions and adapt some of them for our modern day life. So the Diwali we’re having today will be different from the ones our kids celebrate tomorrow, as adults. But however our rituals may change, we try our best to maintain the original spirit of the festival and remember what it stand for. That’s why it’s so important to teach the story of Diwali for kids, so that they understand the true significance of the festival.
Why is the Story of Diwali important?
With everything these days becoming increasingly materialistic, even Diwali has got it’s share of consumerism going on. But before our kids begin to think that Diwali is just about new gifts, clothes and sweets, we need to teach them what this festival is really about! It can be a little confusing about where to start, especially for young kids, more so if grandparents aren’t accessible for some fun storytelling! This is where useful resources like books come into the picture and today we’ve got one such beautiful little book by Tot Labs – The Story of Diwali – created especially for little kids!
“Story of Diwali” is a short, illustrated book, that introduces the beautiful Indian festival of Diwali to children. With simple text and colorful illustrations, this is a fun, read-aloud book that’s suitable even for toddlers. Amruta Ram, the author of the book, was kind enough to send us a copy for review, and we enjoyed it thoroughly! Let’s take a look at what exactly is inside the book, and how you can use it in your home.
About the Author
Amruta Ram has extensively studied the concept of early learning, gentle parenting and Montessori. In fact, she is the first Indian mom to start a YouTube channel on Early Learning and Montessori! She loves to document her Montessori – inspired journey on her YouTube channel as well as on her blog Mumma Diaries, where she offers free printables for toddlers and preschoolers.
Book Review: Story of Diwali for Kids
The book is 24 pages long, about the right size for little kids to be read to, and for older kids to read by themselves. The text is in a large, clear print and occupy a part about the same as the illustrations. The overall design is fuss-free, and the focus is only on the essential elements. This prevents it from getting overstimulating for a young child.
The illustrations are neat and clean, but are pretty detailed too – kids will have fun trying to identify the different Diwali sweets on the platter! The book features lots of characters who are smiling brightly, and the placement of lamps gives each page a festive feel.
The book talks about the different days of Diwali and the significance of each day. All five days are covered – Dhanteras, Narak Chaturdasi, Lakshmi Puja, Padwa and Bhai Dooj.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t mention the regular fun aspects too! Lights, sweets and crackers – everything gets a mention. This helps kids get a more wholesome idea of a festival that encompasses all worlds – rituals, celebrations and deeper meanings.
There’s even a simple Sanskrit sloka provided at the end of the book along with translation.
What we loved most about the book is how simple, yet profound it is! In these few pages, it conveys a lot of information, and is the perfect introduction to Diwali for young kids. It’s also really versatile. You can read it aloud to toddlers or preschoolers, and early readers can try their hand at reading it themselves. The book is great for kids already celebrating the festival or as an introduction for kids who aren’t familiar with the festival.
So if you’re looking for the perfect gift this Diwali, you don’t need to look beyond this lovely little Diwali book! It’s sure to be a book that’ll be read again and again, year after year!
You can get yourself ‘Story of Diwali’ by clicking here, which will take you to the Mumma Diaries shop link.
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Filed Under: Product Review, Reading Tagged With: book, book review, books for toddlers, Diwali, diwali gift ideas, diwali gifts, Diwali with kids, ebook, review, Tips for Diwali with small kids
